Frequently Asked Questions

• What does the light ring status/colour show?
  • Solid blue with spinning cyan lights 
    • The device is starting up.
  • All lights off 
    • The device is active and waiting for your request.
  • Solid blue with cyan pointing in direction of person speaking 
    • Alexa is busy processing your request.
  • Orange light spinning clockwise 
    • The device is connecting to your Wi-Fi network.
  • Solid red light 
    • You have turned off the microphones on your device. Press the Microphone button to turn on the microphones.
  • White light 
    • You are adjusting the volume level on your device.
  • Continuous oscillating violet light 
    • An error occurred during Wi-Fi setup. To learn more, go to Your Echo Device Doesn't Connect to Wi-Fi.
• Reset Your Amazon Echo
  1. Use a paper clip (or similar tool) to press and hold the Reset button for five seconds. You can find the Reset button at the base of your device. After you press and hold the Reset button, the light ring on your Echo device turns orange, and then blue.
  2. Wait for the light ring to turn off and on again. The light ring then turns orange, and your Echo device enters setup mode.
  3. Open the Alexa app to connect your device to a Wi-Fi network and register it to your Amazon account.
• Alexa doesn't understand me?

  Keep in mind

  For Alexa to work, you need an active Wi-Fi connection. An active Wi-Fi connection means that Alexacan stream music and other media from the cloud and answer your questions or process your requests.

  Place your Alexa device in an ideal location

  • Make sure your Alexa device is at least eight inches away from walls or other objects that may cause interference (such as microwave ovens or baby monitors).
  • If your Alexa device is on the floor, move it to a higher location.

  Be clear

  • Make sure there is no background noise when you speak to Alexa.
  • Speak naturally and clearly to Alexa.

  Be specific

  • Repeat your question or request.
  • Rephrase your question or make it less general. For example, there are many cities around the world called "Springfield." If you want to know the weather in Springfield, Illinois, say, "Alexa, what's weather like in Springfield, Illinois?"
  • Check the Alexa app to see what Alexa heard. On the home screen, select More at the bottom of the interaction card. You can read what Alexa heard, listen to the request, or provide feedback.

  (Optional) Use Voice Training

  For Amazon Tap and Echo devices, you can use Voice Training. Voice Training helps Alexa understand your speech patterns. During a Voice Training session, the Alexa app shows 25 different phrases, which you say to your device.

• Alexa App Doesn't Work

  Compatibility

  • iOS 7.0 or higher
  • Android 4.4 or higher
  • Fire OS 2.0 or higher
  • Computer web browsers (http://alexa.amazon.com): Safari, Chrome, Firefox, Microsoft Edge, or Internet Explorer (10 or higher)

  iOS

  Restart your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch 

  1. Press and hold the Sleep / Wake button on your iOS device until a slider appears on the screen.
  2. Press and drag the slider to turn the device off.
  3. After your device turns off, press and hold the Sleep / Wake button to restart the device.

  Force close the app 

  1. Press the Home button twice until previews of your most recently used apps appear on the screen.
  2. Swipe until you locate the Alexa app, and then swipe up on the app to close it.

  Uninstall and reinstall the app 

  1. Press and hold the Alexa app until it "shakes" on the screen, and then tap the X on the app.
  2. After you uninstall the app, go to the Apple App Store and install the Alexa app again.

  Android

  Restart your Android device 

  1. Press and hold the Power button, and then select the option to turn off your device.
  2. After your device turns off, press the Power button again to restart the device.

  Force close the app 

  1. From the Home screen of your Android device, go to Settings > Apps (or Applications). For some devices, you may need to select Manage applications next.
  2. Locate Alexa from your list of installed apps, and then select Clear Data.
  3. After you clear the application data, select Force Stop.

  Uninstall and reinstall the app 

  1. From the app menu on your Android device, select Alexa, and then select Uninstall.
  2. After you uninstall the app, go to Google Play and install the Alexa app again.

  Fire OS

  Restart your Fire OS device 

  1. Press and hold the Power button, and then select the option to turn off your device.
  2. After your device turns off, press the Power button again to restart the device.

  Force close the app 

  1. From the Home screen of your Fire OS device, swipe down from the top of the screen to openQuick Settings, and then tap Settings OR More > Apps & Games OR Applications > Manage All Applications OR Installed Applications.
  2. Locate Alexa from your list of installed apps, and then select Clear Data.
  3. After you clear the application data, select Force Stop.

  Uninstall and reinstall the app 

  1. From the app menu on your device, select Alexa, and then select Uninstall.
  2. After you uninstall the app, go to the Apps library, and then select Alexa to download the app again.

  Web Browser

  1. Reload the web page.
  2. Clear the cache and cookies from your browser. When you clear the cache and cookies, this removes any website settings (such as usernames and passwords) from your browser.
  3. Close your web browser and open it again.
• Pair Your Mobile Device with Echo

  Before you begin

  • Set your mobile device to Bluetooth pairing mode.
  • Make sure your mobile device is in range of your Echo.

  Note: Phone calls, text messages, and other notifications from your mobile device can't be received or read by Echo, and audio from Echo can't be sent to Bluetooth speakers or headphones.

  1. Say, "Pair." Alexa lets you know that Echo is ready to pair.

     Note: To exit Bluetooth pairing mode, say, "Cancel."

  2. Open the Bluetooth settings menu on your mobile device, and select your Echo. Alexa tells you if the connection is successful. You are now ready to stream audio from your mobile device to Echo.
  3. To disconnect your mobile device from Echo, say, "Disconnect."

     Note: After you pair your mobile device, you can immediately connect your Echo to your mobile device. Turn on Bluetooth on your mobile device, and then say, "Connect." If your Echo is paired with multiple mobile devices, it connects to the most recently paired device.

• Streaming issues on Alexa devices

  Keep in mind

  An intermittent Internet connection or low available bandwidth is usually the cause of many streaming issues. To stream music, audiobooks, and other content through Alexa, your Internet connection needs to be at least 512 Kbps (0.51 Mbps).

  Reduce Wi-Fi congestion

  If you have multiple devices on your Wi-Fi network, you may have inconsistent Wi-Fi performance.

  • Turn off devices you aren't using to free up bandwidth on your network.
  • Move your Alexa device closer to your router and modem if it's in a different room or blocked by an object.
  • Move your Alexa device away from walls, metal objects, and other sources of possible interference (such as microwave ovens or baby monitors).
  • If your Alexa device is on the floor, move it to a higher location.

  Restart your Alexa device and network hardware

  You can restart your Alexa device, Internet modem, and/or router to resolve most intermittent Wi-Fi issues. 

  1. Turn off your router and modem, and then wait 30 seconds.
  2. Turn on your modem, and then wait for it to restart.
  3. After you restart your modem, turn on your router, and then wait for it to restart.

  After you restart your network hardware, turn your Alexa device off and on again.

  Make sure these ports are open on your router

  If you have a firewall on your network, check to see if these UDP ports are open for outgoing traffic. Alexa needs these ports open to work correctly:

  • 123
  • 443
  • 4070
  • 5353
  • 40317
  • 49317
  • 33434

  If you're not sure if you have a firewall on your network, please contact your network administrator.

  Contact your Internet service provider, router manufacturer, or network administrator

  If you still can't stream any content on your Alexa device, you may want to contact your Internet service provider, your router manufacturer, or your network administrator.