Picture of the Amazon Echo Dot 3 speaker, muted, showing its light ring and Mic Off On button glowing red.

Amazon Echo Force Firmware Update Instructions

These Amazon Alexa speakers typically update quickly by themselves as new firmware is released, within a couple hours, or at worst, a couple days. But you may want to update your device immediately, particularly when you know that a pending update is live. So here, we offer our Amazon Echo force firmware update instructions that show how to update your device anytime you wish.  These tips work on the Echo and Echo Dot speakers we’ve tested.  Note that currently they do not apply to the Echo Spot.  For that video speaker, you must update its firmware through its screen based menus.





Amazon Echo Force Firmware Update Instructions

Force Update of Firmware Quickly

If your speaker supports it, you can issue the following voice command, after saying the wake word of course.  “Check for software updates.”

Picture of the Amazon Echo Dot 3rd Gen speaker box, front view.
Amazon Echo Dot 3rd Gen speaker box, front view.

Alexa then responds with, “One moment while I check…” Then, if the device is already running the current firmware version, she says, “This device is up to date.”  But if the speaker firmware is older than the current version on the Amazon servers, then Alexa warns that she’s about to update the speaker.  She says that the software update may take up to thirty minutes to complete, and that she won’t be available to answer questions or run commands until finished applying the update.

After the update firmware operation completes, Alexa says that she’s back and ready for use again.

Automatic but Slower Echo Firmware Updating Instructions

These speakers, including all the Dots and audio only speakers, update themselves under the following conditions: 1) A firmware revision is available, and 2) when they’ve processed no requests and performed no activities, for at least thirty minutes.

You can take advantage of these conditions, and force a sort of scheduling of an update as follows.

1. Power Up your Speaker(s)

Further, make sure they’ve successfully connected to the internet.

Picture of the unboxed Amazon Echo Dot 2nd Gen Speaker, plugged in and booting. Powering up. Amazon Echo force firmware update.
Amazon Echo Dot 2nd Gen Speaker, plugged in and booting. Powering up.

2. Tap the Mic Off Button on your Echo Speaker

This mutes the speaker’s microphones, which assures that the Echo will neither hear nor respond to any requests. The light ring turns red on your device, meaning that the microphone is definitely muted.

Picture of the Amazon Alexa Echo Gen 1 smart speaker, showing the Mic as off, mic mute on, as Indicated by the red light ring.
Amazon Alexa Echo Gen 1 smart speaker, showing the Mic as off, mic mute on, as Indicated by the red light ring.

3. Wait at Least Thirty Minutes

The Amazon firmware update may occur after thirty minutes of your speaker being muted. But it can take as long as a day or more. So you need patience throughout this operation. If you become impatient and unmute your speaker before it has updated, the update request is then cancelled. To check and update our Alexas, we mute them just before going to bed.  Then usually, by the next morning, all of them have updated.





4. Check that Amazon Echo Force Firmware Update has Occurred

After a software update, the Amazon Alexa smart speakers will reboot themselves. You’ll see the light ring running through its pretty colored patterns during reboot, as pictured next.  Then, the smart speaker may emit several crackles and pops during firmware installation.

Picture of the Amazon Alexa Echo Gen 2 smart speaker with power adapter, plugged into wall outlet. Amazon Echo Force Firmware Update.
Amazon Alexa Echo Gen 2 smart speaker with power adapter, plugged into wall outlet.

Once software installation is done, the speaker resumes its normal standby mode, awaiting voice commands.

5. You’re done! 

Other Posts About the Amazon Echo Speaker

  1. How to Connect Amazon Echo to WiFi
  2. Spotify Setup on Amazon Echo Alexa
  3. Update Amazon Echo Firmware Instructions
  4. Echo Spotify Commands List for Amazon Echo Speakers
  5. Factory Reset Amazon Echo Instructions, How to Hard Reset
  6. Amazon Echo Reset Button, Where to Find It
  7. Restart Amazon Echo Instructions, How to Restart Amazon Echo Speaker
  8. What Is Amazon XXX in Amazon Echo Speakers
  9. How to Connect Amazon Echo to Bluetooth Speaker
  10. Do You Need Amazon Prime to Use Echo Speakers
  11. Amazon Echo Buttons Guide, Meanings, How to Use

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References for Amazon Echo Force Firmware Update

  1. Check & Update Your Alexa Device Software, from Amazon Help
  2. Alexa Device Software Updates, from Amazon Help

Revision History

  • 2019-04-20: Added tags and optimized the targeting.
  • 2018-12-11: First published.
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