Connect Alexa to Wi-Fi in three steps

Your Alexa device needs two connections to work: one to your home Wi-Fi network, and one to your Amazon account. Most of the setup happens in the Alexa app on your phone. Start by downloading the Amazon Alexa app from your phone's app store — search for "Amazon Alexa" — and open it.

Plug in your Alexa device and wait for the light ring to turn orange or yellow, which means it is in setup mode. This usually takes 30 seconds. Open the Alexa app, tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines) in the bottom right, then tap "Add Device." Choose your device type — Echo Dot, Echo Show, Echo Studio, or whichever model you have — and select your device when it appears in the list.

When the app asks for your Wi-Fi password, enter it exactly as it is, including capital letters and special characters. The device will connect and the light ring will turn blue, then green when the connection is complete. This step takes about two minutes. If the light stays orange or turns red, the password was incorrect — try again, and make sure you are typing the password for your home network, not a guest network.

Key Takeaways

  • Download the Amazon Alexa app on your phone and create or sign into your Amazon account before you start setup.
  • Plug in your Alexa device and wait for the light ring to turn orange or yellow, which signals it is ready to pair.
  • Enter your Wi-Fi password exactly as it appears, including uppercase letters and symbols, or the device will not connect.
  • The device will show a green light ring when it has successfully connected to both your Wi-Fi and your Amazon account.

What to do if your device will not connect to Wi-Fi

If the light ring stays orange or turns red after you enter your password, the device did not connect. The most common cause is a typo in the Wi-Fi password. Go back to the Alexa app, tap "Change Wi-Fi," and enter the password again, character by character. If you are not sure what your password is, check the sticker on the back of your router or log into your router's settings from a computer.

If the password is correct but the device still will not connect, move it closer to your router — Alexa devices need a strong signal to pair. Try connecting again from within 10 feet of the router. If it connects, you can move it to another room once setup is complete. If it still fails, restart your router by unplugging it for 30 seconds, plugging it back in, and waiting two minutes for it to fully restart. Then try the Alexa setup again.

Some routers block new devices on their first connection attempt. If you have a 5 GHz and 2.4 GHz network with the same name, switch to the 2.4 GHz network during setup — Alexa devices connect more reliably on 2.4 GHz. You can switch back to 5 GHz later if your router allows it, or keep the device on 2.4 GHz permanently.

Sign into your Amazon account during setup

After your Alexa device connects to Wi-Fi, the app will ask you to sign into your Amazon account. If you do not have an Amazon account, you will need to create one before you can use Alexa. Enter the email address and password you use for Amazon, or the email and password you want to create a new account with.

Once you sign in, the app will ask you to confirm your location and time zone. Choose the time zone where you physically are — Alexa uses this to set alarms and timers correctly. You can also choose whether to let Amazon store your voice recordings for product development. This setting is optional and you can change it later in the app under "Alexa Privacy."

Connect multiple Alexa devices to the same account

If you have more than one Alexa device, you can connect them all to the same Amazon account. Each device goes through the same setup process: plug it in, wait for the orange light, open the Alexa app, tap "Add Device," and enter your Wi-Fi password. The app will recognize that you are already signed in and will add the new device to your existing account.

Once all your devices are connected, you can control them individually or as a group. In the Alexa app, you can name each device by room — "Kitchen Echo," "Bedroom Echo Dot," "Living Room Show" — so you know which one you are talking to. You can also create groups in the app so that one command controls multiple devices at once, like saying "Alexa, turn off the bedroom lights" to control all the lights in that room.

Reconnect Alexa to a new Wi-Fi network

If you change your home Wi-Fi password or move to a new location, your Alexa device will lose its connection. To reconnect it, open the Alexa app, go to "Devices" at the bottom, select your device, and tap the settings icon (gear symbol) in the top right. Scroll down and tap "Change Wi-Fi," then enter your new Wi-Fi password.

The device will disconnect and reconnect to the new network. The light ring will turn orange while it is searching, then blue and green when it connects. This usually takes one to two minutes. If the device does not reconnect, unplug it, wait 10 seconds, plug it back in, and try the Wi-Fi change again from the app.

Troubleshoot connection problems with your router

Some routers have security settings that block Alexa devices. If you have tried everything above and the device still will not connect, log into your router's settings from a computer and check whether MAC filtering or device blocking is turned on. If it is, add your Alexa device's MAC address to the allowed list. You can find the MAC address in the Alexa app under your device's settings.

If your router requires you to accept terms before connecting new devices, you may need to open a web browser on your phone while connected to the Wi-Fi and complete that step before Alexa can finish connecting. Some public or shared Wi-Fi networks — like those in apartments or offices — do not allow Alexa devices to connect at all. If you are on a network like this, you will need to use a personal hotspot from your phone instead, though this will drain your phone's battery.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need an Amazon Prime membership to use Alexa?

No. You need an Amazon account, but you do not need Prime. A free Amazon account is enough to set up Alexa and use basic features like timers, alarms, and smart home control. Some features like music streaming require a separate music service subscription, but Alexa itself is free.

Can I use Alexa without Wi-Fi?

No. Alexa requires an internet connection to work. It sends your voice to Amazon's servers to understand what you are saying, so it cannot function on a device without Wi-Fi. If your internet goes down, Alexa will not respond to commands.

What if I forgot my Amazon password?

Go to amazon.com on a computer or phone, click "Account & Lists," then "Login & Security." Click "Forgot your password?" and follow the steps to reset it using your email address. Once you have a new password, you can sign into the Alexa app with it.

Can I connect Alexa to a guest Wi-Fi network?

Most Alexa devices work on guest networks, but some routers isolate guest networks so devices cannot talk to each other. If you want to control smart home devices with Alexa, both Alexa and your smart devices need to be on the same network. Check your router settings to see if guest network isolation is turned on.

How do I remove an Alexa device from my account?

Open the Alexa app, go to "Devices," select the device you want to remove, tap the settings icon, scroll to the bottom, and tap "Deregister." The device will be removed from your account. You can then set it up again with a different account or give it to someone else.