Can You Use Echo Show As A Baby Monitor?

The way we manage our home routines has truly changed. And as a smart home buff, I can say Amazon Alexa has, no doubt, transformed how we interact with the various technologies at home. If it’s the lights, one can now switch them off while under the blankets or else control security cameras by just saying it. However, as a home mom or dad, can you use Echo Show as a baby monitor and even give commands remotely?

Well, yes, you can use an Amazon Echo show to keep an eye on your baby. True, it won’t work as well as an actual baby monitor but can be an excellent alternative in the event of an emergency.

Actual Baby Monitor vs Echo Show Monitor

To begin with, the actual baby monitors aren’t exactly expensive to have. If you need to see everything the baby is doing and hear him cry, you can get nice models with video for as low as fifty dollars. Alternatively, you could get audio baby monitors at a cheaper cost, though you won’t have the visual advantage.

Meanwhile, the Echo Show is more like a portable management tool to help in your smart way of life. Tracking recipe times, watching movies, listening to radio stations, controlling wireless security cameras, and controlling lights; are just a few of the ways people use the device.

When it now comes to use your Echo Show as a baby monitor, the trick is to take advantage of the built-in communication feature. This feature allows you to connect to other Echo devices for voice or video conversation, as well as interact with Alexa for hands-free controls.

The good thing’s that the latest Echo Show 10 has a motion auto-tracking feature. So, it can be very helpful in the kid’s playroom. But again, how will you be able to use Echo Show as a baby monitor if you have only one device?

How to use Echo Show Devices as a Baby Monitor

If you have the two Echo Show displays that came with your Ring Video doorbell 2 or pro, you can create a baby monitor very easily. We’ll use one of the devices as the transmitter and set it in the baby’s nursery. Then, the other will be the receiver, which you can have with you anywhere in the house.

Before anything else, though, you’ll need to make sure your two Echos can communicate with each other. And to do this, you’ll have to:

Step 1: Add your Echo Show Devices

In general, Echo Show is primarily for running Alexa skills, but not apps. If you’re using an Echo device for the first time, you’ll need to configure several settings through the Alexa app. So, you’ll need to download the app on your (compatible) smartphone or tablet, then follow the on-screen instructions to add your Echo devices.

Step 2: Enable Echo Calling and Messaging

Once you have added your Echo devices, you can now click on the “Communicate” tab at the bottom. Then, verify your mobile phone information and enable the calling and messaging tab. At this step, the app might ask if you want to import your mobile phone’s contact list.

Step 3: Enable Drop In Feature

After allowing permission for the calling and messaging, the next step is to enable the Drop In feature. Of course, the function usually comes enabled by default, but you can check to confirm the option you want. To do that,

• Open the Alexa app
• Click the devices tab
• Select Echo & Alexa option and pick your device (Echo Show)
• Next, Click the communication tab
• Then, scroll to the Drop In option to grant permission you want. In our case, we’re going to allow “My Household” for Drop In since we need to establish communication between Echo devices in our account.

Step 4: Rename Your Echo Show Devices

Finally, we’re going to rename our two Echo Show devices for easy link-up with Alexa. You can rename the transmitting device as the “Baby’s Room” or “Nursery” and the receiver device as “Living Room”.
To change the names of the Echo Show devices;

• Open the Alexa app on your smartphone
• Tap the three short lines on the top left, then
• Scroll down to the “Alexa Device” you want to rename (or name for the first time)
• Then, tap “Edit name” and enter the name characters in the box that pops up.

Notes:
If you’re naming your Echo Show devices for the first time, this step will be the second after adding them to the Alexa app.

Run a Test:

After renaming, you can now test your DIY Echo Show baby monitor and see how it works. So, take the receiver Echo Show, and say “Alexa, drop in on my nursery Echo show”. You’ll be able to see and hear your baby cry or talk with her dolls.

Alternatively, you can use the Nursery Echo to call the receiver Echo and leave the two in a calling mode.
In either of the two approaches, you have to set up the baby’s Echo Show in a way that the baby is within the camera’s field of view. Also, make sure the media and ring volume are completely down to ensure the background noise from the receiver Echo doesn’t disturb the baby.

Other Ways You Can Use Echo Show as a Baby Monitor

In case you have only one Echo Show device at home, you can still use it as a baby monitor. The four other ways you can do this include:

1. Pairing your Echo Show with a wireless security camera/s

For the method to work, your indoor security camera has to be compatible with Amazon Alexa. A good example is the Wyze and Nest Cam cameras, both of which you can watch your baby in Full HD resolution.

2. Pairing an Echo Show with an Echo Dot

This one works in the same way as with two Echo Show devices, just that you’ll have only audio features. The single Echo Show will be in the baby’s room and the Echo dot will act as the transmitter. So, you won’t be able to see the baby but you can hear and talk to her in real time.

3. Using an Echo Show with a Smartphone

In this one, the trick is to have your iOS or Android smartphone as the receiver while using the Alexa app. You’ll be able to Drop In on the Amazon Echo Show display, in which case you can see, hear, and even talk to your baby.

4. Pairing an Echo Show with an Echo Spot

The Echo Spot is more like an Echo Show display, only that it has a smaller and circular design. Amazon innovated the gadget primarily to be a smart bedside clock, but it also has Alexa support, a built-in mic, speaker, and camera. So, you could pair it with your Echo Show to make a baby monitor. The Echo Spot can work as either a camera device in the baby’s room or a receiver monitor.

Final Thoughts

As you can see, it’s very easy to use Echo Show as a baby monitor. You just need to have another Echo device or a smartphone/ tablet that’s compatible with Alexa. Don’t forget, an Echo Show display must have internet to operate. So, your home WiFi connection has to reach the baby’s room for your DIY baby monitor to work.

If you don’t have internet in the house, you might need to consider getting radio baby monitors. That way, you can see and or hear your little one from anywhere in the house for as long as the transmitting and receiving devices are within range.