How to fix 8 common problems with Alexa?

Here is an overview of 8 of the most common problems with Alexa and Echo problems that users have with Alexa and their Echo devices, along with some simple fixes.

These troubleshooting steps apply to the Alexa app and Alexa-enabled devices, including the Echo Dot, Echo, Echo Plus, Echo Studio, and Echo Show.

How to Fix Alexa Not Responding to Voice Commands

Sometimes you give a voice command, but Alexa and your echo don’t respond or don’t respond with something like “Sorry, I don’t know that” or “Sorry, I’m having trouble understanding you right now. Please try again later.” If Alexa isn’t responding properly, try a few simple fixes.

1. Make sure your Echo has power and Internet access. A disabled echo or internet outage could be the reason Alexa is ignoring you.
2. Make sure the Echo microphone is turned on. The microphone is muted if a solid red ring or bar is displayed instead of the blue indicator light. Press the microphone button on the top of the device to turn it back on. See if Alexa can respond to your commands.
3. Make sure your smartphone and Echo are on the same Wi-Fi network.
4. Make sure your Alexa-enabled device is within Wi-Fi range. It may appear that Alexa is not responding because your echo is too far away from your router. Move it closer to the router and see if that fixes the problem.
5. Reboot your Alexa-enabled device. A simple restart often solves many puzzling technical problems. See if restarting your Echo solves Alexa’s non-response issue.
6. Check your Wi-Fi connection. If your Wi-Fi isn’t working, reset it and see if Alexa answers again.
7. Check what Alexa heard. If you speak indistinctly, Alexa may seem confused by your voice command. When you look at your Alexa history. You may find that she thought you said “Play mushroom” instead of “Play music.”
8. Change the word for awakening. If Alexa and your echo aren’t responding, try changing your wake word and see if that brings your smart speaker and digital assistant back.
9. Reset your Alexa-enabled device to factory default settings. If all else fails, try resetting your Alexa-enabled device to factory default settings to resolve the issue.

How to fix Alexa playing music on the wrong device

Multi-room audio allows you to control music playback on your Echo speakers. If you ask Alexa to play music on an Echo device in one room, but another Alexa-enabled device starts playing music somewhere else, there are several solutions you can try.

1. Make sure you have created a smart home device group. When you add all of your Alexa-enabled smart home devices to a group, Alexa can respond more intelligently to your requests. For example, if you are in the kitchen and request music, the Kitchen Echo will answer.
2. Make sure the correct echo is selected as the preferred speaker. If you’d like to set one of your Echoes as your default speaker, set it up in your Alexa settings. This way, whenever you request music, only the specified Echo will respond.
3. Name your Echo devices accurately. It’s easier to keep track of your Echo speakers if they’re named logically. For example, if the Echo in your kitchen is named after its location, you could say “Alexa, play Coldplay in the kitchen.”

How to fix Alexa not streaming music

If Alexa can’t stream music from Spotify or another streaming service, it’s often a bandwidth or Wi-Fi connection issue. Here’s what you should do:

1. Check your Wi-Fi connection. If your Wi-Fi isn’t working, reset it and see if your music plays.
2. Reduce Wi-Fi congestion. Turn off any Wi-Fi connected devices that you are not using and see if that solves your streaming issues.
3. Make sure your Echo is within Wi-Fi range. Your Alexa-enabled device may not work properly due to its location. Move it closer to the router and away from walls, metal objects, or other possible sources of interference.
4. Restart echo. It’s always worth trying restarting your Alexa-enabled device. See if this solves your streaming issues.
5. Restart your modem and router. A simple reboot can fix any glitches your modem and router are experiencing. Reboot your modem and router and see if that will resume music streaming.
6. Connect to the 5GHz channel of your router. This can help minimize disruptions to 2.4GHz Wi-Fi. After switching channels, try to start streaming music again.

How to Fix Alexa Not Connecting to Wi-Fi

If your device has a screen, check the indicator on the device. If it is orange, the Wi-Fi connection is not working properly. Here are a few ways to troubleshoot your Alexa Wi-Fi connection:

1. Check your internet connection. If Alexa can’t connect to Wi-Fi, your internet might be down. See if your internet is working. If this is not the case, take steps to restore your Internet connection.
2. Restart your modem and router. See if rebooting your modem and router resolves Alexa’s Wi-Fi connectivity issues.
3. Reboot your Echo device. A simple reboot can fix Alexa and Echo Wi-Fi connection issues.
4. Make sure your Wi-Fi password is correct. If you’re connecting to Alexa with the wrong Wi-Fi password, this could be causing the problem. Check the Wi-Fi password on another device and change it if necessary and try connecting Alexa again.
5. Make sure your Alexa-enabled device is within Wi-Fi range. Your Alexa-enabled device may not be in Wi-Fi range. Move it closer to the router and away from walls, metal objects, or other possible sources of interference.
6. Reduce Wi-Fi congestion. Turn off any Wi-Fi connected devices that you are not using and see if that resolves your Wi-Fi connection issues.
7. Reset Echo to factory settings. When all else fails and your Alexa app still won’t connect to Wi-Fi, reset your Echo to its original settings and see if it connects again.

How to Fix Alexa Calls Not Working

Amazon Echo devices can replace your home phone. If the Alexa call isn’t working, try a few troubleshooting steps.

1. Please make sure your contact information is correct. Alexa can only make calls if you’ve set up your contacts correctly. Make sure you’re calling a predefined contact who can receive calls through their Alexa device.
2. Check your Echo’s Internet connection. Alexa cannot make calls if the Echo is not properly connected to the Internet. If necessary, restore your Internet connection and try calling again.
3. Restart the Alexa app on your phone. The problem could be a simple software glitch. Restart the Alexa app through the settings menu and then relaunch the app. See if this solves your calling issues.
4. Update the Alexa app on your iPhone or Android. If restarting and restarting the app didn’t help, you may need to update the app. Go to the iTunes App Store or Google Play and see if an updated version is available. After updating the app, see if that fixes the calling issues.
5. Check what Alexa heard. If you’re not speaking clearly, it’s possible that Alexa doesn’t understand the name of the contact you’re trying to call. Check your Alexa voice history. Perhaps she heard “Call Chin” instead of “Call Gretchen.”

How to fix Alexa not finding device

You may be trying to add a new smart home device, but Alexa can’t detect it. Here’s what to do:

1. Make sure your smart home device is Alexa compatible. Alexa can only discover Alexa-enabled smart devices.
2. Finish setting up the device online. Go to the Amazon Alexa page and try to complete the setup there. See if Alexa can recognize your smart home device.
3. Restart the Alexa app on your phone. Restart the Alexa app through the settings menu and then relaunch the app. See if Alexa can now detect your smart home device.
4. Reboot your Echo device. After restarting the Alexa app, restart the Echo and see if Alexa can detect it.
5. Make sure your smartphone and Echo are on the same Wi-Fi network. If your smartphone and the Alexa app are on different Wi-Fi networks, your Alexa will not be able to detect echo or another Alexa-enabled device.
6. Update your router settings. After updating your router settings, try asking Alexa to discover your smart home device again by saying “Discover my devices”

How to fix problems with Alexa Bluetooth

If Alex is having problems connecting to Bluetooth, you should do the following:

1. Make sure Alexa and the Bluetooth device are properly connected. If your Echo is unable to connect to Bluetooth or the Bluetooth connection drops, double check that you have set up the connection correctly.
2. Update the software version on your Echo. While your Echo should receive updates automatically, outdated software may be causing problems with Bluetooth connectivity. Check the software version of your Echo and update if necessary.
3. Make sure your Bluetooth device is using a supported Bluetooth profile. Alexa currently supports the Advanced Audio Distribution Profile (A2DP SNK) and the Audio/Video Remote Control Profile.
4. Disconnect and reconnect the Alexa device to the Bluetooth device. Sometimes deleting a paired Bluetooth device from Alexa and then re-pairing it solves the problem.

How to fix Alexa not working with a specific skill

Alexa skills are like voice apps in a digital assistant. If you find that any skill like Spotify or Pandora isn’t working, here’s what to do:

1. Check your device’s Wi-Fi connection. Alexa will not be able to apply the skill if Wi-Fi is disabled or not properly connected.
2. Make sure the skill is enabled. If you or another user accidentally disables a skill, it won’t work. If necessary, re-enable the skill and see if that solves the problem.
3. Disable and re-enable the skill. This simple troubleshooting step sometimes brings the skill back into action.
4. Make sure you name the skill by the correct name. When starting a skill, you need to provide the correct name. For example, you can’t start a Jeopardy skill by calling it “that word game”. Find the exact name of the skill and try again.

No matter what the problem is, when all else fails, as a last resort, try resetting your Amazon Echo device to its original settings. If you reset your device, you will need to register it with your Amazon account and enter your device settings again in order to use it.