Can you activate the Alexa phone app with your voice without having the app open

[ceponatia]

Just as the topic says: I have a Pixel 2 and was wondering if I can somehow set it up to where saying Alexa activates the app instead of having to open it and tap the microphone. This makes the app almost useless IMO as I can just do the same thing with the search bar on my home screen.

[renegade600]

I would not say it is useless.  It depends on what you are using it for.  but to answer your question, yes you must have the app open for alexa to work. 

[tampa8]

Just as the topic says: I have a Pixel 2 and was wondering if I can somehow set it up to where saying Alexa activates the app instead of having to open it and tap the microphone. This makes the app almost useless IMO as I can just do the same thing with the search bar on my home screen.

The answer above is incorrect. You do not need to even use the app let alone open it. The Alexa App has a widget. Add the widget as you would any widget. You can then just tap the widget and say the command you want.

[renegade600]

Just as the topic says: I have a Pixel 2 and was wondering if I can somehow set it up to where saying Alexa activates the app instead of having to open it and tap the microphone. This makes the app almost useless IMO as I can just do the same thing with the search bar on my home screen.

The answer above is incorrect. You do not need to even use the app let alone open it. The Alexa App has a widget. Add the widget as you would any widget. You can then just tap the widget and say the command you want.

IF there is a widget, I most certainly do not have one.  My note 8 is running android 8.    There has been a few changes with using alexa on the phone.  a while back when the app was open, you could use alexa from the notification bar.  then it was changed to the task bar within the app (could be phone specific).  BUT NO Widget. 

After a search I found only one place that mentioned a widget but it is one of those unreliable sites and most who commented also mentioned they did not have a widget.  If there were a widget, it must be something they are testing with a few users or they pulled it for whatever reason before it was completely rolled out.  So if you really have a widget, give a valid source from amazon's site because I could not find anything there about it either

[mindmagic]

I have an Android widget on my Nokia 7.1. I'm now on Android 9, but it's been there since I was on Android 8. Have you looked in your widget tray?

[scottrods]

Best I can tell, it's a race to see who can be the laziest... but yeah... Widget. If you understand them and know how to set them up and use them, this is the most direct way to access the app by voice... and it's not completely hands free... Well... maybe with OK Google or Hey Siri... Haven't tried as I am not a Siri user or a OK Google. Alexa has enough quirks for now, I don't need to introduce more if not necessary...

I only use my phone to command my echos when I am trying to be quiet for others sleeping, so I rarely even use it for anything except to control my lights as I make the journey to the bedroom... So Alexa app is never in the equation for me. I'm still trying to wrap my head around why you would need to use the app hands free anyway... your phone is generally within arms reach or already in your hand. Too hard to take a second and open the app? trying to flex your "know how muscle"?... none of it is completely useless or completely useful. At least for now, the IOT products don't share enough ability for me to ask my phone (or Alexa) to do it all. At least now I'm starting to see Smart TV's with IOT built in... not sure how smart they are yet... but we'll see soon enough.

Anyway... Widgets... Best to try and see if that will fill the need of the OP. Please fill us in on how things work out.

[renegade600]

I have an Android widget on my Nokia 7.1. I'm now on Android 9, but it's been there since I was on Android 8. Have you looked in your widget tray?

as if I would not have looked in my widget tray before making my previous post.   give a verifiable source that widgets are available. 

however, whether or not widgets are available is the wrong answer to the original question.  if widgets were available, they would still have to be tap in order to give a command. 

[asianrocker]

Oh wow never used widgets ever on any of my phone but I did check if I have the Alexa widget and it's there just tried it and it works like an Alexa show on phones!

Good find there. Though it's still not what the OP wanted which is to be hands free.

I suggest you use Google assistant on your phone instead OP.

[buffaloquinn]

I have an Android widget on my Nokia 7.1. I'm now on Android 9, but it's been there since I was on Android 8. Have you looked in your widget tray?

as if I would not have looked in my widget tray before making my previous post.   give a verifiable source that widgets are available. 

however, whether or not widgets are available is the wrong answer to the original question.  if widgets were available, they would still have to be tap in order to give a command.

Not sure why you don't have the Alexa Widget available on your phone Renegade, but being rude to someone because they have it & you don't is not helpful. And offering alternative solutions is not a crime on this site. No, a one touch widget is still not "voice activation" but it's a lot easier than having to open the app & then press the command buttton. Plus the widget can be assigned to other buttons with the proper button mapping apps. I have mine assigned to a long press of the Home key. Very handy.

[dragon123]

At least on android there is an app that listens for alexa commands: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.willblaschko.android.alexalistens

I used this for a bit when driving, but now I have a Logitech ZeroTouch carkit/phoneholder that does the same so I deleted the app.

[jwlv]

How's your link different than going to Amazon.com? The price is the same. The only difference I see is that your link has an affiliate referral tag to it which gives you 25 cents commission.

[buffaloquinn]

How's your link different than going to Amazon.com? The price is the same. The only difference I see is that your link has an affiliate referral tag to it which gives you 25 cents commission.

Not to mention  it's $5 more than the 2nd gens have been going for lately.

[scottrods]

Online Sales people are slick... LOL or at least they think they are.

[renegade600]

I have an Android widget on my Nokia 7.1. I'm now on Android 9, but it's been there since I was on Android 8. Have you looked in your widget tray?

as if I would not have looked in my widget tray before making my previous post.   give a verifiable source that widgets are available. 

however, whether or not widgets are available is the wrong answer to the original question.  if widgets were available, they would still have to be tap in order to give a command.

Not sure why you don't have the Alexa Widget available on your phone Renegade, but being rude to someone because they have it & you don't is not helpful. And offering alternative solutions is not a crime on this site. No, a one touch widget is still not "voice activation" but it's a lot easier than having to open the app & then press the command buttton. Plus the widget can be assigned to other buttons with the proper button mapping apps. I have mine assigned to a long press of the Home key. Very handy.

I was wondering which member was going to scold me.    at least what I wrote was tamed compared to what I originally wrote  :-)

one thing to note, so according to you it was okay for someone to say my answer was incorrect when it was the only right one of the bunch.   Go back and read the original question.   the person specifically stated they did not want to tap to get alexa to work.  alternatives should at least answer the question correctly.