Photo by Sharomka ( Shutterstock)Although I value all the smart assistants can do for me, I don't want to be entangled in lengthy conversations with Alexa. She shouldn't be able to answer every question or offer suggestions about completely different topics when I only asked her to turn the lights off.AdvertisementThere are some settings that you can adjust on your Amazon Echo to reduce Alexa's verbosity. However, you won't be able cut out all unwanted responses. These are some options to get Alexa talking less.How to activate the Brief Mode in AlexaShort Mode removes verbal confirmations such as OK when you make requests. Instead, you will hear a short tone. Open your Alexa app, and then tap the More menu. To toggle between the two modes, click Settings > Voice Responses > Short Mode.Also, you will find the somewhat creepy Whisper Mode setting right here. You can enable this setting and speak your commands or questions to Alexa. This will indicate that you are trying to not wake someone sleeping.How to disable Alexa's purchase suggestionsAlexa can also follow up on simple requests, such as a weather report, with suggestions to purchase stuff on Amazonserving up advertisements, basically. There is a setting to do this: Go to Settings > Notifications> Amazon Shopping, and disable the option to receive recommendations and deals based upon your shopping behavior.What to do to make Things work?Alexa's quirk is her tendency to say "By the way..." before sharing any loosely related information. There is no single setting to disable her chatter, but you can change the settings for Things to Try. To toggle off, go to Settings > Notifications> Things to TryAdvertisementHow to get rid of Alexa HunchesThe Hunches feature, which is enabled by default when Alexa controls smart home devices such as lights and thermostats will notify you if it is not working as it should. This feature is available in Settings > Hunches> Settings > Suggestions. These issues can be automatically taken care of by Alexa.AdvertisementHow to set up an Amazon Kids profileYou can disable unwanted notifications by using your Amazon Echo with a child's account (h/tCNET). However, Alexa's other functions will be severely limited. She will still be able respond to basic queries, play non-explicit music and control smart home devices.AdvertisementGo to Devices in Alexa to convert your Echo to a child-friendly device. Tap Echo & Alexa to select the device to reconfigure. Tap Amazon Kids and toggle the bar to turn on. Then, select Setup Amazon Kids. You can choose a child's profile if you already have it. Select Add Child if you don't have one. Follow the prompts.
