Use Voice Commands to Boost Productivity

Voice assistants have become remarkably capable, yet most people only use them for weather and timers. Learn these commands and you'll set reminders, send messages, control devices, and get information—all without touching a screen.

Essential Commands (All Assistants)

These work on Siri, Google Assistant, and Alexa:

Reminders and Timers

• "Set a timer for 15 minutes"
• "Remind me to call mom at 3pm"
• "Remind me to buy milk when I get to the grocery store" (location-based)
• "Wake me up at 7am tomorrow"
• "Set a recurring reminder for every Monday at 9am"

Calendar and Scheduling

• "Add meeting with John tomorrow at 2pm"
• "What's on my calendar today?"
• "When is my next meeting?"
• "Move my 3pm meeting to 4pm"
• "Schedule dentist appointment for next Tuesday at 10am"

Messages and Calls

• "Send a text to Sarah saying I'm running late"
• "Call Mom on speaker"
• "Read my last message"
• "Reply: I'll be there in 10 minutes"
• "Send an email to John about the project update"

Quick Information

• "What's the weather this weekend?"
• "How long is my commute to work?"
• "Convert 100 dollars to euros"
• "What's 18% of 85?"
• "How many cups in a gallon?"

Siri-Specific Commands (Apple)

Activate with "Hey Siri" or hold side button:

iPhone/iPad Control

• "Take a selfie" / "Take a screenshot"
• "Turn on Do Not Disturb"
• "Turn up the brightness"
• "Open [app name]"
• "Show my photos from last weekend"
• "Play my workout playlist"

Shortcuts Integration

• "Run my morning routine" (custom Shortcut)
• "Log my weight" (with a logging Shortcut)
• Create custom Shortcuts and trigger them by voice

HomeKit Control

• "Turn off all the lights"
• "Set the thermostat to 72"
• "Lock the front door"
• "Good night" (runs bedtime scene)

Google Assistant Commands

Activate with "Hey Google" or "OK Google":

Unique Google Features

• "Remember that I parked on level 3"
• "Where did I park?"
• "Find my phone" (from smart speaker)
• "What song is this?" (music recognition)
• "Read this page" (reads web page aloud)
• "Translate 'hello' to Spanish"

Google Services

• "Navigate to the nearest gas station"
• "Add eggs to my shopping list"
• "What's on my Google Calendar?"
• "Take a note: project ideas..."
• "Broadcast 'Dinner is ready'" (to all home speakers)

Continued Conversations

After your first question, you don't need to say "Hey Google" again for follow-up questions for a few seconds.

Alexa Commands (Amazon)

Activate with "Alexa":

Unique Alexa Features

• "Drop in on the kitchen" (intercom to other Echo)
• "Announce that dinner is ready"
• "Add laundry detergent to my Amazon cart"
• "What are my notifications?"
• "Tell me a joke" / "Tell me a fact"

Routines

• "Good morning" (custom morning routine)
• "I'm leaving" (turn off lights, lock doors, etc.)
• Create custom routines in the Alexa app

Voice Dictation

Beyond assistants, use voice for typing:

On Phone

• Tap the microphone on the keyboard
• Say punctuation: "period" "comma" "question mark" "new paragraph"
• Works in any text field

On Computer

• Windows: Win + H to start dictation
• Mac: Press Fn twice or enable in System Settings → Keyboard → Dictation
• Google Docs: Tools → Voice typing

Privacy Considerations

• Voice assistants send audio to servers for processing
• Review and delete your voice history periodically
• Mute smart speakers when not in use if privacy is a concern
• On-device processing (newer Apple devices) keeps some requests local

Getting Better Results

• Speak clearly: Normal pace, don't over-enunciate
• Be specific: "Play jazz music" vs "Play music"
• Use complete requests: "Text John: I'll be there at 5"
• Train voice recognition: Most assistants let you retrain voice match

Conclusion

Voice commands save time when your hands are busy—cooking, driving, exercising. Start with timers, reminders, and messages. Once comfortable, explore device control and dictation. The more you use voice commands, the more natural they become.