Amazon’s Alexa needs no Introduction, however, its users are going through a dilemma because of it. Is Alexa not responding? Is it lightning up but not working? If all these scenarios are applicable, you need not worry, we are going to see what is going wrong and what to do when Alexa is not responding to commands.
Why is my Alexa lighting up but not saying anything?
Alexa lighting up but not responding opens up a whole lot of simple explanation doors. Some of them are Alexa not understanding you, Internet problems, and normal usual glitches. It can also happen when you mispronounce the wake-up word or if there is noise in the background. In the below section, we are going to see solutions for these reasons.
Fix Alexa not responding to commands but lighting up
If Alexa is not responding to the commands yet doing all other necessary processes such as lightning up, then execute the solutions mentioned below:
- Correctly call out Alexa
- Check the Microphone button
- Restart/ Reset the device on which you are using Alexa
- Check the network connection
- Set different work words for Alexa
- System Update Alexa
Let’s know more about these solutions.
1] Correctly call out Alexa
Let’s start with some of the most common reasons such as not summoning Alexa correctly, loud noises while doing so, or Alexa not understanding your words correctly. These three are plausible easygoing reasons that we don’t usually pay attention to, and then get worried.
To make sure this is the cause, open the Alexa app on the phone, click on the More option, and then select the Activity tab. Click on Voice History, and check all the recent ones to see if the Audio could not be understood. Now, to resolve this, start with eliminating sounds near the Alex device, and then try to call Alexa by saying the right exact word, slowly, so Alexa can understand you and then check the status light. If it lights up, good, and if not, see the next solution.
2] Alexa couldn’t detect the request
There’s a great possibility of two devices with Alexa within the same constraints. So due to competition between the two, yours may not be able to detect the request. In such scenarios, follow the same procedure to reach Voice history, and check whether it is showing Audio was not intended for this device or not.
You can also check the flashing lights as the Alexa speaker lighting up is also one of the indicators. Amazon Echo users should also check the microphone button and make sure that the light is not red, as it indicated power off. If it is red, press the button and switch on the device. Now, try to summon Alexa, and fingers cross that Alexa’s, “Sure, here’s what I found” will boom through the Speakers.
3] Restart/Reset the device on which you are using Alexa
Devices in general are prone to minor glitches, and Alexa-enabled devices are not any different. However, these glitches are easily cleared out by simply rebooting the device. All you have to do is unplug the device from its power socket for 30 seconds to 1 minute and then plug it back. You should also remove the battery and then re-insert it after some time.
Resetting the device can also be helpful, so do the procedures mentioned below to do the same:
- Launch the Amazon Alexa app, and then click on the Devices option.
- Click on All Devices, and then select your device from the list.
- Go downward in the menu, and then select the Factory reset option.
- Follow all the on-screen prompts and the device should be reset.
Alexa should be responding well enough, however, sometimes, normal glitches and resetting are not the reason, and if this is the case, see the next solution.
4] Check the Internet connection
Again, lack of or slow Internet connection can also be one of the factors affecting Alexa’s productivity. Therefore, using an Alexa device with a high-speed Internet connection is a must. Make sure that the Internet connection is top-notch, and if nothing seems to be wrong yet you have a slow Internet connection, troubleshoot the network.
Read: Surfing Attacks let you hijack Voice Assistants like Alexa
5] Set different work words for Alexa
There’s a huge possibility of some changing the wake words for your Alexa device, and this is why you are not able to wake Alexa up. It’s really easy to change the work words, and here’s how you can do it:
For iOS and Android users in the Amazon Alexa app:
- Open the Amazon app, and click on the Devices option from the bottom bar.
- Click on All Devices, select your device, and the General section will open up.
- Select the Wake word option, pick the word from the available list, and then exit the app.
Via the Website:
- Open the Amazon Alexa site, log in to your Amazon account, and then select the Settings option.
- Now, click on the Devices section, available in the right pane, and then select your device.
- Go to the General section, select the Wake word option, choose the Wake word from the Alexa Device to Wake word drop-down menu, and then tap the Save button.
Alexa would hopefully be doing fine, if it isn’t, let’s see the next solution.
Read: Things you can do with Alexa on Windows PC
6] System update Alexa
A lot of time, Alexa and many other same devices just need you to perform a system update. Yes, speakers as well as displays do tend to update themselves, but sometimes, due to many possible reasons, they couldn’t. In such circumstances, manually updating them is the right path. Therefore, simply wake Alexa, and ask her to check for a software update, and if found any, ask her to complete the process.
Hopefully, you are able to resolve the issue using the solutions mentioned in this post.
Read: How to enable Skype Calling with Amazon Alexa app?
Why won t Alexa respond to my commands?
Alex won’t respond to your command if it can’t hear, you need to make sure that you are pronouncing the word correctly, also, there should not be a lot of background noise. If you are not able to pronounce a word correctly, do change the Wake up word, or if it’s the sentence that you fail to vocalize, paraphrase it.
Also Read: How to use Alexa on Windows PC.
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