Read the article till the end to know the reason why Echo Dot is not responding and different ways to make it talk back.
Why is Echo Dot Not Responding?
Minor bugs or glitches in Echo Dot Device is muted Low volume of Echo No power access No internet connectivity Issues with the wake word Brief mode is enabled You are speaking not loudly Whisper mode is turned on Recently installed skills Enabled follow-up mode
How to Fix Echo Dot Not Responding?
Restart Echo Dot
Unmute the Device
Another thing you need to do is ensure that the microphone is turned on and not muted. If it’s muted, it can’t hear you and will not respond. If the microphone is disabled, you will see a solid red light instead of a blue light. To enable the microphone, just press the button. Also, if the device is too far from you, it might not hear you and not respond.
Increase Alexa Echo Volume
It might sound weird to you, but if the volume of the Echo Dot is low, it might be the reason why you can’t hear Alexa. To increase the volume, use the physical button on the Echo Dot. You can also increase the volume in the Alexa app. To do so, open the Alexa app and tap on the Devices tab. Next, select your device and tap on Volume, then increase the volume.
Check if the Echo Dot has Power Access
Another thing you need to do if the device is not responding is to check if the Echo Dot is connected to the power supply or not. Some Reddit users have reported that their device is not responding when asked something because the power socket is not plugged properly. If this is the case, plug the cable carefully into the power socket and do the same for the USB on the Echo Dot.
Check Your Internet Connection
Check Wake Word for Alexa
Step 1: Open the Alexa app and tap on the Devices tab from the bottom. Step 2: Choose your device and tap the gear icon. Step 3: Select Wake Word and choose a wake word from the list.
Speak Loudly
If you are not speaking loud enough, it might be the reason why Echo Dot is not responding. You can review your Alexa voice history to check if the device is hearing what you have recently said or not. Step 1: Open the Alexa app. Step 2: From the bottom menu, tap on the More tab. Step 3: Select Settings > Alexa Privacy > Review Voice History. Step 4: Navigate through your voice commands and Alexa’s replies and see if they match up.
Turn Off Brief Mode
Alexa has a Brief Mode feature, which, once enabled, reduces verbal confirmations to a simple tone. If you have enabled the feature, it could be the reason for the issue. Step 1: To disable it, open the Alexa app. Step 2: Tap on the More tab at the bottom and select Settings. Step 3: Under Alexa Preferences, tap Voice Responses. Step 4: Finally, turn off the toggle for Brief Mode.
Turn Off Whisper Mode
You should also try disabling the Whisper mode, as that might be the reason for the issue. Here’s how you can turn it off in the Alexa app. Step 1: Navigate to Settings on the Alexa app. Step 2: Tap on Voice Responses. Step 3: Finally, disable the toggle for Whisper Mode.
Turn Off Follow-Up Mode
If disabling Whisper Mode does not help you fix the issue, you should try disabling Follow-Up Mode. To disable the feature, follow the below steps: Step 1: Tap the Devices tab on the Alexa app. Step 2: Select your device and tap on the gear icon. Step 3: Click on Follow-Up Mode and disable the toggle.
Disable Recently Installed Skill
If you have recently installed a new skill in Alexa, it might be the reason why Echo Dot is not responding. Try disabling the recently added skills and checking if the device responds or not. Here’s how you can disable the skill. Step 1: Open the Alexa app. Step 2: Click on the More tab from the bottom. Step 3: On the next screen, tap Skills & Games. Step 4: Scroll down to the last and tap on Your Skills. Step 5: Check for recent skills, and tap on the one you want to disable. Step 6: On the next screen, click on Disable Skill.
Factory Reset Echo Dot
If you are still facing the same issue even after trying the above fixes, you should try factory resetting the Echo device. Check out our dedicated article on how to reset Echo devices to perform the factory reset. Wrapping Up That brings us to the end of the article. I hope this guide helped you fix the Echo Dot not responding problem. If you have questions related to the article, let us know in the comments below. You might be interested in:
