Amazon’s Alexa smart speakers have been a popular choice in the market for quite some time now. However, as good and intuitive as these speakers and Alexa are, using them can sometimes be confusing.
In this article, we’re talking about why Alexa has a red ring around it, what it means, and how you can fix it to get your speaker working again.
What does Alexa’s red ring mean?
The red ring on Amazon smart speakers simply signifies that the speaker is muted and that Alexa won’t respond to anything, including the wake word, unless you manually unmute the speaker.
Other than this, the red ring can also mean WiFi or internet connectivity issues. The red ring indicates a problem with your camera if you have the Amazon Echo Show.
Also read: 7 things to do with your Amazon Echo speakers (Guide for beginners)
How to get rid of it?
Here are five solutions you can try to get rid of the ring and get your speaker working again.
Enable the mic
The simplest fix for this issue is to unmute the mic. A microphone denotes the mic button on Echo devices with a diagonal line. Pressing this button will unmute the mic and get your speaker back to normal.
Restart your Echo
If pressing the mic button didn’t help, there’s a chance that your speaker might just be hung or experiencing another issue. You can get rid of Alexa’s red ring by unplugging the speaker, leaving it for about 15-30 seconds and then replugging it. This will restart the speaker and resolve any problems in the process.
Check the WiFi
Another possible reason for the red ring is a connection issue with either your WiFi router or no internet connectivity at all. Check the Alexa app to ensure your speaker is connected to the WiFi. Checking the WiFi to ensure an active internet connection is also a good idea. You can restart your router if you suspect problems with your internet connection and try again.
Also read: What is LCD conditioning?
Update the Echo
Pending updates can sometimes limit the speaker’s functionality.
- Open the Alexa app and head over to Settings.
- Select your device, followed by About.
- Select the latest update available.
Let the speaker update, and the Alexa red ring error should be gone once it restarts.
Reset the speaker
You can factory reset your Echo to get it working if nothing else works.
- Open the Alexa app and tap Devices in the bottom bar.
- Tap Echo & Alexa.
- Tap your device and scroll down to select Factory Reset.
Give the device time to reset itself, and the Alexa red ring error should resolve itself.
Also read: Alexa won’t play music: 11 Fixes
