Alexa is one of the most used home assistant devices around you. It is a virtual assistant technology owned by amazon. It makes life easy for you by controlling other devices that are connected to it. It also helps you view shopping lists, check active timers, and more.
However, there have been complaints from different people about their devices being unresponsive when they try to call or activate them. Now, if the device is unresponsive, there are a lot of important schedules or reminders you might miss. We wouldn’t want this happening to you.
Why is Alexa Server Unresponsive?
There are many reasons why Alexa isn’t responsive to your command or voice activation. Here is a list of the most popular reasons.
1. Bad Internet Connection
This is one of the major reasons why Alexa might be unresponsive to your commands. If your internet connection is bad, there is a good chance Alexa might not work until you have a stable internet connection.
Devices like Alexa take a lot of internet bandwidth. That is, it requires a very good internet connection to function properly.
2. Amazon Servers Are Down
Many people do not know that this is another possible reason why Alexa might not respond to your requests. If your amazon servers are down, there is a good chance Alexa will be unresponsive when you attempt to give it a command.
You must know that when you give Alexa a command, your request is first sent to the amazon server. It is then processed, and an instruction is sent back to Alexa in your home. So, if amazon servers are down, Alexa will not be able to respond to your commands.
3. Unregistered Smart Devices
This is one thing that happens to many people who just got Alexa. If Alexa has not been properly set up in your home, there is practically no way it will be able to respond to your command. It might come on when you turn it on but become unresponsive when you give it commands.
You have to take your time to check if other smart devices, from your speakers to a host of other things, are connected to Alexa. If they are not, Alexa will be unresponsive when you give commands.
4. A Bad Cable Connection
If there is a bad cable connection during the setup of Alexa, there is a good chance Alexa will not work or might be unresponsive when you give it a command. More often than not, many people who complained about their Alexa not working often found out it was a result of a bad internet connection or cable connection.
Also, apart from a bad cable connection, Alexa will likely not work if there is any fault with your cable. If the devices connected to it have faulty cables hindering them from working well, Alexa will not respond to your commands.
For example, Alexa might be unable to play music because of a bad cable connection between the speaker and the socket. This will make the speaker run out of power, causing Alexa not to be able to respond to your command.
5. Mute Button/ Microphone Issues
This is another popular reason why Alexa might be unresponsive to your command. Many people often forget that they activated the mute button on their Alexa.
The device will not respond to any form of commands or requests as long as the mute button is on.
How to Fix Alexa Server Being Unresponsive
You can do different things to fix Alexa once you notice that it isn’t responsive to your command. Here is a list of those things below.
1. Change Your Router
Once you have confirmed that Alexa isn’t responding because of a bad internet connection, all you need to do is find out the primary cause and fix it. If the bad internet connection results from the echo device being too far from the router, bring it closer to improve the internet signal.
You should also check your router to know if your internet connection is working properly. Lastly, reduce the number of people connected to your wifi as congestion can also slow down your internet speed, resulting in Alexa being unresponsive.
2. Check the Cable Connection and Ensure Connected Devices Are Powered On
It would be best if you first did this once you noticed Alexa isn’t responding to your commands. You must take your time to check the cable connections of the devices connected to Alexa. Ensure the connections are properly done and change the cables if necessary.
Once you are done checking the connections, you must take your time to check if the connected devices are powered on. If they have no power, power them and give commands to Alexa relating to the devices.
3. Connect devices to Alexa
If you just got Alexa newly, the first thing you must do after setting up your Alexa is to connect the devices around you to the software. Connecting the devices is pretty easy. Go to your Alexa app and click on <add a device>. Once you have done this, you can choose the type of home device you intend to add.
Please select the brand and ensure they are successfully paired with Alexa. Once you do this, Alexa will respond to your command when you give instructions on the connected devices.
3. Delete/ Reinstall the App or Update the Firmware
A minor software glitch can make Alexa unresponsive to your commands. If it’s a software glitch, Alexa will not function properly. To fix a software glitch, delete and reinstall the app. By doing this, Alexa should respond to commands.
You do not always need to delete and reinstall the app to fix a software glitch. Sometimes, you need to update the app to improve Alexa. There is a good chance amazon would have fixed the problem if the software glitch was from them. Update the app and try restarting Alexa.
4. Restart Echo Device
A simple restart can go a long way when it comes to fixing the problem of Alexa being unresponsive. You can turn off the echo device and restart it. Doing a restart is pretty simple. Just find the power button on your echo device and press it down till the device is off.
Once you do this, disconnect the power cord from the echo device. Ensure it is turned off as you do this. Wait a couple of seconds. Then plug the power cord back into the device and turn it on. Your echo device will restart, and Alexa should begin to work perfectly.
5. Fixing Mute Button and Microphone Issues
You have to check if dust or dirt is covering the speaker. You should also know that too much noise in a room can stop Alexa from hearing or responding to your command.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why Won’t Alexa Connect to my Phone?
Your Bluetooth setting is why Alexa won’t connect to your phone. If your Bluetooth device is working perfectly or turned on, Alexa should be able to connect to your phone easily. Through Bluetooth on your phone, you will be able to send or give commands to Alexa.
Can I Connect my Samsung Phone to Alexa?
Yes. You can easily connect your Samsung phone to Alexa. You should know that all Samsung phones run on the android operating system and are just as compatible with Alexa as other apple or ios phones.
Connecting it is pretty straightforward. Download the app and sign into your amazon account. Once you do this, configure a wake word for the device. Now, open the Alexa app on your phone and click on <devices>. Tap <echo and alexa> at the top of your screen and click on <connect devices>.
And then, go to the Bluetooth settings of your Samsung and click on <add devices>. Click on the Alexa Bluetooth name and pair successfully. Once you do this, you can easily send commands to Alexa using your phone.
Video Guide
Conclusion
There are several reasons why your Alexa server is unresponsive whenever you give a command. Some of the possible causes have already been discussed in this article.
We have also given you possible solutions to the problem of your Alexa server being unresponsive to your command. Read through and get everything you need to fix this problem.
Source
https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=GBB4G8XTW79SW7L7