Amazon has a range of voice-activated Smart speakers, and the Echo Dot is one such speaker. One would think that since the speakers are voice-activated, there is no need for buttons, but they would be wrong.
The speakers have a bunch of buttons that perform various functions that enhance the user experience. For Instance, I recently learned what the action button does since I am new to using the Echo Dot speakers.
Discerning what the button does is challenging since it is not self-explanatory like the other buttons. You can tell what the volume buttons do since the icons make it obvious what the buttons do, unlike the action button, which uses a dot as its icon.
This article will help you understand all the functions of the action button to use your Echo Dot speaker properly.
Key Takeaways
- Echo Dot speakers have two or four buttons on the top, depending on the generation.
- The first-generation speakers have two buttons, i.e., the microphone off button and the action button.
- The second and third-generation speakers have four buttons: the Volume up and down buttons, the action button, and the microphone off button.
- The action button on the above speakers is found in the three o’clock position if the speaker is facing your direction. It is marked by a white circle at the button’s center.
- The action button on the fourth and fifth generations is labeled differently and found on a different spot. It is a circular button with a gray center and is in the twelve o’clock position when the speaker faces you.
- Quickly pressing the action button when the speaker is powered on and idle will wake the speaker; however, the microphone must be enabled to work.
- Pressing the action button for twenty to twenty-five seconds will reset the speaker and put it in set-up mode once it restarts.
- The button can also be used to pick up calls or hang up.
- When the alarm or timer rings, pressing the action button will stop the ringing.
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Where Is the Action Button on Echo Dot Speakers?
Echo dot speakers have two or three buttons depending on the speaker’s generation. These buttons are located on the speaker’s top side; once you know this, it is easier to spot the Action button.
The First Generation Echo Dot speaker has two buttons on the top. One button is the mute button that is used to mute the speaker’s microphone preventing the speaker from listening to you.
The button is marked with a microphone symbol with a line running through it.
The next button is the action button, labeled with a white dot at its center.
Echo Dot 1st Generation Action Button
The second generation Echo Dot speaker has four buttons: the volume up and down buttons, the Microphone off button, and the action button.
The action button is located on the three o’clock position assuming the speaker is placed so that the power and 3.5mm aux ports are facing away from you and the Volume down (-) button is near you. In comparison, the Volume up button is away from you at the twelve o’clock position. The button is labeled with a white circle in its center, just like the first-generation Echo Dot speaker.
Echo Dot 2nd Generation Action Button
The third-generation Echo Dot speaker has the action button in the same place as the first- and second-generation speakers. The button is also labeled the same as on the previous generation speakers.
Echo Dot 3rd Generation Action Button
The fourth and fifth-generation Echo Dot speakers also have four buttons that perform the same functions as those buttons on the second and third-generation speakers. The difference is that on the latest generation speakers, the buttons are touch-sensitive and are covered by the speaker’s fabric.
The microphone off and action buttons are labeled differently than the other generations’ buttons. The microphone button is a circular button with a line running through it, and it is located in the six o’clock position assuming the speaker is facing you.
The action button is in the twelve o’clock position and is circular with a gray center when the speaker faces you.
Echo Dot 4th/5th Generation Action Button
What Does the Action Button Do on Echo Dot Speakers?
The Action button plays the same role on all generations of Echo Dot speakers. The button will perform different functions depending on the speaker’s state and how long it is pressed.
Below are its various functions:
Wakes the Echo Dot Speaker
If you quickly press the action button while the speaker is powered on and idle, the speaker will wake up and listen to your command.
The action button is used to wake the speaker when you do not want to use the wake word for whatever reason. Therefore, the button can be helpful when you notice your Echo Dot speaker is not responding to your voice when you call out the wake word.
Note that the speaker’s microphone has to be enabled for the action button to be used instead of the wake word.
Gets the Speaker in Setup Mode
The action button can reset second, third, fourth, and fifth-generation Echo Dot speakers.
Simply press and hold the button for twenty to twenty-five seconds until you see the LED on the speaker go off. The light will then come back on and start flashing orange after a few seconds to indicate that it is already in set-up mode.
How to Reset Echo Dot Using the Action Button
Using this method to reset the speakers will only reset them but not erase your smart home connections.
You can factory reset these speakers and erase the smart home connections by holding the MIC OFF and VOL DOWN buttons for twenty seconds.
Silences Alarms
If you hear the alarm or timer tone play on the speaker, quickly pressing the action button will silence the tone.
This is a fast way of silencing alarms and timers; however, you can tap the speaker’s top to stop it when the timer tone is playing.
This tap gesture feature is available on the Echo Dot 5th, 4th, and 3rd generation speakers. It’s also available on the Echo Show (1st and 2nd generation).
If you tap the device when the alarm is ringing, the alarm will be snoozed for nine minutes on the Echo dot third, fourth, and fifth-generation speakers. The tap gesture features also need the microphone to be enabled for them to work.
Answer or End Calls
You can also use the action button to answer or end calls. Press the button whenever a call comes through the speaker, and it will be picked up.
You can press the button to end the call when you are done talking.
Alternatively, you can use the tap gesture to hang up calls on the Echo Dot fifth-generation speakers.
What to Do When the Action Button Doesn’t Work?
Sometimes you will notice that the action button is not working, and you cannot figure out the problem. Below are quick troubleshooting measures you can take to get the button working.
First, ensure the microphone is enabled, especially if you are attempting to wake the speaker without using the wake word. The microphone should be on for the action button to wake the speaker.
Look at the LED on the speaker to determine whether the speaker’s microphone is enabled. If the LED is solid red, it means the microphone is disabled.
Enable it by pressing the microphone mute button.
Ensure the microphone is enabled – unmute it
If the issue is not with the microphone, unplug the speaker from the power source and leave it disconnected for at least ten seconds. Then reconnect the speaker, power it on, and check whether the action button is responsive.
If the button is still unresponsive, factory reset the speaker.
You can do this manually by pressing and holding the MIC OFF and VOL DOWN buttons simultaneously for twenty to twenty-five seconds until you see the speaker power off.
It will then automatically power on and go into setup mode with the LED being orange.
The above steps work for all the Echo Dot speakers except the first generation one.
You can reset the first-generation speaker by pressing the reset button using a paper clip or anything similar for eight seconds.
The reset button is on the bottom of the speaker and is labeled RESET.
Press the RESET button for 8 seconds to reset your Echo Dot 1st Gen
Frequently Asked Questions
- Question: Where is the action button on Echo Dot 5?
- Answer: The action button on the fifth generation Echo Dot speaker is in the twelve o’clock position. That is when the speaker is facing you, and the power input and aux ports are facing away from you.
- The button is circular and gray at the center.
- Question: What are the buttons on the top of my Echo Show 5 Used For?
- Answer: The plus (+) and minus (-) buttons are the VOLUME buttons. The circle button with a line running through it is a mute button used to turn off the speaker’s microphone so it cannot respond to voice commands.
- The circular button with a gray center is the action button that performs different functions like silencing alarms and timers, picking and ending phone calls, and getting the speaker in setup mode.
- Question: How do I reset my Alexa Echo Dot?
- Answer: To reset the first-generation Echo Dot speaker, turn it upside down and locate the tiny hole labeled Reset. Then get a paper clip or something similar, insert it, and gently press for eight seconds until the speaker powers off.
- Factory reset the other generations of the Echo Dot speakers by pressing the VOL DOWN and MIC OFF buttons for twenty seconds until you see the speaker go off. You will know the Reset is successful when the LED goes off, turns on, and glows blue, then orange.
Conclusion
The Echo Dot speakers are a great addition to any smart home enthusiast. The speakers will allow you to control various aspects of your home with just your voice. This is convenient and time-saving since you do not always have to interact with the speaker physically.
However, the speakers also have buttons that come in handy, especially when you cannot or do not want to use voice commands. Hence, you should know how the action button works.
If you have questions about the Echo Dot speaker, visit the support page, and you will find all the relevant information.
