Most people buy an Alexa Amazon Echo Show because they see the commercials of a happy family video calling grandma while baking cookies. Then they get it home. They plug it in. For the first week, it’s a novelty. They ask for the weather. They look at a recipe for lasagna.
By week three? It’s a glorified, $200 digital photo frame that occasionally tells them when the pasta is done.
It's a waste. Honestly, the hardware inside these things—especially the Echo Show 15 or the newer Echo Show 10 with the rotating screen—is capable of much more than just showing you rotating news headlines about celebrities you don't care about. If you feel like your smart display is just cluttering your counter, you're not alone. But you're also probably missing the three or four settings that actually turn it into a home hub.
Stop the Home Screen "Ads" on your Alexa Amazon Echo Show
The biggest complaint everyone has is the "clutter." You want to see your kids' faces or a nice landscape, but instead, Amazon pushes "Trending Topics" or "Try This" suggestions. It feels like having a billboard in your kitchen.
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You've gotta dive into the settings to kill this. Swipe down, hit Settings, go to Home Content, and start toggling stuff off. Most people leave everything on by default. Mistake. Turn off "Discovery," "Rotate Continuously," and "Interesting Facts."
If you want the Alexa Amazon Echo Show to feel like a premium piece of tech rather than a sales pitch, you have to be aggressive here. Only leave on the things you actually use, like your Calendar or Weather. The moment you clear that visual noise, the device starts feeling like a tool again. It’s about taking back control of the pixels you paid for.
The Privacy Elephant in the Room
Let's talk about the camera. People get weird about it. Amazon knows this, which is why they put a physical shutter on almost every model now.
But there’s a nuance here that gets missed. If you're using an Echo Show 10, that screen literally follows you around the room using computer vision. It’s not "facial recognition" in the way a police database works—it’s looking for a human shape to keep the screen angled toward you.
Some find it creepy; others find it indispensable when they’re moving between the sink and the stove. If you hate it, you can disable the motion in the settings or just slide that physical shutter shut. The "Drop In" feature is another one that scares people. It allows designated contacts to instantly start a video call. Pro tip: only enable this for your absolute inner circle, or better yet, keep it off and just use standard calling. Privacy isn't just about hackers; it's about not having your mother-in-law virtually pop into your kitchen while you're in your bathrobe.
Sound Quality Realities
Don't expect the Echo Show 5 to replace your Sonos system. It won't.
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The Echo Show 5 has a tiny, 1.7-inch speaker. It’s thin. It’s "tinny." It's basically a bedside clock. However, the Echo Show 8 is the "Goldilocks" zone. It has dual 2-inch speakers and a passive bass radiator. It actually kicks. If you’re serious about music, you should know that you can pair any Echo Show with a dedicated Bluetooth speaker or use the 3.5mm audio out (on older models) to bridge the gap.
Using the Alexa Amazon Echo Show for Actual Automation
If you’re just asking Alexa to "play 90s hits," you’re scratching the surface. The real power is in the Zigbee and Matter integration.
The larger Echo Shows act as smart home hubs. This means you can connect smart bulbs or plugs directly to the Show without buying a separate bridge from Philips Hue or some other brand.
- Routines are the secret sauce.
- Instead of saying "Alexa, turn off the lights," "Alexa, lock the door," and "Alexa, set the alarm," you create one command: "Alexa, goodnight."
- The screen can display a "Smart Home" dashboard with a swipe, letting you dim lights with a slider rather than talking.
Sometimes talking to an AI feels stupid. We’ve all been there, shouting "Cancel!" at a cylinder because it won't stop playing a song. Having the touch interface on the Echo Show solves this. It’s often faster to just tap the screen to turn off a light than it is to wait for the voice recognition to process your request.
The "Hidden" Kitchen Features
Everyone knows about recipes. Most people use the integration with AllRecipes or Epicurious. But here is what's actually useful: the "Show me my grocery list" command.
If you have the Alexa app on your phone, you can add things to the list while you're at the office, and it'll be right there on the screen when your spouse is in the kitchen. Or, even better, use the camera. On some models, you can hold up a barcode to the camera and say "Alexa, add this to my list." It works surprisingly well for staples like milk or cereal.
Visual Security Hub
If you have a Ring doorbell (which Amazon owns, obviously), the Echo Show becomes a security monitor.
"Alexa, show me the front door."
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The feed pops up in about two seconds. If someone rings the bell, the Show can automatically pull up the video feed. This is arguably the single best use case for the device. It transforms it from a toy into a utility. You can even use it as a nursery monitor if you have a compatible indoor camera.
Why the Echo Show 15 is a Different Beast
The Echo Show 15 looks like a picture frame. You can wall-mount it.
It’s designed for "at-a-glance" information. This is where the Widgets come in. You can have a persistent sticky note, a to-do list, and a calendar all on the screen at once. It’s the digital version of that messy fridge covered in magnets and papers.
The downside? The speakers on the 15 are surprisingly weak because the device is so thin. It’s a visual tool, not an audio one. If you want a TV for your kitchen, this is it—it even has "Fire TV" built-in now, meaning you can use a remote and watch Netflix or Prime Video just like a regular television.
Common Frustrations and How to Handle Them
"Alexa, stop."
We’ve all said it with a bit too much venom. The device occasionally gets "deaf" if there’s too much background noise or if the microphones are dusty. Give the top of the device a quick wipe with a microfiber cloth every now and then.
Another issue: the screen won't dim at night. This is usually because the ambient light sensor is blocked or the "Night Mode" isn't scheduled. Go into Display settings and ensure Adaptive Brightness is on. There is nothing worse than a glowing 10-inch screen illuminating your bedroom at 3 AM because a car drove by outside.
Actionable Steps to Optimize Your Experience
If you just unboxed your device or if it’s been sitting there unused, do these things today to actually get your money's worth:
- Audit the Home Content: Spend five minutes toggling off every single "Home Content" option except for your Calendar and Weather. It will immediately make the device feel higher-end.
- Set up a "Coming Home" Routine: In the Alexa app, create a routine where your Echo Show displays your smart camera feed or turns on specific lights when you get back.
- Upload Your Own Photos: Don't use the stock Amazon photos. Use the Amazon Photos app to upload a specific album of your own family or travel shots. It turns the device into a personalized piece of decor.
- Try the "Scan to List" feature: Next time you finish a box of crackers, hold the barcode up to the Show's camera and see if it recognizes it. It's a game-changer for household management.
- Enable "Follow Mode": If you have the Echo Show 10, make sure the rotation is calibrated so it’s actually facing you while you work.
The Alexa Amazon Echo Show isn't a magical device that fixes your life, but it's a tool that, when tuned correctly, removes a dozen tiny frictions from your day. Stop letting it show you "trending news" and start making it show you what actually matters to your household.