Amazon Echo Dot 5th Generation Troubleshooting

Echo Dot is very slow or unresponsive.

Perform a hard reset of your device, router, and modem in that order. Wait 10-15 seconds and then repower each in the reverse order.

Obstructions can break up the signal strength as well as other wave-emitting devices. Ensure that none of these are too close to your Echo Dot and for best performance, have it as close to your router as possible.

Echo Dot is having trouble connecting to other devices, whether it be other audio/visual devices or drop-in calls.

Navigate to the device settings and attempt a software update. If the software is already fully up to date, continue troubleshooting.

Attempt to remove the device from known devices, and try adding it again. This should refresh the connection. If the device does not show up in known devices, attempt to add it.

Verify that the device you are trying to pair with has enabled drop-in calls and approved you as a drop-in contact through settings. If it still has issues connecting, attempt to reset both devices by fully powering them off, and turning them back on again after a minute has passed.

Echo Dot responds to commands given by the user with “I’m sorry, I didn’t quite get that.”

When Alexa says “I’m sorry, I didn’t quite get that,” ask Alexa what she heard. The device will repeat what it thought it heard from the user word for word. Repeat the command with a bit more clarity, using what the device thought you said as a guideline to know which words need to be enunciated more.

Open the Alexa app, then tap the menu icon at the top left-hand corner of the screen. Navigate to the settings by scrolling down and selecting the “Your Profile” section. Next to the section labeled “Voice”, tap “Manage”, and the app will have you complete an exercise where you repeat 25 phrases in your normal speaking voice so that Alexa has a better understanding of how you talk.

In order to not get the device confused with another Echo Dot in your household or the voice of someone else who lives in your household, say “Learn my voice” to Alexa. Follow the speaking exercise to set up a unique voice ID and the device will be able to switch between your voice ID and another user’s when needed. If the device is close to a noisy device or part of a room, move it to a quieter location so that it can pick up on your commands.

When a similar sound to “Alexa” is heard by the device, it will activate and wait for a command.

In the Alexa app under “Devices”, select the correct model and tap the category “Wake Word”. Here, you can select the word to replace “Alexa” with something less common.

When watching media or when company is over, you can mute your Echo Dot by pressing the “Mute” button at the top of your device. However, this may interfere with those who use their Echo Dot to play media.

Your Echo Dot may be in a place where it picks up noises other than your voice, such as TV or other speakers. You can try moving the device to another location to see if it helps.

Attempting to stream music from the Echo Dot results in either no music at all or constant pausing.

If the Echo Dot is not connected to Wi-Fi or has a bad signal, it may experience issues. Check to make sure the device is both connected and has a stable connection. Moving the Echo Dot closer to your router or modem may help with stability issues.

This may be a result of a bad Wi-Fi connection, but it’s important to remember that the streaming services are sometimes down for maintenance. If all else fails, close the streaming application, turn off the device, and wait 5 to 10 minutes to turn it back on.