How to Repair Basic Sound Issues with Your Amazon Alexa Intelligent Personal Assistant

Authored by: Support.com Tech Pro Team

1. Introduction: Amazon Alexa: Repairing Basic Sound Issues

While Alexa can help you with a variety of tasks, sometimes she can have errors playing audio.

This guide will help you diagnose and repair several common sound issues.

2. Amazon Alexa: Restart Device

To restart your device, unplug the power adapter from the back of the device or from the wall outlet. Then, plug the power adapter back in.

Illustration of an Amazon Echo showing how to plug in

3. Amazon Alexa: Sound is Muted

If your Amazon device is on and connected but still not playing audio, check to see if it muted.

On some devices you will need to turn the volume ring shown here.

Amazon device with green arrows pointing to the volume ring dial

On others you will have a volume button.

Amazon device with a green arrow pointing to the volume up button

4. Amazon Alexa: Testing Other Devices

If your Amazon smart device is still not playing audio despite having double checked mute and ensured that it is on and connected, please test other devices.

Using your Smartphone, laptop, or tablet, go ahead and try to play the item that will not play on the Alexa enabled device.

5. What's next?

6. What's next?

7. Amazon Alexa: Testing Other Devices

If your Amazon smart device is still not playing audio despite having double checked mute and ensured that it is on and connected, please test other devices.

Using your Smartphone, laptop, or tablet, go ahead and try to play the item that will not play on the Alexa enabled device.

8. What's next?

9. What's next?

10. Amazon Alexa: Mic is Muted

If your Amazon device cannot hear you, chances are you're muted.

To check if you're muted, just look at the top of the device. The microphone button and light ring will be red if you are muted. Simply tap the microphone button to enable voice contro.

Amazon Alexa device with microphone button selected.

11. Amazon Alexa: Doesn't Understand

Keep in mind:For Alexa to work, you need an active Wi-Fi connection. An active Wi-Fi connection means that Alexa can stream music and other media from the Cloud, and answer your questions or process your requests.

Place your Alexa device in an ideal location

Make sure your Alexa device is at least eight inches away from walls or other objects that may cause interference (like microwave ovens or baby monitors).
If your Alexa device is on the floor, move it to a higher location.

Be clear

Make sure there is no background noise when you speak to Alexa.
Speak naturally and clearly to Alexa.

Be specific

Repeat your question or request.
Rephrase your question or make it less general. For example, there are many cities around the world called "Paris." If you want to know the weather in Paris, France, say, "What's the weather like in Paris, France?"
Check the Alexa app to see what Alexa heard. On the Home screen, select Learn more at the bottom of the interaction card. You can read what Alexa heard, listen to your request, or provide feedback.