Your Amazon Echo speaker is trying to talk to you, and it’s not just Alexa. Having an Echo device can be great for playing music or asking the Assistant to perform various tasks (sometimes performing them better than a Google Home), but be aware that the LED lights on these devices can be more than just for show. If you see lights on your smart speaker and you’re not sure what they mean, we can help.
Amazon Echo devices have nine LED light colors to communicate messages to users, but these only apply to the original Alexa and Alexa+. These light messages may include how and when you communicate with the device, how it works, and other important notifications. Where you’ll see this light depends on the type of Echo you have, although most often the light will be located at the top or bottom of the device.
Just like knowing some essential voice assistant commands, knowing what the Echo’s LED lights mean can be fundamental to proper use. Remember that Do Not Disturb is available to silence certain lights. Open the Alexa app on your phone, tap Settings, then choose Device Settings. Select your Echo, choose Do Not Disturb, and turn it on. You may still see warning lights, such as a poor internet connection indicator. Turning off notifications is also an option. Open the Alexa app, select More and tap Settings. Tap Notifications, then choose which services to turn off. Now let’s turn on the lights.
What each echo LED light means
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Moving on from colors, let’s start with communication. A teal light means Alexa is ready to receive your commands without needing a wake word, while a blue ring with a cyan glow for a moment means Alexa is processing your request (although a flickering blue light also indicates the device is undergoing a software update). If you see a solid red light, the device’s microphone is not connected. Turn the microphone back on by pressing the microphone button. For Echos with cameras, a red light means the video is not being shared.
If you see a rotating teal and blue light, the Echo is starting (or restarting after an update). This light turns orange to indicate that it is ready to be configured if it is not already done. An orange light also indicates that your device is in setup mode or trying to connect to the Internet. For device notifications, a slow yellow explosion means Alexa has a notification or reminder for you. Don’t forget that you can ask Alexa to check your notifications.
Additionally, a flashing green light means a phone call is incoming and if the green light is spinning, the device is actively in a call or in Drop In mode. When using Do Not Disturb, you will briefly see a purple light when making requests to the device, but purple can also indicate Wi-Fi issues during initial setup. Finally, a white light indicates the volume level of the device during adjustments. Of course, don’t forget that an Alexa device also has an emergency assistance feature that comes in handy.
