Amazon explains the red light in its guide to the indicators on Echo devices with a screen and its microphone page. The button positions come from each model’s Amazon setup guide.

What This Problem Means

On an Echo device with a screen, Amazon says a red light means the microphone button has been pressed and “the device microphones and camera are off”. It is a privacy setting, not a fault. While it is on, Alexa doesn’t respond to voice commands, but the Show still responds to the Alexa app and the Alexa Voice Remote. Amazon says one press turns off both the camera and the microphones.

Common Symptoms

• A red light bar on the screen
• Alexa doesn’t react to the wake word
• Your video isn’t shared on calls or Drop In
• Visual ID has stopped recognising you

Safe Checks You Can Try

1. Press the button once

Where the button is depends on your model. Echo Show 8 (2025 release) and Echo Show 11: the Microphones & Camera Enable/Disable button is on the side, with the volume buttons (Amazon’s Echo Show 11 setup guide). Echo Show 5 (3rd Gen) and Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen): press the Microphone and Camera button. The slider on the back is the camera shutter, not the microphone (Amazon’s Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen) setup guide). Echo Show 21: the Microphones off button is on top (Amazon’s Echo Show 21 setup guide). Press the button once. The red light goes off when the microphones and camera are on again, and pressing it a second time turns them off.

2. Check Alexa is listening

Say the wake word. On the original Alexa, a cyan spotlight on a blue bar means Alexa is listening (Amazon’s guide). If nothing happens, see our not responding guide.

3. Check the camera setting separately

The button turns off the microphones and camera together. On the Echo Show 8 (2025 release) and Echo Show 11, the camera also has its own setting: open Settings (on Alexa+, tap Menu > Settings; on the original Alexa, swipe down from the top of the screen and tap Settings; or say “Go to Settings”), then Privacy & Permissions > Camera Access and turn the Camera toggle on or off. In the Alexa app the path is Devices > your device > Settings > Camera Settings. When the camera is off, a “Camera Disabled” icon shows on the screen (Amazon’s camera guide). On the Echo Show 5 (3rd Gen) and Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen), the slider on the back is a camera shutter that covers the camera; it is not the microphone control.

4. Know what the button pauses

Amazon says pressing the button pauses Visual ID (Amazon’s Visual ID guide). On the Echo Show 8 (2025 release) and Echo Show 11, the camera powers Live View, Drop In video and Visual ID (Amazon’s camera features page), and Presence Detection can also be turned off with the same button (Amazon’s Presence Detection guide).

5. Know the other colours

Amazon’s indicator guide lists the other colours: yellow for a message or notification, orange when the device is trying to connect to the internet, green when you are still on a call or Drop In, and purple when Do Not Disturb is on. See our Echo light colours guide.

6. If the red light won’t change

If pressing the button doesn’t clear the red light, unplug the power adapter, wait 15 seconds and plug it back in (Amazon’s restart wait for screen devices). Then press the button once more.

When To Contact Support

If the problem is still there after these steps, Amazon’s Echo Show support page lists all of Amazon’s help topics for devices with a screen. Contact Amazon customer service if you still need help, and say which steps you have already tried, including the restart. Echo Show 21 owners can also start from Amazon’s Echo Show 21 support page.

Last resort: factory reset. If nothing else works, reset the Show. You do this on the device, not in the Alexa app. Amazon’s reset guide for devices with a screen gives two methods: press and hold the Microphones & Camera and Volume Down buttons until you see the Amazon logo, about 15 seconds. Amazon gives the button method for screen devices in general, not model by model, and the Echo Show 21 has a Microphones off button instead, so use the on-screen method on that model. Or open Settings > Device Options > About this Device > Reset to Factory Defaults and choose Reset. Either way, you then follow the on-screen instructions to set the Show up again. Full steps are in our Echo Show reset guide.