Doorsound Alexa Notifications and Announcements
Doorsound can work with Amazon Alexa to provide a spoken announcement inside your home when a monitored door has been left open long enough to generate a Doorsound alert.
For example, an Alexa device in your kitchen could announce:
“Garage freezer door left open.”
This provides another way to notice a door-left-open condition without relying only on your phone or an alarm located near the freezer.
How Doorsound Alexa announcements work
Doorsound first determines whether the door has actually been left open.
The basic sequence is:
- The monitored door opens.
- Doorsound starts the configured alert delay.
- If the door closes before the delay expires, no door-left-open alert is needed.
- If the door remains open beyond the delay, Doorsound generates an alert.
- Your Alexa Routine can use that event to make a spoken announcement from the Alexa device you selected.
This means Alexa does not need to announce every normal opening of the freezer or refrigerator.
Why use an Alexa announcement?
Phone notifications are useful when you have your phone nearby, but sometimes the easiest alert to notice is one you can hear.
Alexa announcements can be particularly useful when:
- Your freezer is in the garage or basement.
- You cannot hear the freezer's built-in alarm from the living area.
- Someone is home but isn't looking at their phone.
- You want an audible alert from a more noticeable location in the house.
For example, a freezer in the garage can be monitored by Doorsound while an Alexa device in the kitchen announces the alert.
Can I choose what Alexa says?
Yes. The spoken message is configured when you create the Alexa Routine.
You can choose a message that clearly identifies the door, such as:
- “Garage freezer door left open.”
- “Basement freezer door is still open.”
- “Please close the refrigerator door.”
Using different messages can be especially helpful if you monitor more than one door.
Can I choose which Alexa device makes the announcement?
Yes. When configuring the Alexa Routine, you select where you want to hear the announcement.
For example, you might choose an Alexa device in the kitchen, living room, hallway, or another location where the announcement is likely to be heard.
Does Alexa replace Doorsound phone or text notifications?
No. Alexa is an additional way to receive a Doorsound alert inside the home.
Doorsound can provide phone push notifications and text message alerts, while Alexa integration provides an audible announcement through the Alexa device you configure.
These notification methods serve different situations. A spoken announcement can help someone who is home, while a remote phone notification or text message can reach you when you are elsewhere.
Does Alexa announce as soon as the door opens?
No. Doorsound uses your configured alert delay before generating the event used for the Alexa announcement.
This is important because opening a freezer for normal use shouldn't necessarily produce an announcement.
If the door closes before the selected delay expires, the door-left-open alert is not generated.
How do I enable Alexa announcements for Doorsound?
Alexa integration requires enabling the Doorsound Alexa skill, linking your Doorsound account, discovering your Doorsound device, and creating an Alexa Routine.
For complete step-by-step instructions, see How to Enable Alexa Announcements for Doorsound.
Related Doorsound guides
Learn about Doorsound text message alerts if you want an alert that can reach you through SMS.
See Text Messages vs Push Notifications for Door-Open Alerts to understand the differences between those two remote notification methods.
If your freezer is located away from your living space, see Can't Hear Your Garage Freezer Alarm? Here's Why.
Disclaimer
This guide is for general informational purposes only. Amazon Alexa features, app menus, terminology, and compatibility can change over time. Alexa functionality also depends on your network, Alexa devices, account configuration, and other conditions. Always follow the current instructions provided in the Amazon Alexa app and your Doorsound documentation.