Alexa Red Ring or Red Light Bar
Amazon Echo showing solid red ring — microphone muted, how to unmute, and what each Echo model's red light means.
Solid
red
Quick info
Visual description
A solid, non-blinking red ring on top of your Amazon Echo, or a solid red bar across the top on Echo Dot (4th gen, which has a flat top). Some slim models show a red line rather than a full ring. This is a constant, steady red — not blinking or pulsing. The device is fully operational except that the microphone array is disabled.
What it means
Solid red on Amazon Echo always and only means the microphone is muted. You did this — intentionally or by accidentally pressing the microphone button on top of the device. While red is showing, Alexa cannot respond to wake words, voice commands, or Drop-In calls.
This is a privacy feature, not an error. Some users mute Alexa while watching TV to prevent false wake-word detection. The device still plays music if already playing, still shows the time, and still works via the Alexa app — only microphone input is disabled.
Brand & model variations
The same light pattern can mean different things across manufacturers.
| Brand / Model | What red solid means | Recommended action |
|---|---|---|
Amazon Echo (all cylindrical models) | Solid red ring = microphone muted. Press the microphone button (circle with line through it) on top once to unmute. Ring turns off (normal) or blue briefly. | Press the microphone mute button on top. |
Amazon Echo Show | Red bar across top of screen = microphone (and camera if applicable) muted. Same button press to unmute. | Press the microphone/camera button on the top edge. |
Diagnose your issue
Answer a few questions to narrow down the cause.
Did you intentionally press the microphone mute button?
Safe next steps
Ordered from least to most involved. Check each step as you go.
Locate the microphone button on top of your Echo — it has a circle with a slash or a microphone icon.
Press it once.
The red ring or bar disappears.
Say 'Alexa' — if she responds with the blue ring, microphone is active again.
When it resolves on its own
Condition: Microphone mute does not auto-clear
Expected time: This does not resolve on its own — red will stay until you press the mute button again. It persists through restarts.
When to escalate
Stop troubleshooting and contact your ISP or manufacturer if:
- Red persists after pressing the mute button multiple times — possible button hardware fault.
- Red ring clears but Alexa still doesn't respond to wake words — may be a software issue, restart the Echo.