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You can turn your Fire TV into a larger Amazon Echo Show. Here's how

This new update gives new hands-free features you've never been able to use on the Fire TV.

Katie Teague Writer II
Katie is a writer covering all things how-to at CNET, with a focus on Social Security and notable events. When she's not writing, she enjoys playing in golf scrambles, practicing yoga and spending time on the lake.
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Katie Teague
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Your Fire TV can now display your security cameras, calendar and more. 

 Sarah Tew/CNET

If you've got an Amazon Echo device, like the Echo Dot, but thought about upgrading to an Echo Show, you might not need to spend the extra cash. You can now turn a Fire TV into an Echo Show and control it with the Echo speaker you already have. 

Not only does it provide you with a much larger screen than the Echo Show, but it can also display your front door camera on the TV screen. It also eliminates the need to use your Fire Stick remote to control the TV by letting you control everything with just your voice. (Sorry, touchscreen and camera not included.)

To get started, make sure your Echo device is connected to your Fire TV -- you can do so manually or with automatic pairing. For example, if you ask Alexa to play a movie, it'll ask you to confirm that you want to use your Alexa device to control your Fire TV. Once you do this, you can say something like "Alexa, show me the weather," which Alexa will display on the TV, rather than vocally telling you the weather through the speaker. 

You can also say, "Alexa, scroll left/right" to navigate on the screen. Both of these are features you've never been able to use on the Fire TV before. 

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You don't need a Fire Stick remote anymore.

 Sarah Tew/CNET

New Alexa commands for visual experiences on your Fire TV

  • "Alexa, show me my calendar"
  • "Alexa, show me the front door camera"
  • "Alexa, show me my to-do list"
  • "Alexa, show me the traffic in Louisville"
  • "Alexa, show me my shopping list"
Watch this: Amazon Echo Dot (4th gen) review: Dot, Dot, Dot...

New ways to navigate your Fire TV hands-free

  • "Alexa, go back" to go back to the previous screen
  • "Alexa, go home"
  • "Alexa, go to my Watch List" when watching Prime Video
  • "Alexa, find comedies" and choose a title by saying "Alexa, select No. 3"

In October, Amazon announced it would release the new update in the coming weeks, so if you don't see it yet, it may not have rolled out to your device. The new features will be available for use on all Fire TV devices, including Fire TV without an Alexa-enabled remote.

For more Amazon Echo tricks to try with your TV, check out how to turn your Amazon Echo into a free TV speaker. Plus, here are six Alexa settings you won't regret changing on your Amazon Echo and four best uses for Amazon Echo in your living room.