If you’re wanting all of your Wyze sensors to show up and be selected as one device in routines in Alexa. That unfortunately is a limitation with Alexa not Wyze. Alexa app does have the ability to group lights and plugs to turn on as a Group. But as far as I can tell you cannot Group other devices.
This isn’t Wyze fault. You’ll have to put in a request with Amazon for them to add that as a feature to their app. For now you will have to create a routine for each individual sensor. That’s just how it is with the Alexa app. Individual routines for just about everything. I wish they would at times allow you to have one routine that encompassed and entire devices set of commands. But I get why they keep it separate. It’s probably easier for the novice user.
I will say that Alexa responds faster than IFTTT does. I have motion sensors that activate the lights within a second or so. IFTTT sometimes took as long as six seconds or so.
I figured it was an alexa limitation but wanted to see if anyone had any clever work arounds. IFTTT allows the “any sensor” option as an “If” but Alexa is not available as a “Then” trigger. Can never be easy!!
I placed a request into Amazon so fingers crossed. Thanks all.
Well I’ve come up with a solution, but it is a pain. I used sounds and created separate routine for each sensor and each device that I want to hear it from. So had to create 36 routines, but it plays very fast and now I have a separate sound for each door that opens. Let’s see if this drives the wife crazy.
I actually figured out a way to activate an Alexa routine via IFTTT and Smartthings. One routine accomplishes “If any of my contact sensors open, then I receive an alexa message and a security alarm sounds on all echo devices”. Check out this thread if interested.
Very cool. Great suggestion. I’d love to see Wyze integrate a virtual switch into their own platform so that things like this can be accomplished with fewer steps and without the need to involve 4 different platforms. Haha. (Wyze + Alexa + IFTTT + SmartThings)
Be sure to go here and vote for a Wyze Virtual Switch if you’d like to see that too.
To everyone posting in this thread, please keep in mind that this topic is still tagged as “in-development”. It is not officially in “testing” or “launched” as of yet.
I’m also running the Wyze app that claims “You can now use them to trigger routines!” except “I” can’t. I’m one of the first to request this feature, but it appears that I’m not privileged to use this feature. I’ve uninstalled and re-installed everything, did manual device searches, name it. Nothing. They don’t appear in Alexa at all for me, let alone trigger a routine. Is there some secret handshake to get in to this club?
Please see the below posts. Wyze has not told us (Moderators and Mavens) that the status of this topic has changed, regardless of what Alexa is stating. I will try to get someone from Wyze to update this thread.
Yes, i recall this thread. If I understand correctly in early November (when this post was written) it was in response to the accidental release of a beta where some customers were able to discover the Wyze sense devices through Alexa.
I hope they didn’t do this again.
Certainly an official update would be nice as I have no choice if I want to continue using the functionality of my cameras, but to expose my sensors to Amazon Alexa. Unless someone can tell me where in the Wyze app I have a choice about which Wyze products are being exposed. I was never able to find any setting in the app when I tried to limit my camera exposure.
We’re aiming to do the official announcement this week. Stuff is in production now but there were a couple of things that still needed to be deployed before we did the announcement and considered it ready to go.
Right now, there is no way to limit what are the devices that we are sync’ing with Alexa. Once the connection is made, all devices are pushed to Alexa. The same is true for IFTTT and for Google Home.
It would be a (valid) feature requests that I would suggest you create a post in the corresponding area of the forum.
Hi there. Regarding my previous posts… do you know if we will be able to create a routine with a group of sensors to accomplish a task? In my case, I have a rule created using a few different apps where “If any contact sensor opens then an alarm is sounded on my echo devices”. I have to use smart things and IFTTT because currently alexa will only let me create a routine with individual sensors. Appreciate your input!
I doubt it, at least not in such a direct way. Amazon would need to update their Routine logic in order to enable this. It’s theoretically possible now, but you’d need a Wyze Plug, plugged into the wall doing nothing.
First, you’d need to make a rule in Wyze for each contact sensor that you want to sound an alarm, and tell it to turn the Wyze Plug on when the contact sensor is opened. You’d need as many rules as you have contact sensors
Then, you’d make a rule in Wyze to turn off the Wyze Plug after 5-10 seconds. (So that it’s ready to go next time a sensor is tripped)
Then, you’d make a Routine in Alexa that makes a sound each time the plug turns on.
Voila!
I’m hoping for a Wyze Virtual Switch functionality in the app eventually. This would allow for interactions like this without needing to buy a dedicated Wyze Plug sitting in a wall doing nothing. Be sure to go there and vote for it if you’d like to see them add it.
Edit: Sorry, I just realized I already mentioned some of this in my last post in the thread. Well, it’s the #1 feature I’d like to see, (Virtual switch) so I try to get people on board any time I see a potential use case for it. Haha
Already voted as I agree this would be an excellent addition. Thanks for the walk through. I’ll pick up a plug. The less integration inception the better in my opinion. Cheers!
For me its in the Alexa App. Under, Routines, > Create New Routine (or use already made one), > Select: When This Happens, > Smart Home.
It seems the Motion Sensors and Door Sensors show up there. Perhaps they only added it for a short time and not many caught it in time if you aren’t seeing it. Either way it will eventually be there. Ive not had any issues yet.