For a variety of reasons, such as the device mistakingly assuming that someone has uttered “Alexa” or a technical failure, an Echo may emit an audible noise at any time. Many of the likely causes, on the other hand, may be researched on your own, as we will discuss in further detail further below.
Troubleshooting Amazon Echo Noises
When you utilize an intelligent voice assistant like the Amazon Echo, you can make use of all of the smart home capabilities that are available to you. However, it has been reported that the Amazon Echo will “wake up” on its own and play a random sound or noise. However, when there is no reason for the notice, it sounds like a valid notification; however, when there is a reason for the message, the noise is strange – as if it is plainly an error, as in the example above. What is the underlying cause of this?
The Amazon Echo emits a number of different sounds
According to my own personal experience with an Echo, as well as chats with others and internet research, some of the weird noises that Alexa appears to make at random include the following:
- In certain areas, this is referred to as an “evil chuckle,” and it is certainly not something you want to hear at three o’clock in the morning!
- Noises produced by static or feedback, similar to the sounds produced by vintage radios and televisions in their earlier days.
- Every now and again, you’ll hear a “beep” or a “boop.” Alexa is making a “whistling” sound!
- Even if there is no call scheduled, a “ringing” sound can be heard, giving the impression that a phone call is being received.
- There is a chiming sound that can be heard.
- A strange train sound has been described as a “magic effect backward” on Reddit by the capitalist class. In fact, there is a YouTube video capturing these strange sounds, which are still a mystery to scientists today.
In any case, there was a wide spectrum of weird – and occasionally scary – sounds to be heard! Take a look at some of the most prevalent reasons for them to engage in play – and more importantly, how to keep them away from it.
It is possible to turn off Alexa’s beeping, giggling, and chiming.
If your Alexa is making strange or unexpected noises, there are a few things to look at.
To make a direct inquiry, ask Alexa a question.
If you ask “Alexa, what just happened?” or “Alexa, why did you say that?” and Alexa responds with an explanation as to why it created the weird sounds, you will be able to ask “Alexa, why did you say that?” in the United States starting in September 2019. According to the United Kingdom’s official website, this version was published in the UK in March 2020, with support ranging from nation to country.
However, this is unquestionably the first thing you should attempt because it has the potential to uncover the precise explanation for whatever occurred. According to my observations, it will work for the majority of the typical causes of ‘random noise,’ but it will not work for some of the more bizarre ones. So, if you attempt this strategy and it doesn’t work out, keep reading!
A second check should be performed to ensure that no connected devices are present.
Strange noises are frequently caused by a Bluetooth device that has been paired but then forgotten about. It’s possible that you linked your smartphone years ago and that the pairing process is still running in the background on your computer. Simply say “Alexa, disconnect” and wait for the results to determine whether this theory is correct or not. If this occurs, one of two outcomes is possible: it will either disconnect from the linked device and alert you of this, or it will state, “Hmm, there is no Bluetooth device to detach from – but, you can disconnect or unpair a device using the Alexa application.” It doesn’t matter which way you look at it, this is useful information that may help you to resolve your problem.
Consider listening to Alexa’s voice recording history; believe it or not, it’s all available!
Next, you should have a look at two important aspects of the Amazon Alexa app that you should be familiar with. A thorough list of everything you’ve ever spoken to Alexa on video… or everything Alexa believes you’ve said to her, whichever is correct… is included in the first section. Putting the creepiness aside, this is a fantastic tool for analyzing strange noises – perhaps Alexa misheard you and labeled you a liar, or perhaps it’s your television that’s making the noise. This could be due to the fact that your dog’s yawn mimics the word “Alexa,” which causes her to grow upset!
To do so, go to the menu option in the top left corner of the app and select it from there. In order to review your voice history, go to “Settings,” then “Alexa Privacy,” and lastly, “Review Voice History,” on your smartphone. You’ll notice anything along the lines of this:
A recording of Alexa’s voice history, obtained on an Echo Dot, which includes some misheard words and phrases!
Regarding music requests, Alexa has misheard us because she believes we asked for “Rose between a pair of thongs,” which she believes we were asking for. While this may not always result in an odd noise, your own voice history may be able to provide some insight into the strange noises you’ve been hearing recently.
If you listen to your voice recordings, you may discover anything unexpected, such as:
This is Alexa’s speech history from an Echo Dot, which contains what Alexa’ heard,’ but determined wasn’t meant for this purpose.
Important information can be gleaned from Alexa’s statement that “Audio was not intended for this device.” However, it contends that Alexa recognized its name – or at the very least believes that it did – but that it was under no obligation to take any action or respond in any way. As an example, saying “We’ll need to clean Alexa soon since she’s dusty” will cause Alexa to hear “soon because she’s dusty,” which is plainly not right, and hence will discard the statement. As an example, the phrase “We’ll have to clean Alexa soon because she’s dusty” will cause Alexa to hear the phrase “soon because she’s dusty,” which is plainly not true, and thus it will ignore it.
When Alexa says “Audio was not intended for this device,” it could be a sign that she is growing confused, possibly as a result of overwhelming background noise. This could be the result of Alexa mishearing commands and reacting with the erroneous sounds, which could be the cause of Alexa’s unusual sounds.
Take a peek at Alexa’s most recent actions and reactions.
Activate the Amazon Alexa app by selecting “Activity” from the menu bar at the top left of the screen while it is still running. Following that, you’ll be welcomed by the following useful screen:
Detailed information about all activity on Amazon Echo/Alexa devices that has been recorded, as well as the reasons why Amazon took action based on what it heard, will be made available.
Notable about this page is that you’ll be able to see all of Alexa’s activity on your Echo devices, which may include things like setting alarms, playing paired Bluetooth audio/music, establishing a timer, and more. Alexa activity on your Echo devices includes things like setting alarms, playing paired Bluetooth music/audio, and more. You should consider the possibility that something unusual you’ve witnessed in this area is the source of the strange noises you’ve been hearing.
By selecting “More” from a result, you can learn more about what Alexa believed it had heard and what triggered that action or reaction to be played on your computer. In the above example, Alexa setup a timer after hearing us say, “Alexa, establish a twenty-minute timer,” which is recognized as a command and carried out.
It’s possible, though, that it misheard you and responded with a strange and unexpected sound, and this screen will keep assisting you in determining whether or not this is the case.
Check to verify if “Brief Mode” or “Whisper Mode” are active on your computer or laptop.
It’s possible that when you ask Alexa a question, she will respond with “long winded” pre-answer material that will irritate you. In this instance, you can switch to “Brief Mode” to have Alexa behave more like a Google Home device, which is convenient. Pre-chatter will be reduced to a minimum, and the system will rely more on beep/play sounds to confirm that it has received your commands correctly. Although these beeps, bells, and other noises are beneficial, they may appear weird or random to some people – particularly if they have not enabled this feature.
For the same reason, it’s likely that you don’t want Alexa to respond to your questions in an overbearing voice, especially if you have a little child sleeping in the next room. As a result, you can utilize Alexa’s “Whisper Mode” option to converse with her, and she will respond by whispering back to you when she believes you are conversing with her. It goes without saying that if it interprets your request as a “whisper,” the result will be strange – and even inconsistent. It’s highly likely that this is the source of your sporadic sound problems.
Brief and whisper modes can be activated on the same screen by selecting “Settings” from the menu bar located at the upper left corner of the screen. Scroll down to the “General” part of the settings menu to enable brief and whisper modes. When you choose “Alexa Voice Responses,” you’ll be presented with two choices: Brief Mode and Whisper Mode are two different modes of communication. Modes such as Whisper and Brief are available.
The Alexa Preferences -> Voice Responses -> Voice Responses menu item allows you to select whether “Brief Mode” or “Whisper Mode” is currently active.
Check to see if any of these features are on, then turn them off and give your Echo a few days to see how it performs. If the occasional Echo noises disappear, it is possible that this is the source of the problem.
Alexa continues to make funny noises, don’t you think?
There are a few of other considerations to take into account.
Please see the list below for additional information if you are still experiencing weird noises: Check out the list below for some further suggestions if you’re still experiencing unusual noises:
- Check to see if any Skills have been installed on your computer. These are Alexa add-ons from third-party developers that you can use to enhance your experience. Fortunately, the vast majority of them are harmless and only activate when certain wakeup commands are issued; but, a stray skill could be the source of your problem. “Alexa, what skills do I have enabled?” is a command that will tell you what skills you have enabled. After that, to remove or disable a skill from your Alexa device, say “Alexa, deactivate [skill name].”
- When you hear an unusual noise, look to see what hue the light ring is flashing to see what it means. According to Cnet’s guide standards, a flashing yellow light means that you have received a notification, whereas violet or orange colors indicate that you may be experiencing Wi-Fi or network troubles, both of which may result in a sound being played, according to the recommendations.
- It’s possible that a popping or crackling sound – one that sounds frightening (even if it’s not!) and isn’t natural – is caused by an issue with your Echo devices, such as a loose power or speaker line within the device. Another possibility is that the socket outlet or power connection is not operating properly.
- After checking that the wall socket is functioning with other electrical devices, double-check that the Echo power wire is properly connected. If the problem persists, try disconnecting and replugging the device to see if it will reset it. This is an indication that you should seek assistance from Amazon customer service.
- It is always possible that this seemingly random sound was created by a true software defect in Amazon’s computer code, despite the fact that this is quite unlikely. In 2018, Alexa misunderstood the command “Alexa, laugh” for the order “Alexa, laugh,” resulting in a “scary laughing” sound being heard on Echo devices all over the world as a result of the error.
- Despite the fact that Amazon has resolved this issue, it is always conceivable that a new instance of “random noise” will appear in the future. Attempt to find out if anyone else has heard your strange sound recently by Googling it; if so, it’s most likely just a temporary (although frustrating!) inconvenience.
- Almost any sort of speaker can pick up on external interference, with radio frequency interference being the most prevalent type. Any loose connection in your Echo device’s internal speaker or speakers, regardless of how tiny, can cause radio interference to be picked up by your device. When it comes to speakers with a long run of audio cable, this is especially true: more cable equals a greater possibility of picking up interference.
- Whistling was heard by a Redditor, followed by the sound of someone clearing their throat through their Echo device. However, despite the fact that it is alarming, this appears to be a textbook instance of radio interference, according to industry professionals. It’s possible that you have a device defect, and you should contact customer support about it, just like you did with #3 in the previous paragraph.
- If you’re still experiencing problems, you might want to consider doing a factory reset on your Echo. Despite the fact that every Echo device is unique, Amazon has thorough help pages for each Echo device that they sell, making that a good location to begin your search for answers.
- Always keep in mind that, while a system reset will reset any local Echo settings, it will have no effect on anything controlled by the app, such as the previously mentioned “Brief Mode” feature.
- After that, if all else fails, take a hammer and repeatedly whack your Echo, after which you can contact Amazon customer service for assistance. Explain your actions and inquire as to whether you have a faulty equipment that requires replacement. When it comes to customer service, Amazon can be slow at times due to the numerous checklists that must be completed, but they are excellent at replacing their own products when they malfunction.
- The 3rd Generation Echo Dot is a relatively affordable replacement for your existing Echo device, and while the 4th Generation Echo Dot has only recently been released and is therefore more expensive most of the time, the 3rd Generation Echo Dot is a reasonably inexpensive replacement for your existing Echo device.
