> Alexa is now prevalent in our culture, but can it effectively cater to the needs of the deaf and hard of hearing? The answer is yes; read on to find out how! Blog Deaf Culture August 1, 2024 4 mins Updated June 4, 2026 # Navigating Alexa as a Deaf or Hard of Hearing Homeowner Alexa is now prevalent in our culture, but can it effectively cater to the needs of the deaf and hard of hearing? The answer is yes; read on to find out how! ![](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/cp6a9qoi/production/8bd804d3ed62329e46e716a9205f8bffa914a0e4-500x667.jpg?rect=0,84,500,500&w=48&h=48&fit=crop&auto=format) Molly Glass ![](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/cp6a9qoi/production/2949eb42773ab56434c7c630688c5dc1d0c752b7-1248x832.avif?w=1280&fit=crop&auto=format) - [Understanding Alexa](https://rylo.com/post/alexa-for-deaf-and-hard-of-hearing-homeowners#understanding-alexa) - [Types of Alexa Models](https://rylo.com/post/alexa-for-deaf-and-hard-of-hearing-homeowners#types-of-alexa-models) - [Setting up “Tap to Alexa”](https://rylo.com/post/alexa-for-deaf-and-hard-of-hearing-homeowners#setting-up-tap-to-alexa) - [Alexa Call & Closed Captioning](https://rylo.com/post/alexa-for-deaf-and-hard-of-hearing-homeowners#alexa-call-closed-captioning) - [Other Accessibility Features](https://rylo.com/post/alexa-for-deaf-and-hard-of-hearing-homeowners#other-accessibility-features) - [Conclusion](https://rylo.com/post/alexa-for-deaf-and-hard-of-hearing-homeowners#conclusion) Table of Contents - [Understanding Alexa](https://rylo.com/post/alexa-for-deaf-and-hard-of-hearing-homeowners#understanding-alexa) - [Types of Alexa Models](https://rylo.com/post/alexa-for-deaf-and-hard-of-hearing-homeowners#types-of-alexa-models) - [Setting up “Tap to Alexa”](https://rylo.com/post/alexa-for-deaf-and-hard-of-hearing-homeowners#setting-up-tap-to-alexa) - [Alexa Call & Closed Captioning](https://rylo.com/post/alexa-for-deaf-and-hard-of-hearing-homeowners#alexa-call-closed-captioning) - [Other Accessibility Features](https://rylo.com/post/alexa-for-deaf-and-hard-of-hearing-homeowners#other-accessibility-features) - [Conclusion](https://rylo.com/post/alexa-for-deaf-and-hard-of-hearing-homeowners#conclusion) ![](https://rylo.com/_astro/hero-sky-background.qaFu5Zgx_Z2c7tg0.webp?dpl=dpl_7oLfk1SKag5mwN8gXXB3UQDZL8JR) No more feeling left out. Rylo lets your voice be heard. Join the thousands of people who use Rylo! Molly Glass Molly, a Deaf mom of two CODAs, lives with her hearing partner of almost 14 years in the scenic Blue Ridge mountains of Virginia. Profoundly Deaf since 18 months old, she enjoys writing about the lived Deaf experiences and advocacy. In her free time she reads, and is very slowly working on authoring her first book. Alexa has become a ubiquitous part of our culture. But can it be effectively used by the deaf and hard of hearing? The answer is yes! Read on to learn how. ## Understanding Alexa Alexa, sold by Amazon, is a device that functions as a virtual assistant. You can activate the device with the wake word (“Alexa”) and issue voice commands, such as “Hey Alexa, play some music.” The device utilizes cloud computing and natural language processing (NLP) to process commands and fulfill requests. However, the drawback is that the above process requires verbal and auditory capabilities, which excludes many in the deaf and hard of hearing communities. Despite this, Alexa does offer several accessibility features. ## Types of Alexa Models There are several versions of Alexa devices available: 1. Amazon Echo (4th generation) 1. Amazon Echo Pop 1. **Amazon Echo Spot** 1. Amazon Echo Studio 1. **Amazon Echo Show** 1. **Amazon Echo Hub** 1. Amazon Echo Sub *(Bolded models are touchscreen versions of Echo.)* While there are so many options, for the deaf or hard-of-hearing user, an echo device with a touchscreen will provide the accessibility features they need. A few screen models are the Echo Show, Echo Spot, or Echo Hub. ## Setting up “Tap to Alexa” ![A woman at a desk touches a smart speaker device.](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/cp6a9qoi/production/04e57ba2e5b87c8af41bb944e4eefa0d67f658f1-1999x1333.jpg?w=740&fit=crop&auto=format) *A woman at a desk touches a smart speaker device.* For the deaf community, an adaptive setting allows you to tap to wake the device instead of using voice commands. Once enabled, you will see a finger-tapping icon on the device's touchscreen. Tapping this icon pulls up request icons for common tasks like setting alarms, checking the weather, or setting timers. You can also customize icons to suit your personal needs. For more complex requests, after tapping Alexa, you can type your questions using the keyboard. To set up “Tap to Alexa,” follow these steps: 1. Swipe down to reveal the touch control bar. 1. Select “**Settings**” from the touch controls menu. 1. In the “**Settings**” page, select “**Accessibility**”. 1. Scroll down and toggle the “**Tap to Alexa.**” button. 1. Hit “**Continue**” to complete the setup. The tapping icon should now be visible on the screen. ## Alexa Call & Closed Captioning You can also enable closed captioning for audio responses or phone calls on your touchscreen Alexa devices. Phone calls are supported on the Echo Show and Alexa mobile app for customers in the US, Canada, and Mexico. They are available in over ten languages, including English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Dutch, and Portuguese. To set up captioning, follow these steps: 1. Swipe down from the top of the screen and select **Settings**. 1. Select **Accessibility**. 1. Select **Captioning**. 1. Check the boxes for the captioning settings you want to enable:some text - **All Captioning**: Enables all captioning options - **Closed Captioning**: Enables captioning for video playback - **Call Captioning**: Enables captioning for Alexa calls and Drop-Ins - **Alexa Captioning**: Enables captioning for Alexa's responses ## Other Accessibility Features ### Speaking Pace If you choose to use your voice to speak, Alexa offers seven different speaking rates. You can ask Alexa to slow down or speak faster according to your preferences. ### Adjusting Frequencies Alexa “Equalizer” allows you to adjust the sound pitches to your listening preferences. To enable: 1. Swipe down to **Settings**, 1. Tap on **Sounds,** 1. Tap on **Equalizer**, 1. Adjust to preference. ### Bluetooth Settings Certain Bluetooth hearing aids can be paired with Alexa. Oticon Opn hearing aids provide a tutorial on how to pair with Alexa using IFTTT. Click here to see how to set up those features. Additionally, ask your audiologist which hearing aid brands are compatible with Amazon Echo. ### Real-time Texting (RTT) The modern-day version of a TTY, the RTT feature allows you to have a live text chat between Echo devices or the Amazon app. This is only available on Echo Show devices or the Amazon app. To enable, follow these steps: 1. Swipe down to **Settings**, 1. Select **Accessibility**, 1. Scroll down to**RTT** and toggle on. There are many other speech and vision accessibility features available on Amazon Echo devices. The Accessibility for Alexa page lists them all for your viewing. ## Conclusion Amazon Alexa is for more than just hearing people. The deaf and hard of hearing community can also benefit from the wide array of assistance provided by Echo devices. With a little time upfront enabling adaptive settings, you can also harness the power of a virtual assistant in your home. Molly Glass Molly, a Deaf mom of two CODAs, lives with her hearing partner of almost 14 years in the scenic Blue Ridge mountains of Virginia. Profoundly Deaf since 18 months old, she enjoys writing about the lived Deaf experiences and advocacy. In her free time she reads, and is very slowly working on authoring her first book. Share this article ## Read next [Deaf Culture ![](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/cp6a9qoi/production/268e7bfe0e05ce61a42063249c37e7a960761a78-1999x1141.jpg?rect=144,0,1712,1141&w=480&h=320&fit=crop&auto=format) How to Call a Deaf Person on the Phone: The Complete 2026 Guide Need to call a deaf person on the phone? Learn how 711 relay services, VRS, captioned phones, and apps like Nagish make communication simple in 2026. 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