7 Easy Fixes for Common Amazon Echo Dot Problems

Amazon Echo Dot can be pretty handy in your home, especially if you want entertainment, news, weather updates, and to manage other smart devices. However, once in a while, you’ll experience some problems with your Echo Dot. In this article, we look at seven common Echo Dot and Alexa issues and how to fix them.

Also read: Amazon Echo Devices Compared – Which One Is Best For Your Needs

1. Your Echo Dot Won’t Connect to Wi-Fi

This problem is quite common, and you’ve probably encountered it a couple of times before.

Whenever your Echo Dot loses internet connectivity, you’ll see a spinning blue light on it, often called “The Blue Ring of Death.” Other times the ring may show a pulsing violet light to indicate your device experienced a problem while connecting to your Wi-Fi network during setup.

Sometimes when your Wi-Fi connection becomes spotty, your Echo Dot device drops its connection. Since your Dot depends on Amazon servers to interpret voice commands, it will let you know immediately if it loses connection.

Solution

Take a systematic approach.

• First, take a look at your Internet connection. Although rare, sometimes your internet service may be down, and you may need to contact your ISP for prompt assistance.

• If that’s not the case, simply restart your Wi-Fi router. That should resolve your connectivity problems.

• Sometimes a router restart isn’t enough. You may have to move your Dot closer to your Wi-Fi router. As the signal gets more robust, so does the reliability of Alexa. That may also mean moving your speaker into the same room as your router, as any walls or barriers may cause your connection to weaken.

• A mesh router or Wi-Fi extender may also come in handy, especially if you live in an expansive home.

• If you have too many devices connected to your router, you may have to disconnect some. Occasionally, your Wi-Fi router will drop some devices to accommodate others, and your Dot may fall victim to that. Try disconnecting any appliances you’re not using and see if your Dot responds better.

• Another helpful way to fix your Wi-Fi is to power cycle your devices. First, unplug your speaker and router in that order. Wait about five minutes, then plug them back in. Check to see whether your speaker response improves.

Also read: How to Enjoy Thousands of Radio Stations on Amazon Alexa

2. Alexa Won’t Pair with Other Smart Devices

One of the perks of owning an Amazon Echo device is accessing and controlling other smart devices in your home. Setting it up will be straightforward unless your device is incompatible with Alexa. It’s convenient to sync your devices and control them using Alexa – until the link breaks.

There are several ways to see if Alexa is having difficulty pairing with other devices. Here are some symptoms to look for:

• Alexa connects to your network but doesn’t immediately sense or connect with other smart devices.
• You say, “Alexa, discover devices”, and the voice assistant can’t find any.
• Scanning your network using the Amazon Alexa app does not detect any new devices.

Solution

• First, find out how to configure these devices. While many smart home appliances are compatible with Alexa and work directly when synced, others aren’t. Some smart devices may have their own apps or hubs Alexa interacts with to control them.

• If you have several Wi-Fi connections in your home, make sure your smart device and Amazon Echo connect to the same network. If you connect both to different networks, Alexa won’t successfully detect your Alexa-enabled device.

• Also, restarting your Alexa app can resolve any connectivity issues. We recommend relaunching the app from its settings menu. You can also delete devices from your Echo device, then pair them again.

• If you’re still stuck, you can power-cycle these devices and see if they will reconnect once you power them back up. Sometimes doing this fixes the issue.
• Another alternative is to pair your Echo with the smart device again. To do this, check the status of your devices in your Alexa app or search for that product in the skills section. For products that only work with Alexa using an IFTTT recipe, check your IFTTT applet to reconnect the device to Alexa.

• Beyond that, you can finish setting up your smart devices on Amazon’s Alexa page. If Alexa can sense your smart home device, pairing them again won’t be a problem.

Also read: Why Is My Amazon Echo Flashing? Your Guide to Echo’s Light Ring Colors

3. Alexa Won’t Understand Your Commands

It’s your birthday, and you want Alexa to play your favorite song. You ask, “Alexa, play Easy on Me by Adele,” but Alexa doesn’t respond.

At the same time, you may notice a red light ring on your device or a spinning blue light with a purple flash at the end.

You may not see a light, but Alexa may still respond, “I’m sorry, I didn’t quite get that.” Alexa may still fail to hear you or recognize your voice. It could also be that she misinterpreted your statement.

Solution

• If you’re not receiving any responses, you may have muted Alexa. Check for a red light or an active mute button and unmute your device.
• If Alexa claims she didn’t understand you or did something completely unrelated, you can start by asking her, “Alexa, tell me what you heard.” Alexa will repeat what she believes you said verbatim. This way, you’ll know whether it was a problem with the clarity of your voice, pronunciation or something else.

• You can also use the Amazon Voice Training tool to get Alexa to understand you better. Using the Alexa app, tap on the Menu icon on the top-left side of the Home screen, then go to “Settings -> Profile -> Voice option.” Tap Manage. The Alexa app will take you through a 25-phrase speaking exercise to teach your Dot how you speak in your normal tone.

• Another way to beat this problem is to set up voice profiles for each person in your household. That way, Alexa can easily switch between you and your family members.

• Also, keep your Alexa device away from noisy areas with a dryer or a washing machine.

Also read: How to Connect Todoist to Amazon Alexa

4. Your Echo Dot Won’t Stream Music

If have trouble getting Alexa to play your favorite songs and podcasts from Spotify, Deezer, Amazon Music or other streaming services, the most common culprit here is a poor Wi-Fi connection. Here’s how to address that:

Solution

• Decongest your Wi-Fi router by removing any connected devices you aren’t actively using.
• Ensure your Echo Dot is within the range of your Wi-Fi connection. Move it closer to your router where the Wi-Fi signal is most potent.
• If your internet connection is down, reset your device or contact your ISP.
• Also, you can switch your router channel to 5GHz. That reduces the occurrence of Wi-Fi disruptions on 2.4GHz, where plenty of house devices work.

5. Alexa Activates Accidentally

You may be in the middle of a conversation with your friend, talking about a colleague named “Alex,” and Alexa suddenly wakes up.

Sometimes these “wake words” could also come from your TV or laptop, even though not meant for Alexa.

Solution

• The Alexa app gives you the option to change your wake words. You can choose to use “Amazon,” Ziggy,” “Echo,” or Computer.” These wake words are much harder to call out during normal conversation.
• You can silence Alexa by pressing the “Mute” button on top of your device. Doing this cuts off Alexa’s ability to listen.

6. Music Plays on the Wrong Device

If you own multiple Echo Dots or smart speakers, Alexa could occasionally send music to the wrong device or room. To ensure that doesn’t happen, use one of the solutions below.

Solution

• Set up a home device group. That way, Alexa will respond to your requests more intuitively.
• Select a suitable Echo Dot device as your default speaker.
• Use a logical naming system for your location, making it easier to find your chosen device.

Also read: How to Connect Spotify and Apple Music to Alexa

7. Calls Won’t Work on Your Echo

Your Amazon Echo can be a handy way to make calls to your family and friends. To enjoy this feature, set up your Alexa app to manage calls and connect your Amazon Echo with your phone.

You may say, “Alexa, call [somebody],” and Alexa responds that she can’t. It could be that you got your contact name wrong or Alexa didn’t recognize who you meant.

If you’re experiencing problems getting your device to call your family or friends, follow one of the solutions below.

Solution

• Set up your phone contacts correctly. Also, ensure you’re calling someone who can receive calls through an Alexa device.
• Ensure your Echo Dot connects to your Wi-Fi network.
• You can also restart the Alexa app on your phone. You may have to update it first before using it.

Also read: How to Connect Amazon Alexa with SmartThings

If All Else Fails

We recommend resetting your Echo Dot device to default settings and setting it up again. That should resolve any problems you’re facing with the Echo Dot and Alexa.

Also read: How to Reset Any Alexa-Enabled Device

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How far away can your Echo Dot be and still hear you?

Alexa will hear you clearly for a distance of about 20 to 25 feet. If you’re in an open room without barriers of any kind, it could be further. But, to ensure your Echo Dot can hear you, always stay within 20 feet of your device.

2. How do I manually reset my echo?

To reset your Echo, turn your speaker upside down and locate the reset button. Using one end of a paper clip or pin, press the reset button for five seconds. Once your Echo Dot light turns orange and spins round the ring, you’ve reset it properly.

3. Can Alexa listen for intruders?

You can set Alexa to listen for intruders by setting up Alexa Guard Response. In the same way Alexa listens for your voice commands, she’ll listen for breaking windows or doors, footsteps, or any other sound you set as a trigger.