How to Restart Echo Dot Smart Speaker

We show here how to restart any Echo Dot smart speaker. Restarting, otherwise known as rebooting, often corrects unusual symptoms that these devices may have.

How to Restart Echo Dot Smart Speaker with No Power Button

Since none of the Echo Dot speakers that have come out so far have a power on / off button, you restart these units by unplugging them for a brief time. That is, disconnect them from AC power for roughly fifteen seconds. Next, reconnect them to power again. Once the Echo Dot finishes booting, and the light ring darkens, then successful restart is complete.

Picture of the Amazon Echo Dot 2nd generation smart speaker, top view. Restart Alexa Echo Dot. — Amazon Echo Dot 2nd generation smart speaker top view.

How to Restart the Speaker with No Restart or Reboot Buttons

Note that Echo Dot speakers, have no physical reboot / restart button. Nor can you remotely restart it via the Alexa app. So currently, the only way how to do this is to cycle its power off then on again, as described earlier. That is, power it down for, again, fifteen seconds, then power it up again.

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

How to Restart Echo Dot Differs from How to Reset It

Also note that RESTARTING an Echo Dot is not the same as RESETTING it. By restarting, we mean simply rebooting these speakers. But resetting does much more than this. Unlike a simple restart, resetting erases any stored settings and data in the speaker, and involves more work afterwards to get the unit running once more. So, please do not conflate the two terms, particularly if you wish not to change the Amazon account or WiFi network information that the Echo Dot currently uses.

References for How to Restart Echo Dot Smart Speaker

Restart Your Echo Device Help from Amazon.com

Revision History

2020-06-29: First posted.