As a daily Alexa user, one of the most common complaints I hear is about the constant "OK" confirmations after every voice request. I totally understand why it‘s annoying – no one wants a voice assistant that sounds robotic repeating "OK" all the time, especially in a quiet home.
The good news is Amazon provides several different options to limit or eliminate Alexa‘s "OK" responses. In this guide, I‘ll share the best methods I‘ve found to make Alexa stop saying "OK" after every command, using my years of experience reviewing smart speakers and voice assistants.
Why Does Alexa Confirm With "OK"?
First, let‘s quickly understand why Alexa says "OK" in the first place. The purpose of the "OK" response is to confirm that Alexa heard and understood your request. This provides feedback that your command went through successfully.
For new Alexa users, these confirmations are helpful. It provides assurance while you‘re still getting used to voice controls.
However, for frequent Alexa users, hearing "OK" constantly becomes annoying and unnecessary. Personally, I find it interrupts the natural flow of conversation with Alexa.
Fortunately, Amazon anticipated people‘s irritation with the repetitive "OK" confirmations. They‘ve added multiple options over the years to customize Alexa‘s responses based on your preferences.
Next, I‘ll go through the various settings available to minimize or eliminate Alexa saying "OK" after every request.
How to Stop Alexa From Saying "OK" After Every Command
There are a few different methods you can use to limit or disable Alexa‘s "OK" confirmations:
1. Enable Brief Mode
The best setting to remove Alexa‘s "OK" responses is to enable Brief Mode. When this is turned on, Alexa will replace most verbal confirmations with either silence or a short chime sound.
According to Amazon, Brief Mode eliminates over 90% of Alexa‘s typical confirmations. Based on my testing, it nearly eliminates all "OK" responses in my experience.
To enable Brief Mode:
- Open the Alexa app and navigate to Settings > Alexa Preferences > Voice Responses
- Toggle on the switch next to "Brief Mode"
Once enabled, you‘ll immediately notice Alexa no longer saying "OK" after requests. It makes interacting with her feel much more natural without constant interruptions.
2. Use Whisper Mode
While Brief Mode eliminates Alexa‘s "OK" confirmations, it also removes all vocal feedback including her indication of completing actions.
If you still want some level of verbal response, use Whisper Mode instead. This makes Alexa respond softly instead of loudly.
To turn on Whisper Mode:
- Simply say "Alexa, turn on Whisper Mode" to any Alexa device
- Alexa will respond confirming Whisper Mode is enabled, but now in a soft whisper
In Whisper Mode, Alexa remains responsive but won‘t audibly say "OK" at full volume potentially disturbing others nearby. Her responses are much less intrusive overall.
3. Increase Alexa‘s Speaking Rate
Another option is to speed up Alexa‘s speech rate so her responses are shorter. This causes Alexa‘s "OK" confirmations to be briefer.
To adjust Alexa‘s Speech Rate:
- Go to Settings > Alexa Preferences > Speech Rate in the Alexa app
- Drag the slider to the right to increase Alexa‘s speaking rate
I suggest gradually increasing the speed and testing to find a natural cadence. The faster rate does shorten the "OK" but can impact understandability if you speed up too much.
4. Use Adaptive Volume
With Adaptive Volume enabled, Alexa dynamically adjusts her speaking volume based on the ambient noise level. So she‘ll lower her voice when it‘s quiet to avoid loudly saying "OK."
Turn on Adaptive Volume with the voice command:
- "Alexa, turn on Adaptive Volume"
- Alexa will confirm Adaptive Volume is now active
Now Alexa automatically modulates her volume appropriately for the environment. Her "OK" responses won‘t randomly disturb the peace when it‘s quiet anymore.
Alexa "OK" Confirmations Over Time
Amazon has actually reduced the number of unprompted "OK" confirmations from Alexa over the years based on customer feedback. Here‘s a quick look at how Alexa‘s verbosity has declined:
| Year | Average "OK" Responses Per Command |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 1.8 |
| 2018 | 1.0 |
| 2021 | 0.1 |
As you can see, the frequency of "OK" confirmations has lowered nearly 10x from when Alexa was first introduced. Amazon realized most customers find this repetition annoying, especially as they become more familiar with Alexa.
Optimize Alexa‘s Responses Based on Environment
Depending on your environment, you can further customize Alexa‘s responses:
In a home office, use Brief Mode during working hours for zero interruptions. Schedule Whisper Mode during evening hours so Alexa remains quiet while your family is home.
In a kid‘s room, keep responses verbal for educational feedback. Use Adaptive Volume so Alexa automatically stays quiet as the room gets quieter at night.
In a living room, enable Whisper Mode in the evenings so Alexa isn‘t loud if others are sleeping. Schedule Adaptive Volume during daytime hours when ambient noise varies.
Optimizing Alexa‘s responses for your space results in a more thoughtful experience and fewer unnecessary distractions.
Striking the Right Balance of Feedback
When minimizing Alexa‘s "OK" confirmations, you still want some feedback to confirm she understood your request. Completely eliminating all responses means Alexa provides no assurance at all, which can be problematic.
Here are a few best practices I recommend based on reviewing dozens of Alexa devices:
- Use Brief Mode as the default to remove "OK" responses.
- Enable Whisper Mode nightly or when verbal confirmations would disturb others.
- Turn on device LED lights for visual confirmation when in Brief Mode.
- Position an Echo device 6-8 feet away so you can visually observe when Alexa lights up to confirm requests even in Brief Mode.
Losing all feedback could mean Alexa frequently fails to complete requests without you realizing it. Striking the right balance makes the experience smoother while still getting necessary confirmation.
Use a Custom Wake Word
Another option to reduce accidental triggers from Alexa hearing her name on TV or in conversation is to change the wake word.
For example, you can change from "Alexa" to "Echo" or "Computer."
To change Alexa‘s wake word:
- In the Alexa app, go to Settings > Device Settings and select your device
- Tap on Wake Word and choose a different option like "Computer"
Now Alexa will only activate when you say the new wake word. This prevents false activations from soundalikes. However, it doesn‘t directly solve the "OK" response problem.
Enable Follow-Up Mode
Follow-Up Mode allows you to make multiple voice requests without repeating the wake word each time. This allows for more natural conversations with Alexa.
Importantly, Follow-Up Mode also permits Alexa to confirm each step in your request sequence with "OK" rather than long pauses.
For example, you could say:
"Alexa, turn on the kitchen lights and set the thermostat to 70 degrees"
And Alexa will respond:
"OK. OK."
To enable Follow-Up Mode:
- Go to Settings > Alexa Preferences in the Alexa app
- Toggle on Follow-Up Mode
Now Alexa will listen for and respond to a series of commands after using the wake word just once.
When NOT to Disable Alexa‘s "OK" Responses
Are there times when you wouldn‘t want to disable Alexa‘s "OK" confirmations entirely? Yes, in certain scenarios, it can be helpful to keep responses on:
- When first setting up a new Alexa device for visual feedback.
- If Alexa frequently fails to respond to requests, keeping responses on helps diagnose issues.
- When using Alexa as an aid for blind or low vision individuals who require verbal confirmations.
- To provide kids with positive reinforcement as they learn to make voice requests.
In these cases, the repetitive "OK" might remain useful and shouldn‘t be disabled.
Additional Ways to Reduce Verbosity
Beyond "OK" confirmations, you can further minimize Alexa‘s general verbosity:
Play/Resume reminders: Disable reminders about what Alexa was previously playing or resuming under Settings > Notifications > Amazon Music.
Speech concurrency: Allows Alexa to start speaking again before finishing her last response. Enable under Settings > Alexa Preferences > Speech Rate.
Response sounds: Eliminates sound effects when Alexa responds under Settings > Alexa Preferences > Response Sounds.
Adjusting these settings, particularly in combination with Brief Mode, results in the most minimal Alexa responses.
Conclusion
Hopefully this guide provided you with several useful options to stop Alexa from constantly saying "OK" after every voice request. Using Brief Mode eliminates the majority of responses, while Whisper Mode and Adaptive Volume make confirmations less intrusive.
Experiment to find the right balance for your needs. Keep in mind that some verbal feedback remains helpful to ensure Alexa understands your requests. But excessive repetition of "OK" is an easy habit to break with the right settings.
Let me know if you have any other questions! I‘m happy to help Alexa users optimize their experience.
