Amazon Alexa — How To Troubleshoot Its Common Issues

Smart speakers, as wonderful as they are, are like any other piece of technology in that they occasionally break or fail to function as expected.

Here’s how to fix some of Alexa’s most common issues. It’s worth noting that the majority of these instructions will work with any Alexa-enabled speaker, not just Echos.

Triggers at the wrong times

Alexa speakers are constantly listening for a wake word to accept your voice commands unless you mute them. The default word is “Alexa,” which Amazon chose partly because the X’s hard consonant sound is easily recognized by Echo speakers.

However, Alexa can be accidentally activated on occasion. There could be several reasons for this, including someone saying “Alexa” in a TV commercial or a YouTube video. It can also misinterpret words that sound similar, erring on the side of activation to avoid your speaker appearing unresponsive. If you have a family member or friend named Alexa, you’ll need to come up with a solution quickly.

If you don’t want to mute your speaker on a regular basis, changing the wake word is the best workaround. The Alexa app for Android, iPhone, and iPad allows you to do this.

• Open the Alexa app, and select the More tab.
• Tap Settings, then Device Settings.
• Pick the speaker/display you want to change the wake word for.
• Tap the gear icon in the upper-right.
• Scroll down and select Wake Word.

Aside from Alexa, you have four options: “Echo,” “Amazon,” “Ziggy,” or “Computer.” If you have a lot of accidental triggers, we recommend “Ziggy” since the other wake words can come up in everyday conversation.

Skills not working

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If a skill isn’t working, make sure you know how to activate it by visiting Amazon’s Skills directory. To make a skill work, you’ll need specific phrases, which will be listed on its page. In fact, some skills may require you to “open” them before you can use their commands.

You may need to disable and re-enable a skill if commands aren’t the problem. As long as you’re signed into the same Amazon account as Alexa, you can do this through Amazon’s Skills directory. You can also use the Alexa app to do so:

• Open the More tab.
• Tap Skills & Games.
• Find the skill you’re looking for under Your Skills.
• Tap Settings, then Disable Skill.
• Once the option appears, re-enable the skill.

If that doesn’t work right away, you can try unplugging an Alexa speaker, waiting a few moments, and then plugging it back in.

Couldn’t stay connected to Wi-Fi

You’ll have to wait for your internet service provider (ISP) to fix things if there’s an outage in your area.

On a basic level, make sure your Wi-Fi router and Alexa speaker are both out in the open, with as few walls and objects between them as possible. Close proximity can also help with reliability.

However, before you try out new hardware, we recommend power cycling (unplugging, waiting, then plugging back in) your speaker, router, and modem in that order. Check the status of Wi-Fi between each step, and stop if a speaker’s internet connection becomes stable. Going through the process methodically will help you narrow down the causes.

Drops may indicate that your Wi-Fi router is simply overburdened with connections. If devices are dropping off your network on a regular basis, try disconnecting anything you’re not using and/or upgrading to a better router.

Can’t understand you consistently

Set up a Voice ID first, which not only adapts Alexa to your accent and mannerisms, but also personalizes things like calendars and reminders if you’re using it with multiple profiles. You can create a Voice ID by saying “Alexa, get to know me” to a speaker or by using the Alexa app:

• Select the More tab, then Settings.
• Tap Your Profile and Family.
• Tap Your Profile (your name).
• Select Add Your Voice.

You should also place speakers as close to the center as possible. Keep them away from TVs and make sure they’re in an unobstructed location near where you’ll be using them. Although a hallway bookshelf might be a convenient location for an Echo, it will have trouble hearing you if you’re speaking to Alexa from another room.

Echo alarms, timers, and notifications are blaring

This Alexa issue is unique to the Echo; other Alexa speakers may operate differently, but alarms, timers, and other alerts are frequently louder than the speaker’s overall volume. It’s not necessarily a problem since some alerts are very important that you need to hear them even if you’re sleeping or in another room.

If you do need to reduce Echo sounds, the Alexa app has a solution:

• Select the Devices tab, then Echo & Alexa.
• Choose the Echo you want to fix.
• Tap the gear icon in the upper-right.
• Tap Sounds.
• Adjust the slider under Alarms, Timers, and Notifications.
• You can have alarms gradually increase in volume until they are canceled, or you can choose less obnoxious Alarm and Notification tones.

Other issues with Alexa

A factory reset of your Alexa speaker is a common last-ditch solution. You’ll have to repeat the setup process and possibly update your routines, but there’s nothing to lose if your device wasn’t working in the first place.

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