The manufacturers and developers created Alexa to listen at all times and respond to requests. However, sometimes users want to turn Alexa off. We can help you if that’s you.
There may also be times when Alexa fails to turn a device such as a TV or lamp off when you command her to. Various issues like power problems and internet connections can cause that to happen. We’ll guide you through some solutions for that as well.
Tips:
- You can turn Alexa off by using your privacy settings, revoking mic permissions, muting Alexa, disabling Alexa, or unplugging your Echo.
- If Alexa fails to turn off your TV, you may want to disconnect your hub or check for conflicting device names.
- Weak Wi-Fi connections or too many devices connected to your network can affect Alexa’s response time.
- You can tell Alexa to stop by saying, “Alexa, stop.” 5. If you have trouble getting Alexa to stop, you may need to reboot your device or uninstall and reinstall the app.
Why Won’t Alexa Turn Off?
Alexa will continue to listen dormantly as long as you have her features activated. In that situation, she might wake up after hearing someone on television say her name and respond by playing music or turning something on that you didn’t ask her to activate.
We know how offputting that can be, so we’ll help you shut her down. You can use your privacy settings to stop Alexa from listening and possibly eavesdropping on your conversation.
If you’re on an Alexa-enabled smartphone or tablet, you can open the app and go to “More,” “Settings,” and “Alexa App Settings.”
Shift the toggle switch to the left to turn off Alexa’s ability to respond to your voice and other voices in the room.
Revoke Mic Permissions
If you have trouble with Alexa, you can also go into your phone’s app and revoke the permission for Alexa to use your microphone.
On an Android device, you’ll go to “Settings,” “Apps & Notifications,” “Advanced,” and then “Permission Manager.”
Go to “Microphone” and search for the Alexa app. Click on Amazon Alexa and then select “Don’t Allow.”
Mute Alexa
You can use the “Mute” button if you own an Echo device. The “Mute” button will be a microphone icon or a circle with a line in the middle of it on your Echo.
You can press it and put it into mute mode whenever you don’t want to use it.
Disable Alexa
You can turn Alexa off on the Fire tablet by simply going to “Settings” and “Alexa.” You’ll see toggle switches for “Alexa” and “Hands-Free Mode.” Slide both of those to the left to turn them off.
Read more: Can you play songs from Alexa on your phone?
Why Won’t Alexa Turn Off My TV?
The most common problem with Alexa’s failure to turn off the TV is a hub. You may want to disconnect your hub and reconnect if you continue to have issues with commanding Alexa. Alternatively, you may have conflicting device names.
For example, Alexa may not turn your TV off if you have a second one labeled “TV” connected to Alexa. Thus, you may need to open the app and check your devices to verify that two of them don’t have the same name.
Network Issues
If Alexa fails to turn your TV off when you tell her to, she may be having a network issue. You may want to check your Wi-Fi connection to ensure that you have a stable connection.
Weak connections can cause Alexa to respond slowly or be unresponsive.
Reboot your router if necessary by pressing and holding the reset button. Also, keep an eye on the amount of devices you’ve connected to your Wi-Fi network. Disconnect some items if you have more than five.
Read more: Why does my Alexa app say no internet connection?
Why Won’t Alexa Turn Off My Music?
There could be a number of reasons Alexa will not turn off your music. One reason could be that you are not speaking clearly or using the correct command. You’ll need to tell Alexa to “Stop playing music” to get a response.
You won’t get a response if the microphone disengages, either. That’s a likely scenario if you have an Echo with a mic button on top of it.
One of the children may have pressed the button, or you could have done it by accident. You’ll see a red light on your Echo if the microphone is off, and you can press it to turn it back on.
Your device could also have experienced a temporary glitch. Restarting it can be highly effective in a situation like that.
Therefore, you’ll need to power off your Echo correctly or unplug its power cord. If you have a smartphone that uses Alexa, you can reboot it by holding the “Power” button and following the prompts.
In some cases, there’s a problem with the app, and you might need to uninstall it and then re-install it. An alternative way to handle it is to initiate an update. You can do that by telling your Alexa device to go to the “Settings” menu.
You’ll then need to navigate to the “Device Settings” and check where it says “Software Options.” It’s possible that you missed an update, so you’ll need to have your device install it if you did.
Why Won’t Alexa Turn Off My Sonos?
If your Alexa is not turning off your Sonos, you may have an existing issue with the Sonos skill. You can try disabling and re-enabling the skill. To do that, open your Alexa app and go to “More, “Skills & Games,” “Your Skills,” and then “Disable.
Wait a few seconds and then go through the same process, selecting “Enable” instead of “Disable.”
You’ll also need to check your Amazon account because you can only have one account per Sonos system. Thus, you may need to open and use a different account if you have more than one speaker.
Why Won’t Alexa Turn Off My Light?
A common problem with Alexa not turning a light “On” or “Off” is that more than one device has the same name.
You’ll need to open the app and ensure that you don’t have two lights with the same name in the app. If so, you’ll need to issue a new name to the light in the Alexa app.
You’ve solved the problem if you do that and then receive an excellent response from Alexa.
If not, you may have to delete the light from the app and then run a discovery on it again. It should work well after you perform that procedure.
How To Turn Off Alexa?
The way you turn off Alexa will depend on which device you own. It’s fairly easy on an Amazon tablet as mentioned above.
If you own an Echo, you can turn Alexa off by unplugging the speaker or holding its “Microphone Off” button for at least three seconds.
A third way to turn Alexa off on the Echo is to go into the settings and select “Device Settings.” Tap your device and then look for the microphone settings. Set your toggle switch to “Off.”
How To Tell Alexa To Stop?
Alexa usually responds kindly to commands that make her stop playing music and alarms. All you need to do is say, “Alexa, stop” if everything is running smoothly.
Some people have even had luck with commands like, “Alexa, turn the music off.” Stop is universal and more likely to work, however.
If you have any issues getting Alexa to stop, you can use one or several of the methods mentioned above. Don’t hesitate to contact an Amazon technician if you continue to have issues.
