So I have multiple ACs setup at home using smart plugs connected to Alexa. I’ve named then as XYZ AC based on the room. Everytime I tell Alexa “turn on my AC”, it turns on my Dad’s AC. Not sure why and how to change it. Kindly guide. Thanks.

You'd be better off naming all items completely different things. Instead of using the same word in each one, just name them something like Bob, Jim, and Dave... or even Tweety, Sylvester and Mickey.... Just avoid using the same word in names over and over... don't even name a room and what is in it using the same word. Things like "Daves room" and "Daves AC" will conflict even if they are only slightly different. It took me weeks to sort this out on some of my lighting. Once everything in your echo system is distinctly differently named, things should be significantly easier to control.

So Name the AC's different names... If they are also selected as in a room or group, make sure those are completely different as well. "Daves AC" could be in "Back Room". But avoid naming using the word room even. Unless you only use that word on ONE room, the rest of rooms would be called berth, chamber, closet, anything except " ____ room"

Look under apps ALEXA and select App battery usage and see what settings are set. If you use unrestricted things should work after auto lock on the phone. I checked on mine that my Phone app has that setting so I continue seeing what comes in on the phone and gets the message on my PC. So this is the trick to avoid things get shut down when phone goes into power savings mode. (this is on Pixel 6)

I have just received an Alexa compatible kettle, and would like to setup a routine from the Alexa app in my android phone. The routine will turn on the kettle if the Alexa app is open, however if the phone is locked, it will not start the routine.

Is it possible to use my phone as an Alexa device to trigger routines, even while it is locked? I am open to buying a dot or other compatible device, but would like to avoid it if possible.

I apologize ahead of time if this is terribly simple, but after searching online I cannot find many examples of folks using their phones only as the device to trigger the routine.

I was one of the very early adopters of the Amazon Echo. I got the original one a year before anyone else. One of the first things that Amazon quietly changed was the support for Wemo devices. Wemo makes smart plugs and light bulbs. Originally, support for it was built-in. I believe Philips Hue was also supported. When Amazon rolled out Skills, they quietly turned off the built-in support. So one day, I noticed that I couldn't control any of my Wemo devices. It took some digging to find out that I needed to install the Wemo skill for them to continue to work.

In summary, Amazon turns things on or off at their will and has never notified anyone about these changes. The last thing I noticed that they turned off was the ability to add or edit Echo Buttons. This happened about 6 months ago. Then about a month after that, they quietly put it back. No explanation at all.

Similarly someone else mentioned a week ago that the PC/web interface for Alexa is gone. No official mention of that either. They're just forcing you to use the app now.

Thanks for the responses. I should have mentioned that the blinds are all battery operated with no connection to the my wifi network at all. So the only culprit can only be the echo device and its inability to keep information which is clearly a general design flaw of the echo support firmware. Microsoft can do this a lot better these days but amazon is way behind in system design and finesse.