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

How to Factory Reset Echo Dot Speaker

The Echo Dot talking speakers need a factory reset every so often. This restores them to out-of-box, factory default state. Factory resetting them also fixes many weird behaviors they might show. So here, we tell you how to factory reset Amazon Echo Dot smart speakers. Why? Because also, it prepares them for sale to another person. You reset both the original and 2nd generation Dots as follows.

How to Factory Reset Echo Dot 1 to Factory Default Instructions

Picture of the Amazon Echo Dot 1st generation speaker, front top view.
showing the 1st Generation Dot, front top  view.

1. Power Up the Echo Dot 1

Connect the 1st Gen Echo Dot to its USB power supply. The light ring will light up blue for a bit, and then go off once the Dot completes booting.

2. Press the Reset Button

Once the light ring goes black, use a paper clip end to press in and hold the Reset button. Keep pressing for five to ten seconds. Then, let it go when the light ring turns orange, and then blue.

3. Wait for Factory Reset to Finish

After a several-seconds pause, the light ring goes black for a brief few seconds, and then turns orange.

4. Echo Dot 1 Factory Reset Now Done

You have now restored your Amazon Echo Dot 1st Gen speaker to its factory default state. The speaker enters setup mode after a factory reset.

How to factory reset Amazon Echo Dot. Picture of the Echo Dot 2nd Gen speaker, out of box, with protective plastic removed. Ready for reset.
Showing the 2nd gen Echo Dot speaker, out of box, with protective plastic removed. Ready for reset.




How to Factory Reset Echo Dot 2 Speaker

1. Connect your Echo Dot 2 to Power

Connect the speaker to its USB power adapter. The light ring glows blue for a time, and then goes dark. This means good boot up.

2. Press the Echo Dot 2 Factory Reset Button Combo

See our Where is the Amazon Echo Dot Reset Button post, for details on how to find the reset button on the 1st and 2nd gen Echo Dot devices. At any rate, once the light ring goes black, press and hold the Mic Mute and Volume Down buttons. Press these at the same time for the same amount of time.

3. Wait for Factory Reset to Finish

After a several-seconds pause, the light ring again goes black for a brief pause, and then glows orange.

4. Echo Dot 2 Factory Reset Now Done

You have now reset your speaker and restored its factory default settings. It has now entered setup mode.





How to Factory Reset Echo Dot 3

1. Attach Wall Power Cable

First, connect the Dot to its 12-volt power adapter cord, as shown next.

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

2. Next, Plug the Power Cord into a Working Wall Outlet

See this as shown next.

Picture of the speaker powering up, showing its AC adapter plugged into standard wall outlet.
The speaker powering up, showing its AC adapter plugged into standard wall outlet.

Then, wait for the Echo Dot 3 to finish booting.  It’s done booting when either the light ring goes dark, or it begins flashing orange, red, or purple.

3. Next, Press and Hold the Action Button for 5 to 10 Seconds to Continue with How to Reset Echo Dot 3

Press the   Action   button until the light ring turns orange.  You should also hear the smart speaker announce that it is entering setup mode.  On this speaker, the  Action  button doubles as the   Reset   button, and is pointed at by the green arrow in the next picture.

Picture of the speaker, top view, showing the Action button highlighted.
Top view of the speaker, showing the Action button highlighted.

4. Finally, What Happens After Factory Reset?

Your Echo Dot 3rd Generation smart speaker is now restored to its factory default settings.  It also has entered   Setup   mode, as shown next.

Picture of the Dot 3 speaker, shown in Setup mode, light ring orange and spinning. Reset Echo Dot 3rd generation.
The Dot 3 speaker, shown in Setup mode, light ring orange and spinning. Reset Echo Dot 3rd generation.

5. Done with How to Factory Reset Echo Dot 3 !





Set Up the Echo Dot Again, or Pack it Up

You may now give your Echo Dot to a loved one or buyer. Don’t worry that they’ll access your speaker settings in your Echo account. Factory reset erases those prior values from your Dot.

Or, if you decide to keep the speaker, you can set it up once again on your existing account.

Once the light ring turns orange, the unit remains in setup mode until someone runs the setup procedure anew. The Echo Dot won’t work fully until set up and linked to an Amazon account again.

Other Posts About the Echo Dot Speaker

  1. How to Connect Echo Dot to WiFi
  2. Echo Dot Reset Button Location on Gen 1, 2, and 3 Dots
  3. Resetting Echo Dot 2nd Generation
  4. Echo Dot 3 Power Adapter Specs, AC Power Adapter Info
  5. Echo Dot 2 Power Adapter Specs

Related Posts 

  1. Echo Dot Gen 2 Smart Speaker Factory Reset Instructions
  2. How to Factory Reset Google Home Original Speaker
  3. Factory Reset Echo Spot Instructions, How to Factory Reset
  4. Reset Belkin N600 F9K1122 Extender Booster Repeater, How To
  5. HP DeskJet 3630 Factory Reset, How To

References

  1. Reset your Echo Device, from Amazon Help
  2. How to Set Up your Amazon Echo Dot, from Amazon
  3. Amazon Echo Troubleshooting, from iFixIt.com

Revision History for How to Factory Reset Echo Dot

  • 2020-07-12: First published.