If your Echo Dot Max is showing this problem, working through the checks below in order will resolve it in the large majority of cases. Each step is safe to carry out yourself and is verified against Amazon’s official support guidance.

What This Problem Means

When an Echo device is not responding to the wake word, Alexa is either not hearing you, the microphone is muted, or the device has lost its connection to the Alexa service.

Common Symptoms

• No response when saying the wake word
• No blue light ring flash when speaking
• Device appears powered on but Alexa does not react
• Orange light ring instead of blue when speaking
• Device was working previously but has suddenly stopped responding

Safe Checks You Can Try

1. Check the microphone mute button

Press the microphone button on top of the device. If the light ring is red, the microphone has been muted and Alexa cannot hear you. Press the microphone button once to unmute — the light should turn blue.

2. Restart the device

Unplug the power adapter from the wall, wait 30 seconds, then plug it back in. Wait 60 seconds for the device to restart fully. This resolves most temporary software glitches.

3. Check Wi-Fi connection

An orange light ring indicates the device is not connected to Wi-Fi. Open the Alexa app, go to Devices and select your Echo. If it shows as offline, go to Settings → Wi-Fi and reconnect to your network.

4. Check the wake word

Open the Alexa app, go to Devices, select your Echo and go to Settings. Confirm the wake word is set to what you expect (“Alexa”, “Echo”, “Computer” or “Amazon”). Try calling it by each option.

5. Reduce background noise

Alexa can struggle to hear the wake word in noisy environments. Try speaking more clearly and directly towards the device, or reduce background noise from TVs or music.

When To Contact Support

If the issue persists after working through all the checks above, contact Amazon customer support for further assistance with your Echo Dot Max.