ecobee thermostats work with Alexa and Google Assistant, and support Apple Home natively on supported models. For Alexa, enable the ecobee skill in the Alexa app and link your ecobee account, then discover devices; you can ask Alexa to set a temperature, change mode or read the current temperature. If Alexa says it could not find a device with that name, ecobee's Alexa troubleshooting article explains it usually means the thermostat is not named as you said, not linked, or the skill needs to be relinked and devices rediscovered.
The checks in more detail
Name the thermostat with a simple room name. Check the thermostat is registered, online and that the ecobee app can control it, since voice control needs the same connection. For Google Assistant, link ecobee in the Google Home app under Works with Google. Voice commands change the temperature as a hold, which overrides the schedule until the next change or until the hold ends.
If the wrong scale is used, check the thermostat's temperature unit. Update the Alexa or Home app and the thermostat firmware. Apple Home uses Siri and does not need a skill. If commands stop after renaming, rediscover devices. Try a simple read-back like asking the temperature first, since it proves the link before you test a change. Rename the thermostat with its room so it is unique. Practise a few commands so the wording is natural.
If you have more than one home or thermostat linked, check which one the assistant is addressing, because a command may change the wrong one. Rediscover devices in Alexa after any rename, since the old name can linger and produce a confusing device not found reply. Voice commands that change the temperature create a hold, and a hold that seems to last forever may simply have no end time, so cancel it in the app once the room is comfortable.
Differential
Likely causes of “ecobee thermostats does not respond to voice control”, and how to tell them apart
- 1
The skill not linked
What separates it Alexa cannot find the thermostat because the ecobee skill has not been linked
How to confirm Enable the ecobee skill in the Alexa app, and link your ecobee account to it
- 2
A name mismatch
What separates it The assistant says the device is not found because its name does not match what you say
How to confirm Rename the thermostat with a simple name, then ask the assistant to discover devices again
- 3
An offline thermostat
What separates it The assistant cannot reach the thermostat because it is offline
How to confirm Fix the wifi connection, then check the thermostat shows as online in the ecobee app
- 4
A hold overriding the schedule
What separates it The temperature stays changed because a hold is overriding the schedule
How to confirm Cancel the hold, so that the thermostat goes back to following its normal schedule
- 5
A wrong temperature unit
What separates it The values are odd because the temperature unit is set to the wrong one
How to confirm Set the temperature unit to the one you use, in the thermostat or the app settings
Before you touch a setting
Record this first — changing settings destroys the evidence
- Which voice assistant you are using
- The name that you gave the thermostat
- Whether the thermostat shows as online
- Whether a hold is active on the thermostat
Try in this order
0 of 7 completedLink the ecobee skill
ReversibleLink the ecobee skill in the Alexa app, signing in with your ecobee account when prompted.
Discover devices
ReversibleAsk Alexa to discover devices, so the thermostat appears in your list of smart home devices.
Use a simple name
ReversibleUse a simple name for the thermostat, such as the room it is in, so that Alexa can match it.
Check the thermostat is online
ReversibleCheck the thermostat is online, since voice commands cannot reach it when the wifi is down.
Cancel holds
ReversibleCancel any holds if a voice command has changed the temperature and you want the schedule back.
Update apps
ReversibleUpdate the apps and the thermostat's firmware, so that the voice link works with the latest versions.
Contact ecobee
ReversibleContact ecobee if it fails, and tell them the assistant and the name you gave the thermostat.
Model-specific
What is true of this model and not of its siblings
- Alexa
- Uses the ecobee skill.
- Apple Home
- Built into supported thermostats.
- Built-in Alexa
- The ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium has Alexa built in, and you set it up in the ecobee app or the Alexa app. Check that the microphone is on and that the thermostat is online. If Alexa does not respond, restart the thermostat and rejoin Wi-Fi.
- Commands and routines
- Set routines to change the temperature by voice and name the thermostat simply. If Alexa says the device is not responding, check the ecobee skill is linked and the thermostat is online.
- Other models this page answers
- These steps also fit the Smart Thermostat Enhanced, ecobee3 lite.
Stop boundary
When this stops being a self-service repair
- !If Alexa still cannot find it after relinking, contact ecobee support
- !If the thermostat is offline, use the wifi steps to bring it back online first
- !If holds surprise you, cancel them and check how the assistant sets temperatures
Evidence ledger
Sources behind this answer
Alexa problems.
Apple Home pairing.
Offline and disconnecting steps.
Firmware versions.
The company and its products.
Exact questions
Common questions
Does ecobee work with Alexa?+
Yes, ecobee works with Alexa, once you enable the ecobee skill and link your account.
Does it work with Siri?+
It works with Siri through Apple Home, on the models that support it.
Do voice commands create holds?+
Yes, a voice command that changes the temperature can create a hold on the schedule.
Should I rename it?+
Yes, rename it simply, for example with the room name, so it is easy to say.
Can I use Google Assistant?+
Yes, it also works with Google Assistant, once you link your ecobee account there.
Does the Premium have Alexa built in?+
Yes.
How do I mute the microphone?+
Use the privacy switch on the unit.