The Alexa Voice Remote is a powerful device that'll significantly improve your viewing experience. Here's how you can set it up and use it.

Whether you are replacing an Amazon TV remote, pairing a remote that's become unlinked, or upgrading to the new Alexa Voice Remote with your Amazon Fire TV, there are a few steps to get them working together. Pairing a remote is also part of the initial setup for a new Fire TV.

The 3rd-generation Alexa Voice Remote is incompatible with 1st and 2nd-generation Fire TV, Fire TV Stick (1st generation), or Fire TV Edition TVs. So if you have any of these models, use the 1st-generation Alexa Voice Remote instead.

Be sure that your Fire TV Stick is connected to your TV and the power adapter, then navigate to the appropriate HDMI port with your TV's remote.

Put the batteries into the Alexa Remote, ensuring they are oriented correctly. Unlike most remotes, both the batteries face the same direction.

Once the remote is paired, you will see this screen:

Press the Play/Pause button to continue.

If you are pairing a replacement, want to unpair a remote, or learn other pairing tips, here's everything about pairing an Alexa Fire TV Remote.

Most buttons are self-explanatory on an Alexa Voice Remote. The U-turn arrow takes you back to the previous menu or screen. The TV with an antenna button brings up the guide for Live TV (which can be customized on the Fire TV).

The button with three lines is a menu button. Also called an options button, it brings up different menus depending on where you are on the Fire TV.

So far, we have ignored the blue Alexa microphone button on the Alexa Remote. That's because it helps first to understand how the Fire TV Stick works and then use voice commands to operate it.

Press and hold the blue Alexa button to activate Alexa on Fire TV Stick. A blue light on the remote will shine next to the Alexa button. The TV screen will dim, and a blue Alexa line will appear at the bottom of the screen. The line will modulate as you speak into the remote. Hold the Microphone button while you speak your entire command, and then let go.

Here are some of the helpful voice commands for the Fire TV Stick and what happens when you say them:

These commands work with Alexa on an Amazon Echo, Echo Dot, or the Alexa smartphone app to control the Fire TV Stick with your voice. Simply add the name of the Fire TV stick to the end of the command. For example, say, "Play 'Top Gun' on my Fire Stick 4K [insert the name of your Fire TV here]."

Although it's just a small remote, the Alexa Voice Remote lets you do a lot of things with your Amazon Fire TV. Using all your remote's functions will greatly improve your viewing experience.

Once your Fire TV is set up, and your remote is paired, finish getting your Fire TV dialed in by speeding up your Amazon Fire TV Stick.

Barb Gonzalez started writing about technology when she looked at the back of an AV receiver and thought, “How will anyone be able to figure this out on their own?” She’s written and illustrated two books, “The Home Electronics Survival Guide,” and “Home Theater Made Simple,” and worked for numerous websites reviewing and simplifying technology. Barb has an insatiable curiosity about tech and a goal to make it accessible to everyone. When she’s not writing, she loves going on long hikes with her corgi, photographing stunning nature photos.

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