When things go wrong with devices, the first bit of advice you will receive is often to turn them off and on again. In other words, reset the device. If you have Amazon Echo, you may need to know how to reset Alexa on that device so that you can get your device back to working the way that it should.
You should not need to factory reset Alexa often, but in the case that you have to reset Alexa, it will really depend on what device you have. There are different reset processes for the Amazon Echo, Echo Show (with a screen) and the Echo Dot. You will need to scroll down to whichever device you have to learn how to reset Alexa for that device. Thankfully, it’s a short process to reset Alexa, no matter what device you have.
Click here for more Amazon Echo and Alexa guides
How to reset Alexa before a Factory Reset
Before you go ahead and factory reset Alexa, it is a good idea to just turn off the power to your device. You can do this by unplugging the power adaptor, waiting a moment, and then plugging it back in. Your Alexa device will often then have coloured lights, which can indicate what is wrong with your device. Yellow bursts of light can mean you have notifications, cyan spotlights rotating around dark blue rings showcase Alexa is listening.
A spinning, cyan light moving slowly on a blue light means that Alexa is collecting stats. This may then turn orange, indicating it is ready for the initial set-up, if you have not set it up already. A red light showcases the microphone on/off button is disconnected and Alexa cannot hear you. An orange light means that the device is set up, but is looking to connect to Wi-Fi. Purple light shows Wi-Fi issues and white light appears when you are adjusting the device’s volume, to show the volume level.
However, if your device is still not working, or you are in need of a factory reset, you’ll need to go through the following processes. Please note that you cannot go back once you have done a factory reset.
How to Reset Alexa using the Alexa app
The easiest way to reset any sort of Alexa device is by using the app.
- Step 1: Open your App and go to Devices.
- Step 2: Select the Echo & Alexa Icon at the top of the app.
- Step 3: Choose the device you want to reset.
- Step 4: Scroll down to the bottom of the page and select Factory Reset
- Step 5: Select the confirm button.
How to Reset Alexa on your Amazon Echo 1st Generation
- Step 1: Grab a small tool like a paper clip or pin.
- Step 2: Locate the Reset button on the bottom of the device.
- Step 3: Use your small tool to press and hold the Reset button until the light ring turns off and on again. Your device is now reset.
How to Reset Alexa on your Amazon Echo 2nd Generation
- Step 1: Locate the Microphone Off and Volume Down buttons on your device.
- Step 2: Hold down both buttons at the same time until the light ring turns orange – about 20 seconds. Your device is now reset.
How to reset your Amazon Echo 3rd or 4th Generation
- Step 1: Locate the Action button on your device.
- Step 2: Press and hold the action button for about 20 seconds, until the light ring pulses orange.
- Step 3: Let go and wait for the light ring to turn blue again. It will then reset to orange to indicate it is ready for set up and is reset.
How to reset your Amazon Echo Plus 1st Generation
- Step 1: Get a paperclip, pin or another small tool.
- Step 2: Locate the Reset button on the bottom of the device. Use your small tool to push the button once and release it.
- Step 3: Wait for the light ring to turn off and on again. This will indicate it is reset.
How to reset Alexa on your Amazon Echo Plus 2nd Generation
- Step 1: Locate the Action button on your device. Press and hold the button for 20 seconds.
- Step 2: Wait for the light ring to turn off.
- Step 3: The light ring will then turn on, in set up mode, indicating your device has been reset.
How to reset your Amazon Echo Sub add-on
- Step 1: Locate the action button just above the power cord on your device.
- Step 2: Press and hold the action button for about 25 seconds.
- Step 3: Your device should now be reset.
Though there are a lot of Alexa powered devices out there, they all have the same general concept when it comes to resetting. Often, you can reset Alexa just by using the small reset button at the bottom of your device. But if you are really struggling with the device itself, using the app is a really easy way to reset Alexa anyway!
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