Best Alexa ambient sound skills

Alexa ambient sounds
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Alexa, help me relax!

Whether you're trying to fall asleep or just find a little Zen, ambient sounds — such as a waterfall, crackling fireplace or simple white noise — can help you calm your mind. There are dozens of Alexa skills that you can play through your Amazon Echo or Alexa-enabled device to ease your stress or block out other noise. Here are the best Alexa ambient sounds.

What are the best Alexa ambient skills? 

The best ambient skills for Alexa can replace separate white noise machines or become an addition to your daily meditation routine. Escape from the confines of your four walls with some nature sounds or imagine you’re on the beach. Don’t like white noise? Maybe brown or pink noise is more your style. 

You can often set the length that the skill will play for, whether you want a 15-minute break or to be washed in sound for hours and hours. 

To start an ambient skill you just need to know the right words to say to your Alexa-enabled device. Read on to find find out what to say to start the soothing sounds. 

Whatever sound chills you out, odds are there’s an Alexa skill that can produce that aural atmosphere. 

The best Alexa ambient skills to try today

Alexa ambient sounds

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Rain Sounds

This Rain Sounds skill plays the pitter-patter of a light rain shower for 1 hour. Tell Alexa to loop this skill to keep it going indefinitely.

What to say:

"Alexa, open Rain Sounds."

"Alexa, start Rain Sounds."

"Alexa, ask Rain Sounds to loop."

Alexa ambient sounds

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Thunderstorm sounds

If you're looking for something more intense, call up the Thunderstorm Sounds skill, which has a heavier downpour, as well as thunder and lightning. This skill will loop automatically, so you have to tell Alexa to play it for a certain amount of time — for example, by saying, "Set a sleep timer for 1 hour." If you're looking for something quieter, there's a Distant Thunderstorm skill as well.

What to say:

"Alexa, open Thunderstorm Sounds."

"Alexa, start Thunderstorm Sounds."

"Alexa, play Thunderstorm Sounds."

"Alexa, open Distant Thunderstorm."

Alexa ambient sounds

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Babbling Brook

Keeping with the water theme, the Babbling Brook skill plays the sounds of a stream flowing over rocks.

What to say:

"Alexa, open Babbling Brook."

"Alexa, start Babbling Brook."

"Alexa, ask Babbling Brook to loop."

Alexa ambient sounds

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Beach Sounds

Imagine yourself sitting beside the ocean with the Beach Sounds skill, with the endless sounds of waves crashing along the shore — seagulls, sand and sunburn not included.

What to say:

"Alexa, open Beach Sounds."

Alexa ambient sounds

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White Noise

Remember the days before digital television? Relive the fuzzy signal experience with the White Noise skill. And it’s not just white noise: this skill has a bevy of background noises to choose from, including brown noise and air conditioner. It can play continuously for up to 10 hours.

What to say:

"Alexa, open White Noise."

"Alexa, start White Noise."

"Alexa, play White Noise."

Alexa ambient sounds

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Fireplace Sounds

Not all of us have an actual fireplace. This Fireplace Sounds skill replicates the crackle and pop of burning wood, without all the smoke and ash to clean up afterward.

What to say:

"Alexa, open Fireplace Sounds."

"Alexa, start Fireplace Sounds."

"Alexa, ask Fireplace Sounds to loop."

Alexa ambient sounds

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Wind Chimes

The gentle ringing of the Wind Chimes skill will be a welcome sound for those who don't have the real thing sitting outside their window.

What to say:

"Alexa, open Wind Chimes."

"Alexa, start Wind Chimes."

"Alexa, play Wind Chimes."

Alexa ambient sounds

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Rainforest Sounds

Head into the jungle with the Rainforest Sounds skill, which  includes not only the drip-drip of water through the leaves but the sound of birds and other critters, too.

What to say:

"Alexa, open Rainforest Sounds."

"Alexa, start Rainforest Sounds,

"Alexa, ask Rainforest Sounds to loop."

Alexa ambient sounds

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Oscillating Fan Sounds

For some people, the whirring of an oscillating fan has a calming effect. While it won't cool you down, this Oscillating Fan Sounds skill will help you relax.

What to say:

"Alexa, open Oscillating Fan Sounds."

"Alexa, start Oscillating Fan Sounds."

"Alexa, tell Oscillating Fan Sounds to loop."

Alexa ambient sounds

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Space Deck

Ever wonder what the bridge of the Enterprise sounds like without anyone around? The Space Deck skill replicates the ambient sounds heard inside a starship.

What to say:

"Alexa, open Space Deck."”

"Alexa, start Space Deck."

"Alexa, ask Space Deck to loop."

Alexa ambient sounds

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Comfort My Dog

Dogs need to chill out, too. The Comfort My Dog skill plays ambient music meant to soothe the canine soul. Cat lovers, don't worry: There's also a skill to relax your kitty.  

What to say: 

"Alexa, open Relax My Dog."

"Alexa, open Relax My Cat."

Alexa ambient sounds

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Japanese Garden Sounds

The Japanese Garden Sounds skill features a running stream and the music of Japanese instruments. Talk about getting your Zen on.

What to say:

"Alexa, open Japanese Garden Sounds."

Alexa ambient sounds

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Sleep and Relaxation Sounds

The Sleep and Relaxation Sounds skill is a catchall skill has dozens of ambient sounds. Simply say, "List Sounds," and you'll hear a list of all of them.

What to say:

"Alexa, open Sleep Sounds."

"Alexa, list sounds."

"Alexa, play random."

"Alexa, ask Sleep Sounds to play thunderstorm."

"Alexa, ask Sleep Sounds to play rain."

Alexa ambient sounds

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Spa Music

While this Spa Music skill can't give you a deep tissue massage and cucumber acai peel, you can at least use Alexa to recreate the sounds you hear at the spa. The spa sounds will repeat on a loop until you say "Alexa, stop." Alternatively, you can set a timer for how long they'll play.

What to say:

"Alexa, play spa music."

"Alexa, start spa music."

"Alexa, open spa music."

Alexa ambient sounds

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Celtic Sounds

The Celtic Sounds skill can't physically take you to the Emerald Isle, but at least this Irish-inspired skill can transport your mind there.

What to say:

"Alexa, open Celtic Music."

Michael Gowan
Freelance tech writer

Michael Gowan is a freelance technology journalist covering soundbars, TVs, and wireless speakers of all kinds of shapes and sizes for Tom’s Guide. He has written hundreds of product reviews, focusing on sound quality and value to help shoppers make informed buying decisions. Micheal has written about music and consumer technology for more than 25 years. His work has appeared in publications including CNN, Wired, Men’s Journal, PC World and Macworld. When Michael’s not reviewing speakers, he’s probably listening to one anyway.