Image: Samsung. Official SmartThings photograph.With Samsung SmartThings, users can build, customize and manage their home, workout and office devices. Smart home technologies are designed to make life easier, more connected and work faster.
Using the SmartThing app — now available with Matter device standard compatibility — everything from your smart TV to your smart kitchen appliance is interconnected and can be controlled through your central hub or smartphone. If typing commands or turning on and off devices with simple taps is not enough, you can also connect voice controllers like Alexa or Google Assistant. Once you configure them, you can control all your devices and smart home with nothing but your voice.
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How to set up SmartThings
The first step to controlling your devices with voice commands is installing and setting up SmartThings. If you already have it installed, you can skip this section and go straight to the step-by-step for Alexa or Google Assistant.
Set up SmartThings on your smartphone and add devices:
1. Download the SmartThing app from the Play Store for Android or the App Store for iPhone devices.
2. Create or login into your Samsung account.
3. Open the SmartThings app on your phone.
4. If it’s your first time using it, review the information, then tap Start and Continue.
5. Allow permissions.
6. You can now start adding your devices: Tap the Devices tab, then tap the Home icon and choose your desired location for the device.
7. Tap Add (the plus sign) and then tap Add Device.
8. Tap on Scan Nearby and the app will automatically search for devices.
9. Select the name of the device that you want to connect.
10. You can also add devices manually. If it’s a Samsung product, tap By Device Type to select the type of device. If not, tap By Brand. You can also search for your device in the search bar (Figure A).
Figure A
Image: GoogleOnce your phone finds the device you want to add, follow the on-screen instructions. You may be asked to press a button on the device, which activates its smart features and consolidates the “handshake” connection.
From turning your phone into a TV remote control to automating laundry, there are endless possibilities once you have set up SmartThings. To learn how to edit, customize and automate devices, set up your SmartThings Hub, create locations and manage rooms, and more, check out the SmartThings Getting Started videos.
How to connect and use SmartThings with Google Voice
Now that your devices are connected, you can link Google Assistant to make your life more accessible. To use this feature, you must follow the steps of two processes. First, you have to activate Google Voice on your phone. Second, you have to set it up to work with SmartThings.
Set up Google Assistant on your phone
1. Open Settings and then find and select Voice Match (Figure B).
Figure B
Image: Google2. Under Hey Google, tap on Get Started to turn on Voice Match.
3. Tap Next and then tap I Agree.
4. Follow the on-screen instructions and then select Continue.
Once you have followed these steps, your Google Voice should be active. If you say “Hey, Google,” you should be able to access your Assistant even if your screen is off.
Connect and use Google Assistant with SmartThings
Now that your Google Assistant is turned on, you can link it with the SmartThings app to work with your voice commands. You will also have to allow which devices you can control with your voice in the app.
1. On your phone, hold the Home button to launch Google Assistant.
2. Swipe up to open the dashboard.
3. Select the Options icon (your account picture), then swipe and tap Devices.
4. Tap on Add Device and then Link A Device (Figure C).
Figure C
Image: Google5. Search and select SmartThings and sign in to your Samsung account.
6. Open the drop-down menu and select your desired location for Google Assistant to connect to. Note that Google Assistant will only be able to control the devices registered to the SmartThings location you choose.
7. Tap Authorize, and all your connected devices in SmartThings should now link to your Google Assistant.
To test if Google Voice is working, hold Home on your phone to launch Google Assistant and command SmartThings to do something — for example, say “Turn on the Smart TV.”
How to set up Alexa
Amazon Echo, Echo Dot, Amazon Tap smart speakers and Alexa-certified devices all work with SmartThings. Using Alexa, you can control light bulbs, on and off switches, dimmer switches, thermostats, locks, Routines and more.
Connect the Alexa app to SmartThings
1. Download the Amazon Alexa app and then your Amazon Alexa device. You can find a step-by-step guide to set up every Alexa device here: Just find the Amazon device you want to set up, click on it, find the instructions and then follow them.
2. Open the Alexa app. You might need to verify your account and allow different permissions.
3. Tap the Devices tab, swipe and tap Your Smart Home Skills (Figure D).
Figure D
Image: Amazon1. Next, Tap Enable Smart Home Skills and tap the Search icon in the top right.
2. Select SmartThings and then tap Enable To Use.
3. Log in and authorize SmartThings using your Samsung or SmartThings account. Then, tap Authorize.
4. Once you have completed the steps, click Close and start the device discovery process.
Discover and use devices with Amazon Alexa:
1. Open Alexa and Tap on Discover Devices. You will need to authorize your Location (Figure E).
Figure E
Image: Amazon2. The Alexa app will automatically discover devices set up at your location. Wait for the device discovery process to complete; it should take less than one minute. Discover Devices will also discover scenes and routines that you set up in the SmartThings app.
3. When the discovery process is finished, tap Next.
4. Select your desired device from the list, tap Set Up Device and then tap Continue.
5. Repeat the steps to add other discovered devices. Once you’ve added the available devices, they’ll appear under the Device tab in the Alexa app.
To manually add devices, tap the plus sign in the Devices tab in the top right and then tap Add Device. Search for and select the device you want to add and tap SmartThings. Finally, tap Discover Devices and wait for the device discovery process to complete.
You can now use your voice to control all your smart home, smart devices and any other location where you have set up a smart ecosystem.
As new devices hit the market, interconnectivity and integration continue to increase. Smart homes have many benefits, including remote monitoring and check-in, increased safety and surveillance, wellness, workout and health modernization. Connected devices offer a simple alternative for daily things like playing music or shopping. Controlling your home or office with your voice is as easy as following the simple steps detailed in this guide.
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