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

Echo Dot 3 Setup Instructions

This piece discusses what you’ll need for Echo Dot 3 setup and the steps to take to perform that setup.  Applies to the 2018 model of Amazon’s ever popular version of this Echo Dot smart speaker.

Picture of the Amazon Alexa Echo Dot 3 top view, showing all its buttons.
The Amazon Alexa Echo Dot 3 speaker top view, showing all its buttons.




Before you Start Echo Dot 3 Setup

1. A WiFi Internet Connection

None of the Echo Dot 3 devices manufactured to date has an Ethernet RJ45 port.  So, you may only link them to Amazon’s Alexa service via your WiFi network.  That network must have internet access. Also note that Alexa on your 3rd generation Echo Dot will not function without a properly set up wireless internet connection.

2. An Amazon Account

If you do not already have an Amazon account, one way to get one is to visit https://amazon.com/ .  Follow the prompts there to set one up.

Or, when you run the Alexa app in Step 2 under Echo Dot 3 Setup Step-by-Step Instructions below, and you’ve never signed into the app with a valid account, Alexa will ask you to sign in, as shown next.

Screenshot of the Amazon Alexa app on iOS, displaying its Login prompt.
Amazon Alexa app on iOS, displaying its Login prompt.

There, Amazon allows you to create a new account if necessary.  If so, press the  Create a New Amazon Account  button in the lower center portion of the login screen.  Then, Alexa walks you through that account setup procedure.  At any rate, be sure to successfully set up an Amazon account before proceeding.

3. A Compatible Mobile Device

You’ll need to run the Alexa app on a compatible mobile phone or tablet computer.  For this scenario, we’re using our iPad Air tablet.

4. The Alexa App

The Alexa app is available in the Google Play (Android) store, as well as the App Store (iOS).  Download and install the appropriate version on your tablet, and log into it with your Amazon account credentials.

5. Bluetooth

Be sure to enable Bluetooth on your mobile device.  The Alexa app uses Bluetooth to detect nearby Echo Dot speakers in some situations.  So, turn on Bluetooth on this device on when setting up an Echo Dot 3.





Echo Dot 3 Setup Instructions, Step-by-Step 

1. Unpack your Speaker

Skip ahead to the next step if you already unboxed your Echo Dot 3.

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

Now the Dot 3 comes in a small blue box, as pictured in the last shot earlier. For new Dots, the box itself arrives in a clear plastic bag.  Remove that outer bag, and slit the tape securing the box top closed with a sharp knife.

Open the box lid, take out all contents and spread them on a floor or table.  You should have the Dot Echo 3, the power adapter with its permanently attached cord, and some documentation.

Remove any clear plastic protectors on the Dot 3 from the side and top.  This exposes the DC power input and audio output (headphone) cable ports (side).  It also allows access to the volume up-down, mic mute, and wake buttons (top).

Then, unpack the adapter and cable, which may also be packed in separate plastic bags.

Picture of the Amazon Echo Dot gen 3 smart speaker along with its AC wall adapter.
Echo Dot 3 Setup Instructions: Amazon Echo Dot 3 smart speaker along with its AC wall adapter.

2. Connect your Speaker to AC Power

Picture of the Amazon Echo Dot gen 3 speaker AC power adapter, plugged into speaker back.
Amazon Echo Dot gen 3 speaker AC power adapter, plugged into speaker back.

 

Picture of the Amazon Alexa Echo Dot Gen 3 smart speaker powering up, showing its AC adapter plugged into standard wall outlet.
Amazon Alexa Echo Dot Gen 3 smart speaker powering up, showing its AC adapter plugged into standard wall outlet.

3. Run the Alexa App

Find the Alexa app on your mobile device, as we did on our iOS based iPad Air tablet, as shown in the next picture.

Screenshot of the iOS 11 home screen, showing the Amazon Alexa app Icon highlighted
iOS home screen, showing the Amazon Alexa app Icon highlighted.

Tap the Alexa app icon to run it. If this is your first time running the app, it will prompt you for your Amazon account and password.

Furthermore, if this is your first Echo Dot device, the app will prompt you to set up a new device.





4. Enter Amazon Account Id and Password to Continue with Echo Dot 3 Setup

Should the Alexa app prompt, enter your Amazon account credentials.  Then  you’ll be signed in via the Alexa app.  The app then remembers your Amazon account information whenever you run it, so that you won’t have to enter this data every time.

5. If you are not prompted to set up a new device… 

If this Dot is not your first Echo device, the app displays its Home screen.  In this scenario, we’re using the iOS version of the Alexa app.

Picture of the Amazon Alexa app Home screen on iOS, with the main menu button highlighted.
Amazon Alexa app Home screen on iOS, with the main menu button highlighted.

6. Tap the Menu (Hamburger) Button

Find this called out by the green arrow in the last picture.

Hitting the menu button brings up the Alexa app’s main menu, as shown next.

Picture of the Amazon Alexa app on iOS, showing its main menu, with the Settings option highlighted.
Amazon Alexa app on iOS, showing its main menu, with the Settings option highlighted.

7. Go to the Settings Screen to Continue with Echo Dot 3 Setup

Visit the Settings page by tapping the Settings menu item (left side of screen), highlighted by the green arrow in the previous picture.

The Settings the screen displays as follows.

Picture of the Alexa App on iOS, showing its Settings screen, with the Device Settings option highlighted.
Alexa App on iOS, showing its Settings screen, with the Device Settings option highlighted.

8. Visit the Device Settings Page

Get to the Device Settings page by tapping the Device Settings menu item (left side of the Settings screen, near the top), highlighted by the green arrow in the last picture above.





Tapping Device Settings brings up the All Devices screen, which lists all your currently registered Alexa speakers and other devices. Shown next.

Picture of the Alexa App on iOS, displaying its -All Devices- page, with the -Add New Device (Plus)- button highlighted.
Alexa App on iOS, displaying its -All Devices- page, with the -Add New Device (Plus)- button highlighted.

9. Go to the Set Up New Device Menu  

Bring up the Set Up New Device menu by tapping the Plus button in the top right corner of the All Devices page, as highlighted by the green arrow in the last picture above.

The Set Up New Device menu then pops up as shown in the next screenshot.

Screenshot of the Alexa App on iOS, showing its -Set Up New Device- menu, with the -Add Device- option highlighted.
Alexa App on iOS, showing its -Set Up New Device- menu, with the -Add Device- option highlighted.

10. Tap the  Add Device   Option to Continue with Echo Dot 3 Setup

Touching the Add Device option brings up the   Setup->What type of device are you setting up?  screen, as shown next.

Picture of the Alexa app on iOS, displaying its -What Type of Device are you Setting Up- page, with the -Echo- device type highlighted.
Alexa app on iOS, displaying its -What Type of Device are you Setting Up- page, with the -Echo- device type highlighted.

11. Tap the Amazon Echo Device Type

Tapping the Amazon Echo item brings up the first Setup screen for Echo devices, as shown next, where you pick which model of the Echo you’re setting up anew.  In this case, we’re setting up and Echo Dot device.  So, we’ve pointed out that option with a green arrow in the next picture.

Picture of the Alexa app on iOS, displaying its -Choose a device to set up- page, with the -Echo Dot- choice highlighted.
Alexa app on iOS, displaying its -Choose a device to set up- page, with the -Echo Dot- choice highlighted.

12. Tap the Echo Dot Device

Touching the Echo Dot device brings up the Which Echo Dot are you setting up?  screen, as shown next.

Screenshot of the Alexa app on iOS, displaying its -Choose Echo Dot Version to Set Up- page, with the -3rd Generation- option highlighted.
Alexa app on iOS, displaying its -Choose Echo Dot Version to Set Up- page, with the -3rd Generation- option highlighted.

13. Get your 3rd Generation Echo Dot into Setup Mode

If your Dot 3 is powered up, as it should be if you did Step 2 above, it’s probably displaying its orange light ring.  If so, then skip ahead to Step 14. Or if not, then work through this step.

Picture of the Amazon Alexa Echo Dot 3rd Generation speaker, shown in Setup mode, light ring orange and spinning.
Amazon Alexa Echo Dot 3rd Generation speaker, shown in Setup mode, light ring orange and spinning.

If this is a brand new Dot 3 that you just took out of the box, just plug it into AC power.  Then after a a quarter minute it automatically enters Setup mode and announces this.

On the other hand, if this is not a brand new 3rd Gen Dot, it may not immediately go into Setup mode.  In that case, you need to reset it.  See our   Factory Reset Echo Dot 3rd Generation Instructions, How To   post, that details how to reset the Dot 3. In short, to reset, press and hold the Action button until the unit starts resetting.  After a hard reset, the Dot 3 automatically enters Setup mode.

At any rate, however you get there, once you have the speaker in Setup mode, proceed onto the next step.





14. Tap the Echo Dot 3rd Generation Speaker that Matches the One you’re Setting Up

Next. pick up your mobile device again and go back to the Alexa app.  You should see the screen pictured in Step 12 above.

Since we’re setting up an Echo Dot Generation 3 speaker in this demo, we touch the topmost speaker in the displayed list of Echo Dot models shown there.

This starts the Alexa app scanning for new Echo Dot 3 devices to set up, as shown next.

Screenshot of the Alexa App on iOS, showing its -Select Amazon Echo- page while it searches for Echo devices to set up.
Alexa App on iOS, showing its -Select Amazon Echo- page while it searches for Echo devices to set up.

Now at this point, the Alexa app is waiting to hear from the speaker you’re setting up.  It will hear it when you place your Dot Echo 3 into Setup mode, it is when captured in the next picture.

If your speaker is indeed in Setup mode, then after a brief pause, Alexa should find your new speaker, as ours did, shown next.

Screenshot of the Alexa app on iOS displaying its -Select your Amazon Echo- screen, with a Dot 3 that it found highlighted.
Alexa app on iOS displaying its -Select your Amazon Echo- screen, with a Dot 3 that it found highlighted.

If Alexa does not find your speaker, make sure you have Bluetooth turned on on your mobile device that’s running the Alexa app.  Check again that your speaker flashing its light ring in orange.  Note that the Dot 3 only stays in Setup mode for several minutes, and times out after that.  If timeout occurs, then unplug the Dot from power for a few seconds and plug it back in.  This should re establish Setup mode.

15. Tap the Listed Echo Dot 3 to Set Up

This brings up the  Select your Wi-Fi Network   page, as shown next.

Just prior to Alexa showing this screen, it runs a WiFi scan from your selected Echo Dot 3 speaker, for in-range WiFi networks that the speaker sees.  Then, it’s this list that the app displays for you.

Screenshot of the Alexa app on iOS showing its -Select Your WiFi Network- screen, with the network we want highlighted.
Alexa app on iOS showing its -Select Your WiFi Network- screen, with the network we want highlighted.

16. Choose the WiFi Network To Connect your Echo Dot 3 With

Tap the Wi-Fi network you want your new 3rd Generation Dot to log into.  In our case, we’re choosing the 937T681J4059H_2G_Guests network.  That one is pointed out by the green arrow in the last picture.

17. Enter the Password for Chosen WiFi Network

Tapping a WiFi network may prompt you to enter the password for that network.  Skip to Step 18 if you don’t see this prompt.

The Alexa app may not prompt you if you’ve previously saved this network’s information to your Amazon account.  This is true for us in this scenario.  So Alexa did not ask us for the password.

But if a password entry screen appears, type in the correct password, and then move ahead to the next step.





18. Wait for your Echo Dot 3 to Connect to Chosen WiFi Network

While your 3rd Gen Echo Dot attempts to connect to the WiFi network you picked in Step 15 above, the Alexa app shows the Connecting your Echo Dot to Wi-Fi screen, as pictured next.

Screenshot of the Alexa app on iOS displaying its -Connecting your Echo Dot to WiFi- page.
Alexa app on iOS displaying its -Connecting your Echo Dot to WiFi- page.

After some seconds, and if all goes well, you see the following screen.  This shows that the speaker successfully connected to your proposed WiFi network.

Screenshot of the Alexa app on iOS, displaying its -WiFi Connect Success- page, with the -Continue- button highlighted.
Alexa app on iOS, displaying its -WiFi Connect Success- page, with the -Continue- button highlighted.

Also, the Echo Dot 3 then makes a rising chime sound, and announces that it’s ready for use.

But if your speaker does not connect and you get errors, follow any directions the app displays give.  If you entered the wrong WiFi password, the system prompts you to re-enter it.  But if the problem connecting is network related, you may have to investigate and resolve that on your router.  In that case, once you’ve fixed that issue, try rerunning this setup procedure again.  We suggest that you close the Alexa app and start it anew first.  Then, again, be sure that your Echo Dot 3 is in Setup mode before doing the setup routine again.

19. Tap the Blue Continue Bar to Continue with Echo Dot 3 Setup

Hitting the Continue strip then invites you to choose which speaker your Echo Dot 3 will play through, as shown next.

Screenshot of the Alexa app on iOS, displaying its -Chose External Speaker- page, with the -Use Echo Built In Speaker- option highlighted.
Alexa app on iOS, displaying its -Chose External Speaker- page, with the -Use Echo Built In Speaker- option highlighted.

20. Choose Default Speaker

In our demo, we chose the speaker that’s built into the 3rd generation Echo Dot.

Then, tapping this choice then takes you to the  Where is your Echo Dot  screen, as pictured next.  This screen allows you to name the location in your home where you will place your Dot 3.

Screenshot of the Alexa app on iOS, displaying its -Where is your Echo Dot- page, with the -Bedroom- choice highlighted.
Alexa app on iOS, displaying its -Where is your Echo Dot- page, with the -Bedroom- choice highlighted.

21. Tap your Desired Location for the Echo Dot 3

Pick the name of your desired Echo Dot 3 location from the list displayed, as shown in the last picture.  In this demo, we tapped Bedroom, as shown in the last photo. Note the check mark that appears when you make a choice, as pointed at by the green arrow in the next shot.

Screenshot of the Alexa App on iOS, showing its -Where is your Echo Dot- screen, with the -Bedroom- option checked and highlighted.
Alexa App on iOS, showing its -Where is your Echo Dot- screen, with the -Bedroom- option checked and highlighted.

22. Tap the Blue Continue Bar to Continue with Echo Dot 3 Setup

Once you bump the Continue strip, your Echo Dot 3 has been completely set up and is now ready to accept voice commands.  Then, the Alexa app takes you back to its Home screen, as shown next.

Picture of the Alexa App on iOS, displaying its -Home- page.
Alexa App on iOS, displaying its -Home- page.

You may now close the Alexa app if you wish.





23. Test Out your Echo Dot 3

Once you’ve finished the setup procedure described above, your Alexa 3rd Gen Echo Dot is ready to receive and respond to commands and questions once the orange light ring darkens.  Try asking your Dot 3 some questions like:

  • What’s the weather?
  • What time is it?
  • Give me my flash briefing.
  • How are you today?
  • Sing happy birthday.
  • Tell me a joke.

… and so on. Of course, be sure to precede each question with your Dot wake word.  The default is Alexa.  Or it could be Computer, Amazon, or Echo if you changed it.

24 Done with Echo Dot 3 Setup !

Enjoy your Echo Dot 3.  It’s an amazingly great sounding little speaker, with its improved bass and volume, belying its small size!

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  1. Echo Dot 3rd Generation Charger Specs & Details
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  4. Change Echo Dot Wake Word, How To
  5. How to Factory Reset Amazon Echo Dot Speakers

Other Posts About Echo Amazon Alexa

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  2. Pairing JBL Charge 3 with Amazon Alexa Echo Dot
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  4. Echo Spot Change WiFi Instructions, Amazon Alexa
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References for Echo Dot 3 Setup

  1. 3rd Generation Echo Dot Product Page at Amazon.com
  2. Amazon Alexa Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
  3. Amazon Echo Help Pages

Revision History

  • 2020-04-07: Added more tags.
  • 2019-04-29: Added tags.
  • 2019-01-24: First time published.