What to do if your Amazon Alexa app is not working

Amazon Alexa may be one of the most popular smart assistants, but it’s not without its drawbacks. For example, some users experienced crashes when using the Amazon Alexa app, and others found that the app was completely unresponsive when they tried to control their Amazon Echo devices.

Amazon usually discovers issues like this and fixes them right away with a patch, but sometimes there’s a user-side issue that needs to be fixed before things start working properly. If your Amazon Alexa app isn’t working or responding, here are some ways to fix it.

Check for software updates

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Android, iOS, and even the Alexa app are constantly getting updates. Make sure you have the latest version of your operating system and the Alexa app. If it is not up to date, download the latest software. If your phone and app are up to date and you’re still having problems, try one of the following options.

restart your phone

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Most smartphones go weeks (or months) without a hard reset. If it’s been a while since you last turned your phone off, try turning it off, then turning it back on and accessing the Alexa app. With any luck, it will start working normally.

Reinstall the Alexa app

As simple as it sounds, many users have managed to uninstall and reinstall the Alexa app. Whether you’re using iOS or Android, just delete the app, dive into the App Store or Play Store, and download the Alexa app again. Hopefully this will fix the nasty bugs that were preventing the software from working properly.

Clear the cache of your smartphone

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The Amazon Alexa app will store chunks of data to improve its performance, but sometimes it doesn’t work as expected. Clearing the cache will remove all leftover data stored on your device. It’s a simple procedure that often resolves Alexa issues. The steps vary depending on whether you use Android or iOS, but both only take a few minutes.

Disable Wi-Fi and cellular connections

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If your Amazon Alexa app is part of a robust smart home setup, it’s responsible for communicating with multiple devices at once. And while this usually works without a hitch, there’s always a chance you’ll run into a bug. If none of the above options work, try disabling Wi-Fi and cellular connections for 30 seconds, then turning them back on.