How to Control the PC with Alexa and TRIGGERcmd

Alexa, turn on the PC

Controlling your home lights, plugs, and many other devices around you using Amazon’s voice assistant is easy. Thanks to the trust that Alexa has earned among users, many manufacturers have opted for its integration and offer applications and skills that allow voice control.

However, there are devices that a priori you might think that it is not possible to control them with the voice or that doing so will require advanced knowledge due to the complexity of the process. For example, the computer. Is it possible to operate a PC with voice commands? The answer is yes.

Of course, before explaining how, you may wonder why you would want to do something like that. Well, the answers can range from a simple yes to reasons where the idea is to facilitate actions for users with certain disabilities. So, now that you know the possibility exists, let’s see how to do it.

How to control the PC with Alexa

To control the PC with Alexa you will need two basic elements. The first is an Alexa compatible smart speaker or device. For example, one of the Amazon Echo or third-party solutions that integrate the assistant and that could be from a smartphone to third-party speakers such as Sonos, etc. The second requirement is TRIGGERcmd.

TRIGGERcmd is a cloud service that allows commands to be executed in a safe and remote way on your computer. Thanks to this and the way the entire configuration process is, although it requires minimal knowledge, the truth is that anyone can take advantage of it to integrate it into their day-to-day life and together with services such as IFTTT or those offered by home automation platforms, in particular Amazon with Alexa.

In the video you will see below they explain (in English) how to create a command to run any application. Well, basically with this and other details is how you are going to get the most out of this integration between your PC and Alexa.

The configuration of TRIGGERcmd is quite simple and you have to know that you will be able to use the service in both Windows and Linux and Mac. It is true that if you have a Mac and use the latest versions of the operating system you will be able to take advantage of Siri and the accessibility improvements that offers the platform. But that is already something to value for each one. So let’s go back to this service.

The first thing you have to do is install the client that will connect to your TRIGGERcmd account and will take care of executing the commands that are sent to it. For this you only have to download the corresponding version for your operating system and run it. ( Available for Windows, Linux and Mac )

During the installation process it will ask for a code (token) that is used to uniquely identify your computer. You can find this in your user profile, on the TRIGGERcmd website> Instructions. Once you do it, again from the web, you will see that the equipment appears as an add-on.

Done, that’s how easy the installation is: create an account in TRIGGERcmd, install the client application, run it and add the token.

Creating commands to control your PC with Alexa

Now that we have everything installed and working, the next step is to create the commands. Here everything will depend on your needs and even imagination, because basically you can do anything, from opening specific applications to turning it off or on.

To create a new command you must open the application installed on your computer and click Add command. When you do so you will see a series of fields that you will have to fill in:

• Trigger: this is the name that the command will have and it will help you identify it as you add more
• Command – The command to execute when activated. Then we tell you how to know what you should enter there
• Ground: Here you can choose two different behaviors. The background allows you to launch commands without having to be started your user account. What’s more, it is the option you should check for uses such as ignition. Foreground for its part cuts the privileges and only when the application is running will it be when it can perform actions
• Voice: this is the section that interests us most in the face of integration with Alexa. It will be what you have to say for the Amazon assistant to execute the command. Try to make them easy to remember, direct sentences
• Voice Reply: If you need any kind of confirmation from Alexa, such as a Fact or similar, write it there. If you don’t need it, don’t put anything
• Allow Parameters: this option allows you to accept or not additional parameters with the commands, a feature for more advanced users

Now that you know all about the use of TRIGGERcmd, the next step is to make Alexa able to communicate with the service. To do this you just have to install the TRIGGERcmd skill that you will find on the Amazon website or asking your speaker or compatible device to install it. The simplest option is the first.

Once the skill is installed, you will see that the computer appears in the Alexa app as if it were just another smart device. If you want to change the name you can do it and it will be easier for you to give the order.

TRIGGERcmd

As you can see TRIGGERcmd can be a very interesting and useful service. Although you have to know one last detail. Although it can be used completely free of charge, you will have the limitation of only one computer and one order per minute. If you want to add more equipment, you would have to pay the annual subscription of $ 19.95.

To know what commands to use you can go to the examples section within the application itself and you will see a quite useful list. Then, to know many others, you simply have to do an internet search to know others that you would run in the console or terminal of your operating system. By the way, if you have noticed you will have observed that this can also be used with Google Assistant.