Factory Reset Amazon Echo Dot 2

[jwlv]

NOTE: The process to factory reset an Echo Dot (gen 2) is different than the original Echo and Echo Dot (gen 1).

1. Press and hold the Microphone off and Volume down buttons at the same time until the light ring turns orange (about 20 seconds). Then light ring turns blue.
2. Wait for the light ring to turn off and on again. The light ring then turns orange again, and your Echo Dot enters setup mode.
3. Open the Alexa app to connect your device to a Wi-Fi network and register it to your Amazon account.

DO NOT POKE THE END OF A PAPERCLIP INTO THE HOLE AT THE TOP OF YOUR ECHO DOT (GEN 2)! THE PAPERCLIP METHOD IS ONLY FOR THE ORIGINAL ECHO AND ECHO DOT (GEN 1).

I don't know what's in the hole of the Dot (gen 2), but I'm pretty sure that you shouldn't poke anything into it!

Here's the directions to factory reset the original Echo and Echo Dot (gen 1).
- Use a paper clip (or similar tool) to press and hold the Reset button for five seconds. You can find the Reset button at the base of your device. After you press and hold the Reset button, the light ring on your Echo device turns orange, and then blue.
- Wait for the light ring to turn off and on again. The light ring then turns orange, and your Echo device enters setup mode.
- Open the Alexa app to connect your device to a Wi-Fi network and register it to your Amazon account.

[jhodgesatmb]

First of all, the instructions aren't precise. Does it matter whether the microphone button has been set or not? Or just hold the microphone button and the down volume button regardless of the state the microphone is in?

Second, the instructions fail to mention that when you hold the volume down button down that the volume is being decreased until there is none.

Third, my light ring slowly became reddish orange except right where the volume down button is, which remained a kind of blue white.

It took what seemed like more than 20 seconds, closer to a minute, and then the unit seemed to shut off. Then it started up again, but did NOT go orange.

I tried this several times, unplugged/replugged the unit, and it is NOT resetting.

The reason I needed to reset in the first place is that the Echo Dot stopped responding to 'alexa' (wake word). We could still hit the command button and it worked fine, just couldn't talk to it.

[Antymatter]

Hello.

My Echo Dot has died and is not responsive to anything.  When I turn it on, the startup blue ring comes on with the spinning white light, then it goes dead, then it starts up again, and this goes on a few times until I just get the blue ring with no spinning white light.  No amount of pushing of the single button with the dot, or the microphone/vol down button combo has any effect to reach the orange ring.  Any ideas?

Anthony

[mike27oct]

It likely is not connecting to w-fi, because you may have reset it and you need to do setup again.

[jwlv]

Hello.

My Echo Dot has died and is not responsive to anything.  When I turn it on, the startup blue ring comes on with the spinning white light, then it goes dead, then it starts up again, and this goes on a few times until I just get the blue ring with no spinning white light.  No amount of pushing of the single button with the dot, or the microphone/vol down button combo has any effect to reach the orange ring.  Any ideas?

Anthony

What you described is a classic behavior of an Echo Dot not receiving enough power. Make sure you are using the USB adapter that came with your Echo Dot and the USB cord you are using should also be the one supplied by Amazon. If you do not have those, make sure your USB adapter can output 5V with at least 2000mAH current. There should be a label on the adapter that indicates this. The one from Amazon is 5.2V @ 1800mAH.  And the USB cord should not be any longer than 6 feet.

Also keep in mind that some of the cheap imported USB adapters claim output power that it doesn't actually do. I have a few of them that say 5V DC when it actually outputs 4.4V DC. And 4.4V DC is just a little bit too low to charge anything (not even a rechargeable flashlight) when most of my devices expect at least 5V DC. If you have the equipment to test voltage and current, it might be wise to do so. If not, then just swap out the adapter (and cable) to another one until you find one that works.

[mike27oct]

Yep, agree, don't let the light ring fool ya; there's enough power to light the ring and not do much else.  This happened to a relative when a new waffle iron blew the same circuit breaker.  They rummaged though their box of orphaned power supplies and used one that "looked right".  Problem was not enough voltage or current available -- but the Echo did light up!  A new power supply from Amazon cured it all up.