Amazon Echo users will recognize the various colored lights displayed on your device. Each light signifies something different, from security alerts to incoming calls.
Sometimes, these lights won’t go away on their own. But there are a few steps you can take to troubleshoot the issue and get your Echo back up and running.
Red Light
The red light on an Echo Dot is usually indicative of something amiss. This usually indicates that it cannot detect your voice commands and won’t respond until you turn it back on again.
Fortunately, there are a few simple solutions to resolve this issue and get your Echo Dot working again. The initial step is identifying what caused the red light.
Sometimes the light on Alexa’s device may be due to an issue with its microphone or audio recording feature, which can usually be resolved by pressing the mute button. If that doesn’t solve it, there may be an error with your internet connection or Echo device itself. In such cases, plugging in and waiting for 20 seconds usually fixes things; if that doesn’t solve things, try unplugging then plugging back in again.
Another potential cause of your red light could be that the device hasn’t been updated. This could occur if there are software bugs in the Echo’s software that have not been addressed by previous updates.
To check if your Echo has received updates, open the Alexa app on your phone or tablet. It’s identified by a light blue speech bubble with a white outline that can be found on one of your home screens, in your app drawer, or by searching.
If the app shows that it’s up-to-date, that’s a good indication and should enable you to turn off your red light without disrupting Alexa. However, if the light remains on despite these attempts at reseting the device by holding both mute and volume down buttons together for 20 seconds.
Other times, your Echo may experience physical issues. Dropping or knocking the device can interfere with its microphone’s ability to pick up voices, leading it to stop working intermittently or permanently.
If your Echo is still having issues, try moving it to an area where its microphone can be better received. It could also be that your device’s location is too close to other electronic devices which could interfere with the signal from the Echo.
Purple Light
The purple light on your Echo Dot is a visual cue to enter Do Not Disturb mode, blocking all notifications from Amazon (phone calls, messages and drop-ins). This feature comes in handy during working hours when you need to focus on something important without Alexa interrupting you.
It also works great when you’re away and want to ignore notifications from your Amazon account. You can turn this feature on or off via the app, or by saying “Alexa, turn on Do Not Disturb” when in the room.
However, if the purple light on your Echo Dot doesn’t go off after turning off Do Not Disturb mode, it could be due to an issue with your Wi-Fi connection. This could be caused by an issue with either your router or password. In such cases, manually reconnecting to the Wi-Fi network is required.
Another possible explanation for the purple light is if your device has failed to connect to a WiFi network during setup mode. This usually indicates an error with the password for that network. To remedy the situation, you’ll need to fix the connection so your Echo Dot can once again access the internet.
There are a few ways to fix this problem, but the most efficient one is restarting your Echo Dot. This will clear all settings and should eliminate the purple light.
You can also manually disconnect from your Wi-Fi network using the Alexa app on either phone or tablet.
Some people even opt to turn off the microphone on their Echo devices. Doing so prevents Alexa from listening in on conversations and uploading them to Alexa’s servers, making it a great option for those who don’t want neighbors hearing what they say or having kids around who don’t want Alexa eavesdropping on them.
In most cases, it’s best to unmute your Alexa in order to clear away the red light ring that appears when your speaker is muted. If the light is still glowing red, press the microphone button again; this should clear its microphone and enable you to speak normally again with your device.
Green Light
A green light on your Echo hardware (on an Alexa speaker or smart display) indicates a call or Drop In session is underway. This could be from your actual phone line, someone else’s initiated through the Amazon Echo device or Alexa app.
Your Echo’s green light can flash and pulse depending on whether you are receiving calls or dropping in. When receiving calls, the light will remain illuminated until you answer or hang up; if you cancel the call or ignore it completely, the green light will stop flashing and turn off.
Conversely, if you enable Drop In, the light will begin to spin when someone joins your call or video chat session. This feature enables approved contacts to “drop in” at any time for a call or video chat session.
If you don’t want to receive any incoming calls or Drop Ins on your Echo, you can disable this feature by going into Communication settings in Alexa app and turning off Announcements and Drop in. Doing so will stop household members and contacts from connecting with your device, meaning no more spinning green light!
To do this, open the Alexa app and select devices then ‘Echo & Alexa.’ Locate your Echo device that displays a spinning green ring, hit ‘Communications,’ then ‘Drop In’ to toggle it off.
Another solution is to disconnect Alexa from your smartphone, which will turn off any incoming calls from the Echo device. This may prevent the light from flashing and could be a suitable solution for those experiencing issues with their green light.
You can try Do Not Disturb mode to turn off all incoming notifications and your Echo will no longer show a green light. To do this, open the Alexa app on your phone, go to ‘Devices’ then ‘Echo & Alexa’, select the Echo device with a green light, and click ‘Do Not Disturb.’ You have the option to pick an exact time for activation or set it to turn on automatically.
Blue Light
When your Echo dot displays a blue light, it could be indicative of an issue with either its hardware or Alexa software. This can happen if there’s music playing in the background, someone talking to it, or it needs an update.
Alexa may also be waiting for your response to a command. Usually, it will turn off once you finish speaking to it.
One of the most common issues that can cause a blue light on an Echo Dot is an inability to connect to Wi-Fi. This usually happens due to incorrect setup or outdated software. If you’re encountering this issue, simply restarting your device will resolve it.
Another possible explanation for why your Echo Dot may appear blue is because it is set to Do Not Disturb mode (DND). This means the device won’t respond to commands sent from your smartphone and only gives notifications when a voice command is received. To rectify this, open the Alexa app, go to devices, select your Echo device, then turn DND off.
If you’re on a call and see your Echo’s green light pulse, that means it is listening intently to the person on the other end. To stop ringing and permanently turn off this glowing green indicator, say “Alexa, answer” or hang up.
Make sure to answer the phone before it rings. Otherwise, it may continue pinging until the call ends.
A flashing green light indicates that the microphone has been muted or turned off. You can unmute this by pressing the privacy button located at the top of your speaker.
Finally, an orange light may indicate your Echo is in Wi-Fi pairing mode during setup. This indicates the device is trying to reconnect with Wi-Fi during configuration. To resolve the issue, disconnect all other devices from your Wi-Fi network temporarily and see if that helps improve connectivity for the Echo.