How to Customize Your Device Name for Voice Control on the Moto X (2014)

Hands-free voice control on last year’s Moto X was a hit-or-miss affair. Sometimes it heard you, other times it got what you were saying wrong. You could say “Okay, Moto X”, but it rarely picked up on that in our testing. This year, you get a bit more granular control.

The 2014 Moto X lets you customize your launch phrase, and call your Moto X almost anything you want. We won’t say it works for every name or phrase (more on that in a minute), but it definitely makes using your phone a much more personal experience.

When you start the Moto X up, it walks you through this feature. If you’re noticing problems and want to reset, or just bypassed the feature in the first place, here’s how to set it up:

1. Open your app tray and select the Moto app.

2. Tap the mic icon in the center of the screen (make sure you’re in a quiet room).

3. Tap Record to tell Moto what you want to call it. You’ll have to speak clearly, and say it three time on three different screens.

Once you find a phrase that works (not all do), you can simply repeat that phrase to launch straight into the Moto X voice command. You’ll still need to be in a quiet place for the feature to work, but it’s still the coolest way to personalize your device.

Not all phrases work, though. You won’t be able to assign your device a complex name. You’ll also need to speak abnormally clear, which may not be natural for you. Simply rattling off a “hey there, phone” in a natural cadence won’t do — you’ll have to speak up, loud and clear.

Are you using this feature? What do you think so far? Tell us about your experience using a custom name for your device in the comments below!