Picture of the Amazon Echo 2nd gen voice activated speaker, removed from cardboard holder packaging.

How to Reset Echo 2nd Generation Speaker

You may wish to factory reset the Echo 2nd Generation smart speaker. Why? Because you may wish to sell yours to another. Or perhaps you just want to link it to a new Amazon account, or to a new WiFi network. So, with those tasks in mind, this piece shows how to reset Echo 2nd Generation factory settings. Resetting restores all speaker settings to their fresh-from-factory values.  To do that, follow the steps next.

Warning: After the reset, your 2nd generation Echo speaker will not work until set up again.

How to Reset Echo 2nd Generation to Factory Settings

1. Plug Echo 2nd Generation Speaker into AC Power

Connect the 2nd generation Echo speaker to its power supply. The light ring then lights blue for a time, and then goes out. When it goes dark, boot up has finished.

Picture of the Amazon Echo 2nd gen Alexa smart speaker, powering up.
Amazon Echo 2nd gen Alexa smart speaker, powering up.

The next picture shows this 2nd generation Echo speaker standing by, ready for reset.

Picture of the top front view of the speaker, showing ready for factory default reset.
Top front view of the speaker, showing ready for factory default reset.

2. Press the Echo 2nd Generation Speaker Reset Button Combo

See our Where is the Reset Button on Amazon Generation 2 Echo Smart Speaker Located post, for details on how to find the reset button on this unit.





We show where these buttons are in the next picture.

Picture of the Amazon Echo Gen 2 smart speaker reset button location. It's a button combination of the Mic Mute and Volume Down buttons, as circled in purple
Amazon Echo Gen 2 Smart Speaker reset button location. It’s a button combination of the Mic Mute and Volume Down buttons, as circled in purple.

Wait for the light ring to go dark. Then, press and hold the Mic Mute and Volume Down buttons at the same time for five to ten seconds.

3. Wait for the Speaker to Finish Resetting

After a several-seconds pause, the light ring goes dark for some seconds, and then turns orange-yellow, as shown next.

Picture of the speaker in Setup mode, displaying an orange light ring.
The speaker in Setup mode, displaying an orange light ring.

Then, your Echo Gen 2 smart speaker is now back to factory default settings.

Next, after reset, the speaker enters setup mode, as shown by the circling orange-yellow blip on the light ring.

4. Set Up Again, or Pack Up

Finally, you may now unplug, pack, and give your Echo 2 to someone else. Do not fear though, that they’ll have access to the Alexa settings on your personal Amazon account. They will not. Indeed, factory reset erased those prior values from the Echo 2 speaker.

Or, you can set it up once again on your existing account. Once the light ring turns orange, the unit stays in setup mode until someone runs the setup routine. The Echo 2 will not work until properly set up and linked to an Amazon account.

5. Done !

Other Posts About the Echo 2nd Generation Speakers

    1. Echo Dot 2nd Generation Factory Reset
    2. Amazon Echo Dot 2nd Generation Charger Specs
    3. Echo Dot 2nd Generation Review
    4. Echo Dot 2nd Generation Setup Instructions
    5. How to Connect Echo Dot 2nd Generation to WiFi

Related Posts to How to Reset Echo 2nd Generation

    1. Reset Echo Spot to Factory Settings, How To Hard Reset
    2. AC Power Adapter Specs for the Amazon Echo Generation 2 Alexa Smart Speaker
    3. Reset Echo Spot WiFi, How To Instructions
    4. Google Home Mini Reset to Factory Default Settings
    5. How to Reset Echo Dot 2 Back to Factory Default Settings

References

    1. Reset Your Echo Device, from Amazon Help
    2. How to Reset Amazon Echo or Dot (2nd) to Factory Defaults, from Medium.com 

Revision History

    • 2019-04-24: Added tags, deleted ad scripts, and tuned the key phrase targeting.
    • 2018-05-02: First published.