Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
Looking for an easier way to control devices in the Alexa app? This is it.
Amazon announced Map View for Alexa back in September of 2023 during its Devices and Services event. The feature is designed to give you a layout of your home in map format in order to show you all the devices you have within it and where they are, rather than just listing them by room.
The Map View exists in the Alexa app within the Devices tab and the idea is to make it easier to manage the devices you have, where they are and help you keep track of them. There is a small catch however and that’s that you need an iPhone – and an iPhone Pro model at that – to get the scan in the first place. If you have a compatible iPhone however, or a friend who has a compatible iPhone that’s happy to help, here’s how to set up Alexa’s Map View.
What you’ll need
- A compatible iPhone
- The Alexa app
- To live in the US
The short version
- Open the Alexa app.
- Tap on ‘Devices‘.
- Tap on the Map View icon.
- Follow the on-screen instructions.
In order to set up the Alexa Map View, you will need an iPhone Pro as the Pro models have a LiDAR sensor within their rear camera setup, while the standard iPhone models don’t. If you have any of the iPhone models listed below, you will be able to set up the Alexa Map View, which will then appear in the Alexa app, as well as on the Echo Hub:
- Apple iPhone 12 Pro
- Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max
- Apple iPhone 13 Pro
- Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max
- Apple iPhone 14 Pro
- Apple 14 Pro Max
- Apple iPhone 15 Pro
- Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max
- Apple iPhone 16 Pro
- Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max
It’s worth noting that you can also use an iPad Pro (4th generation or newer) so if you don’t have an iPhone to hand but you do have an iPad, then you’ll be able to complete the Map View set up. When Amazon announced the Map View feature, it posted a video on how it works so you can watch that below before you get into the set up stages so you can see what to expect.
Time needed: 10 minutes
- Open the Alexa app and head to Devices
First things first, open the Alexa app and tap on the Devices tab at the bottom. From here, you’ll want to press the Map View icon which will appear next to the “+” in the top right corner as long as you live in the US and you’re on the preview.
- Follow the on-screen instructions
Tap on the Map View icon and then select “Start Now” and follow the on-screen instructions.
That’s it! Once you’ve set Map View up, you’ll be able to find the devices in your home on it and control them from the map rather than having to find them in the list.
FAQs
Once you have set Map View up, to edit it, you open Alexa and tap on Devices. Tap the Map View icon in the top right corner and select Preferences, which is icon with the three lines. You then tap on Edit Floor Plan. You can add a room, rename rooms, split a room into two separate rooms (though this is permanent so make sure you really want to do it) and rescan to replace a room with a new scan. You can also move rooms, resize rooms, remove rooms and add, remove or modify doors.
Make sure the room looks right and if it doesn’t, try rescanning. You should also scan one room at a time before you move onto the next room. If you have a large room without walls, it is recommended that you scan it as one room rather than multiple. Make sure you have scanned every wall before you tap on Finish Room, and try to spend less than 5 minutes per room.
Map View is currently a free preview in the Alexa app in the US. It isn’t available outside the US as yet.
