Alexa is Slow to Respond? – Know How to Fix

If your Alexa is slow to respond, you’ll soon learn how to fix the problem on your own!

When Alexa is taking too much time to respond to a voice command or something you say, multiple factors could be causing the problem.

In the upcoming guide, we’ll be going over some easy solutions for the issues with your Alexa.

Let’s proceed with the quick fix:

To fix when Alexa is so slow to respond, hard reset the device and reconnect it to the WiFi. After that, go through the setup process again, update the firmware/voice lines of your Echo Dot Alexa speaker, and finally, factory reset the device.

Keep reading to learn more about the reasons for your Alexa being so slow in response!

Why Is My Alexa Slow to Respond?

Your Alexa being so slow to respond could be due to multiple factors, including WiFi connection, issues with the Amazon app or problems with the voice commands.

In the following list, we’ll review multiple causes for the issue with your Alexa, and even further into the guide, we’ll also learn how to fix them!

Here’s why your Alexa has become so slow:

• An Application Problem
• Outdated Alexa Firmware
• Usage of Old Voice Commands
• Software Problem with Echo Dot
• Alexa Didn’t Recognize You

In the upcoming troubleshooting guide, we’ll be addressing all of the following problems in a proper manner.

In that set of thoughts, make sure to keep reading to learn how to fix this issue!

Amazon Alexa Slow to Respond – Quick Fix!

In order to achieve success during your Alexa troubleshooting, you must follow all of our solutions closely and pay attention to any important mentions, notes, and tips.

We’ve extracted most of our information from users with the same problem, to help you troubleshoot even better!

Let’s proceed with the guide now!

Solution #1 Power Cycle your Alexa

Perhaps, your Alexa has run into a temporary software fault and all that is required to get the device working again is to Power Cycle.

The power cycle (or Hard Reset), is a process during which you’re cutting the power supply to an electrical device, with an A/C Power Adapter.

By doing so, you’re causing the device to discharge the current electricity, which helps to refresh both the software and the hardware of the unit.

Here’s how to power cycle Amazon Alexa:

1. Locate the Power Button on top of your Echo Dot Speaker.
2. Press and hold the button for 10 seconds, for Alexa to shut down.
3. Once the speaker’s lights go off and it no longer responds, unplug the power cable.
4. Wait for 4-5 minutes, while Alexa is disconnected from power.
5. Once you’ve waited out for long enough, reattach the power cable back into an outlet.
6. Wait for Alexa to start up and test…

The longer you’ve kept waiting while your Alexa is unplugged, the better your device will discharge. Plugging the speaker into power right away will prevent it from undergoing a power cycle.

Note: Once your Alexa has started up, try activating a feature by doing a voice command.

Solution #2 Go Through the Pairing Routine!

Chances are that there is an issue with the Alexa Skill and we strongly suggest going through the pairing routine once again.

This’ll help refresh the features of your Echo Dot and fix the slow responsiveness of your device. It also works as somewhat of a reset to the speaker in addition.

• To go through pairing again, remove Alexa from the app first!

Follow these instructions to re-pair your Alexa in easy steps:

1. Launch the Amazon Alexa app on your mobile device.
2. Navigate to the “Devices” tab.
3. Locate the Amazon Alexa speaker you wish to remove.
4. Select the device and press “Forget this Device”.
5. Go back to the home screen of the Alexa app.
6. Press the “+” button to add a new device.
7. Follow the instructions necessary, to pair your Alexa again.
8. Once the device is successfully paired, test the responsiveness…

If you’ve done the setup correctly, your Alexa will be re-added to the Amazon Alexa app and start working again and responding to your commands.

Note: Once Alexa is re-added, it’ll appear in the “Devices” tab where it was before.

Solution #3 Update the Voice Commands

Your Alexa may be using outdated voice commands and that’s the reason it is responding so slowly.

To handle a problem of this kind, you must activate a software feature of Alexa to either update the voice commands or change the output voice of Alexa.

Either way, you should see changes in how quickly Alexa is reacting and responding to your pronounced voice commands.

Here’s how to update your Alexa’s voice commands:

1. Make sure that your Alexa is plugged in.
2. Go near the device and say “Alexa, change your voice”.
3. Choose from one of the available voice features Alexa will state out to you.

If you’ve set the voice commands to “Original”, it’ll switch to the new male voice and right away respond to your voice command.

You could have a demonstration of each voice setting, before actually setting it as the default voice of Alexa.

Tip: If you say, “Alexa, stop”, you’ll exit the voice commands menu of your speaker.

Solution #4 Upload the Newest Alexa Firmware

If your Alexa is slow to respond to pronounced voice commands, you could update the firmware of the speaker and check how that’ll go.

Unlike updating only the voice commands, this will entirely level up the firmware of your Alexa, which may get particular issues resolved.

• Updating your Alexa could be done by saying a voice command!

However, your Alexa must be connected to WiFi, in order to check for updates and trigger one after all.

After verifying the WiFi of your Alexa, follow these steps to update the device:

1. Ensure that the Alexa speaker is plugged in.
2. Stand next to the device and say “Alexa, check for software updates”.
3. Wait for Alexa to process your voice command and give an output.
4. If the speaker says “Do you want to start the Update”, simply say “Yes”.
5. Wait for Alexa to complete the firmware upgrade.

The update on your Alexa may take up to 3 minutes, based on the device’s performance and the strength of the WiFi.

Alert: Do not shut down or interact with the speaker in any way, while the update is ongoing.

Solution #5 Reinstall the Alexa App

We’re probably talking about an issue with the Alexa app if your speaker is still failing to respond in time.

A quick solution to communication issues with your Alexa is to get the mobile application reinstalled and therefore re-add the speaker once again.

Follow these steps to reinstall the Amazon Alexa app easily:

1. Launch the Settings of your mobile device.
2. Navigate to “Applications” or the “Storage” tab (based on the device’s interface).
3. Locate the Amazon Alexa app and highlight it.
4. Press the “Uninstall” button to start removing the Alexa app from your device.
5. Once the app is successfully reinstalled from your device, launch the app store.
6. Locate the Alex app and download it.
7. Once the Alexa app is reinstalled, sign into your account.
8. Press the “Add Device” button and re-add your speaker.
9. Test…

Once again, you must be precise in the setup of your Alexa. Make sure not to adjust any settings you’re not familiar with and simply go with the default configuration.

Only then, you’ll be able to figure out if the slow response problem was due to a setting you’ve adjusted.

Note: If you wish to change the settings of the Alexa device, it can be found in the “Devices” tab.

Solution #6 Factory Reset the Amazon Alexa

In this last solution, we’ll be performing a Factory Reset on your Amazon Alexa!

This process is your last-resort option since it brings the most drastic measures to your Alexa.

The factory reset is going to erase all content from your Alexa, including save settings, features, and enabled options that customize the performance of the speaker.

Here’s how to perform a Factory Reset on your Amazon Alexa:

1. Get into the Alexa app.
2. Navigate to “Devices”.
3. Select the speaker that is taking too much time to respond.
4. Scroll all the way down to the page.
5. Choose “Factory Reset”.
6. Confirm that you want to reset your Alexa.
7. Wait…

Once the reset on your Alexa has been triggered, the device will go into reset mode. What’s expected of you is to make sure that the speaker is plugged in and turned on beforehand.

Alert: Unplugging or shutting down your Alexa will cancel the reset.

Quick Recap:

Thus, if your Alexa Alexa is slow to respond, Power Cycle the speaker and go through the pairing setup of the device.

After that, have the Amazon Alexa application reinstalled, reconnect Alexa to the WiFi and perform a Factory Reset on the speaker!

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