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Why Does My Alexa Make a Crackling Sound?

Alexa is great for providing touch-free activity, like music, throughout the home. However, sometimes it can be faulty and make odd sounds. So do you ever find yourself wondering why your Alexa device sometimes makes a crackling sound? If so, you’re not alone.

While many people initially think that their Alexa is haunted, it’s usually something far less exciting (and slightly more frustrating).

Your Alexa may be experiencing interference from another electronic device, bug issues, installed skills, or defective speakers. The microphone may also be picking up sound from your environment.

Quick Tips for Fixing Crackling Sound on Alexa Devices
A crackling sound from Alexa can be caused by various factors, such as dirty microphone, bug issues, interference from other electronic devices, installed skills, or defective speakers.
To fix the issue, try cleaning the microphone, restarting the device, uninstalling and reinstalling the Alexa app, disabling all skills, and checking for software updates.
If none of the above tips work, you can consider factory resetting your Alexa device or purchasing new speakers.

Why Does My Alexa Make a Crackling Sound?

There are several potential reasons why your Alexa device might be making a crackling sound.

Dirty Microphone

The microphone may be dirty and needs to be cleaned due to the accumulation of dust or other particles. To clean it, turn off your device and unplug it from the power outlet.

Use a compressed air can to spray compressed air into the microphone port. Be careful not to insert anything else into the port, as this may damage your device.

You can also try using a cotton swab dipped in rubbing alcohol. Gently clean the microphone port and allow it to dry completely before plugging it back in and turning it on.

Bug Issues

If your Alexa has been having trouble connecting to the internet or updating, it may be due to bug issues.

Try restarting your device by pressing and holding the power button for five seconds.

If that doesn’t work, try uninstalling and reinstalling the Alexa app.

Interference

Another possibility is that there’s interference from another electronic device.

Some common sources of interference are microwaves, baby monitors, and cordless phones. To fix this, try turning off or moving these devices away from your Alexa.

Skills

The crackling sound may also be caused by installed skills. To determine if this is the case, try disabling all skills and see if the sound goes away.

If it does, then enable one skill at a time until you find the one that’s causing the issue.

Read more: Why won’t Alexa play certain songs?

Defective Speakers

Unfortunately, your speaker may be defective. If you’re experiencing this issue, try cleaning the microphone, and if that doesn’t work, contact Amazon for support.

If the speakers are too damaged to be fixed, you may need to purchase new ones.

Read more: Why can’t my AirPods detect my ear?

Alexa
Alexa

How to Fix Alexa Making a Crackling Sound?

We mentioned some solutions that match the causes of crackling sound above. In summary, you can fix the issue with the following methods:

  1. Turn off your device and unplug it from the power outlet.
  2. Clean the microphone port with compressed air or a cotton swab dipped in rubbing alcohol.
  3. Restart your device by pressing and holding the power button for five seconds.
  4. Uninstall and reinstall the Alexa app.
  5. Disable all skills and then enable them one at a time until you find the one that’s causing the issue.

Software Updates

Like any other tech device, your Alexa may not be up-to-date and needs updated software.

To check for updates, open the Alexa app and:

  1. Go to Menu
  2. Settings
  3. Device Options
  4. Check for/install Software Updates

If there are updates available, they’ll be downloaded and installed automatically.

You can also go to the Amazon website and check for software updates.

Use Another Outlet

If you’ve tried all of the solutions and your Alexa still isn’t working, try plugging it into a different outlet.

Sometimes there’s a problem with the outlet itself, and this will solve the issue.

Check All Functions

Your cracking sound may be linked to just one function of your Alexa. To check, try performing all the functions and see if the sound occurs with only one.

Try asking questions that expect long-form responses, playing music, setting alarms and timers, and more.

If the sound only happens with one function, that’s likely the cause and you’ll need to troubleshoot that specific function.

Factory Reset

If all else fails, you may need to factory reset your Alexa device.

This will delete all your personal information and settings, so be sure to back them up first.

To factory reset your device:

  1. Go to Menu
  2. Settings
  3. Device Options
  4. Reset to Factory Defaults.

In some cases, your Alexa device may need to be replaced.

Does a Crackling Sound Mean My Alexa is Broken?

It’s possible that your Alexa is experiencing a hardware issue if you’re hearing a crackling sound. This could mean that the speakers are damaged and need to be replaced.

However, before you go out and purchase new speakers, try some of the solutions we provided above.

It’s also possible that there’s a software issue and updating your device’s software may fix the problem.

Final Thoughts On Alexa Making a Crackling Sound

The Alexa is a great device for making life easier, but like any other piece of technology, it may experience some problems like crackling sounds. Don’t assume your device is broken due to such a crackling sound.

If you’re experiencing the crackling sound, try some of the solutions we provided and see if that fixes the issue. You have several options to keep you Alexa functioning for years to come.