Alexa has a fascinating number of functions and alerts for such a small device. It can do everything from adding to your grocery list to checking on family members to making calls.
Understanding the machine’s lights and sounds can help you effectively use it. When you see a green light coming from the Alexa, it usually signals that someone is trying to get in touch with you.
How the Alexa Uses Colored Lights
Alexa has several light signals that it uses to communicate with users without having to make an intrusive sound. This feature is especially useful in office settings or when silence is preferred for any reason. You can still see the lights without disturbing someone else, muddying a recording, or having a sound go over a movie.
Alexa can use lights to either let you know that you have a notification or indicate that it’s currently performing a function. For the green light, it can mean either, depending on how it appears.
Why is Alexa Flashing Green?
Alexa is flashing green in most cases because you have an incoming call. It also goes green during an active Drop-In.
Once you’ve answered the call and it’s active, you’ll see a spinning green light as well. That will continue for the duration of your call.
There is no way to turn off the green light on the Alexa. How you respond to the call determines what happens with the light.
If you answer the call, the lights turn into the swirling, spinning green light for the length of the ring. It will continue until you turn it off, and there is no way to switch the style or color of the light.
If you ignore the call, the light goes away when it stops alerting you to the call. It will continue to appear as long as the person calls and will show up again if they call back.
If you reject the call, the light stops once the command goes through. So if you want the light to turn off more quickly, be active about rejecting the call.
What Is a Call on Alexa?
A call on Alexa is a typical call routed through the device itself. You have to enable communication on your Alexa device to let this work.
If you answer a call through Alexa, you actively have the call through the speaker and microphone on the Alexa as well. It takes the place of other communication devices for that period.
What is a Drop-In on Alexa?
The Drop-In feature can be set up between multiple Alexa devices. There are two ways to do it.
First, each device can be registered under the same Amazon Household. This kind of link enables the devices to contact each other. So if you’re in the house and someone else is in the garage doing work, you can ask them if they want some lemonade without walking out and interrupting them.
You can also enable the Drop-In feature with other Alexa device owners. However, they have to go into their settings and turn it on for you.
Can You Turn Off the Green Light on Alexa?
There is no way to turn off the green light and prevent it from appearing during these functions. However, you can turn off communication with other users. That will prevent the green lights from appearing.
- Open the Alexa app.
- Click More.
- Choose Settings.
- Choose Device Settings.
- Select the Alexa device you want to manage.
- Select the Cogwheel icon.
- Turn off Communication under the Communication menu.
Keep in mind that this will prevent Drop-In and calls from functioning correctly.
What Other Lights Appear on the Alexa?
There are a variety of other lights you might see on your Alexa. Each of them has a different purpose.
- Purple Light: A purple light on an Alexa device means that Do Not Disturb is enabled. It will flash blue before switching to a pulsing purple when you start the function.
- Red Light: If you see a red light, your microphone or cameras are turned off. A button on the device itself controls this function. Once you turn them back on, Alexa will stop displaying a red light. Remember, Alexa can’t respond to you with one of the wake words if you have the microphone muted.
- Blue Light: It is a sign that Alexa is processing a command or that it is in the process of rebooting. Unlike the other lights, there’s nothing you can do for this one other than wait for it to be finished.
If it’s showing a blue light without you commanding it to do anything, tell Alexa to stop, and it should go away. Sometimes it appears when the software thinks it heard one of the trigger words. - Orange Light: When the orange light appears, Alexa is trying to connect to a wireless network. You’ll notice it the first time when you’re setting up the unit. If it appears randomly, Alexa might be trying to reconnect or struggling with a weak connection. Check your router and modem to ensure they’re working correctly.
- White Light: A white light appearing on the Alexa signifies that the Guard function is working. This feature lets Alexa keep an eye on your home and send you a notification if it hears anything concerning – along with an audio clip that shows you what it heard.
- Yellow Light: It means that you have a notification. Check whether Amazon has sent you an update or asked you to review a product.
What to Do if Alexa Isn’t Lighting Up
Sometimes Alexa stops working, and the lights are an excellent way to recognize something wrong. If you usually see a blue light during a Drop-In and then notice it isn’t lighting up anymore, the unit might be broken.
You can try to turn it off and reset it. Sometimes this fixes errors that keep certain mechanical parts, including lights, from working. However, you’ll remove any customization and features you’ve added to the device, so ensure that you’ve backed up everything first.
The green light itself isn’t necessary for Alexa to function. It only acts as a warning that someone is communicating with you via Alexa. If it isn’t working, but you can still use it without worry, then it isn’t something that has to be fixed. However, if you prefer the function to stay available, reach out to Amazon and talk to a customer support representative about how to get spare parts and fix or replace your Alexa.
