We’ll highlight some common issues with Amazon Assistant and how you can fix them.
It’s frustrating when a device entirely based on your voice commands, like any Amazon Echo, stops working. There can be a number of reasons for these problems.
But we’re here to help. Here are some common problems with Amazon Alexa and how you can fix them.
Finding smart devices with Alexa doesn’t work
When Alexa is struggling to find your smart home device, your first job is to make sure your device is actually compatible with Alexa .
If you are sure this is the case, the next step is to check your Alexa app ( iOS , Android ) on your smartphone to see if you can connect the device to it.
After any failure, restart your Echo device by unplugging it and then plugging it back in. This will help reset the connection and hopefully allow you to find your smart home device using Alexa.
Your last resort for this issue, and most of the other issues on this list, is to reset your device to factory settings. Make sure all other possibilities are tested before performing a reset as your personalized settings will be erased.
Alexa is not playing music correctly
If you’re having streaming issues with your Alexa, it’s probably related to a poor Wi-Fi connection or low bandwidth.
Try loading a site on your phone and see if your load times are slow. If the site is taking too long, reset your Internet router to resolve the issue.
If you are downloading a movie or playing a game that uses too much online data, your problem may be with bandwidth. Pause your other online activities until you are done streaming music through Alexa.
Spotify will often have problems streaming through Alexa. Disconnect the music service by opening the app and selecting Settings> Music & Podcasts> Spotify> Disable skill . Then try to reconnect it.
Alexa Wi-Fi has stopped working
Similar to streaming music with Alexa, you want to check your connection when you have issues with Alexa and your Wi-Fi.
Usually, your device will start showing an orange light ring when the Wi-Fi is not working properly. Alexa will also not be able to hear your commands and respond appropriately.
Use a different device to test the Internet to determine if your router is causing the problem. It’s either that or Alexa is malfunctioning.
You can restart your router or Alexa device to see if that makes it easier to connect. Your Alexa device may also be out of range of a Wi-Fi signal.
Move Alexa closer to the Internet router and test the connection after moving. Also move any other electronic device that may interfere with the signal to another room. It is possible that these will distort your connection.
Alexa is not responding to my voice
Don’t take it personally, Alexa may just not be used to your voice yet. Or, there is too much background interference to understand what you said.
If the dishwasher is on or someone is vacuuming, try Alexa later when it’s quieter. Another solution is to run a voice test with Alexa to get them more familiar with your voice.
To do this, open the Alexa app and select Settings> Your Profile. Then select Manage next to Voice . Finally, you will choose Match Voice Profiles .
This will launch the voice training function. Alexa will prompt you to say 25 different phrases at a normal distance from the device.
After completing the prompts, Alexa will be able to better understand your pronunciation and cadence to personalize your experience.
Alexa is accidentally triggered
If Alexa thinks she’s hearing her own name, she’ll accidentally turn on and interrupt whatever you’re doing.
The main reason this is happening is because you, your friends, or the TV said a phrase that sounds like “Alexa”. To resolve this issue, replace the wake-up phrase with a less common word like Echo.
Alexa will also respond if you ask why she took a specific action. You can even learn to correct your pronunciation to avoid the problem in the future.
Playing music on the wrong speaker
With Alexa’s multi-room audio feature, you can listen to music from any Echo device in your home by giving the correct command.
The problem is, Alexa turns on the wrong speaker and you can hear your music playing from another room in the house.
To resolve this issue, use the Alexa app to group your devices. This allows Alexa to make smarter decisions, like playing the living room speaker when you’re actually inside the room.
Naming your speakers appropriately also makes it easier to read the right speaker. If your speaker lives in a specific room, give it the name of that room. You can say “Alexa, play my music in the bedroom” to listen to the correct speaker.
Alexa cannot perform a skill
With thousands of skills available for Amazon Alexa, it’s no surprise that you struggle to play one or two.
When that happens, go to your Alexa app and take a look at the skills you’ve done. Open the app and select the More button , then Skills & Games . On this page, select Your skills . Choose which skill you’re having trouble with, then turn it off. Then reactivate it.
This simple turn on and off solution can work very well in most cases. You can also try this with the real Echo device if you are still having issues.
You should also make sure that you are calling the skill by the correct name. If Alexa can’t recognize the skill you’re trying to perform, she won’t respond successfully.
Alexa voice call is not working
If your voice calls through Alexa aren’t working, check your contact details to see if you have the correct information. Alexa can’t make the call if the information is incorrect
You also might not say the name clearly enough for Alexa to hear you. Ask Alexa what she heard and you’ll have a better idea if that’s the problem.
If you previously connected your phone number to Alexa to make outgoing calls, you may have noticed that all of your calls are also being received by Alexa.
Unfortunately, there is no good solution to this problem as you will have to turn off the feature to stop receiving calls through Alexa.
