If This, Then That (IFTTT) is one of the most useful services for the smart home. IFTTT allows you to connect various devices together, even if there is no built-in functionality. You can connect IFTTT with Alexa to unlock new levels of functionality, such as custom phrases for turning devices on and off within your home.
The good news is that connecting IFTTT with Alexa takes no time at all. The bad news is that you’re limited to just three Applets (IFTTT’s name for recipes) with a free account. To access more applets, you’ll need to invest in IFTTT’s monthly subscription. Plans start at a little over $3 a month.
How to connect IFTTT with Alexa
There are only a few basic steps necessary to connect the services together. IFTTT is built with convenience in mind.
- Go to IFTTT and create an account. After you are logged in, you will see a header titled My Applets.
- At the top of the page, click Create > Add beside If This.
- Scroll down and click Amazon Alexa. Alternatively, you can type Alexa into the search bar.
- A screen full of different triggers will appear. Select the one that most fits what you hope to do with IFTTT. Click Connect.
- Sign in to your Amazon account with your username and password.
At this point, IFTTT and Alexa are connected.
How to create an Applet using Alexa
- After signing in to your account, move to the next step of the creation process. For example, if you chose, “Say a specific phrase,” you will be prompted to enter the phrase you want to use and then click Create Trigger.
- Next, click Then That and search for the service you want to control. Following this same example, you might want your lights to turn on when you give a specific command (like “Engage”). Click Govee Home (in this example, we’re using a Govee lamp).
- Click Turns On/Off.
- If you have not yet done so, you’ll be asked to connect your Govee account. Click Connect > Accept, then enter your username and password.
- Select the light you wish to control and the action you want to perform. Click Create Action.
- You’ll be taken to the main applet creation page. Click Continue, and title the applet. Click Finish.
Congratulations — you’ve created your first Alexa-powered applet on IFTTT.
Combining Alexa with IFTTT makes it easy to streamline the operation of your smart home. While you can get pretty creative with the way you use the two services together, the strength of IFTTT shines in simplifying otherwise complex operations. For example, turning on or off multiple devices and changing numerous settings can be shifted to a single command phrase through IFTTT.
