Alexa Yellow Ring Light
Amazon Echo yellow spinning or pulsing ring — what it means, how to check your notifications, and how to make it stop.
Slow Blink
yellow
Quick info
Visual description
A slow, pulsing yellow (gold) glow emanating from the ring of light on top of your Amazon Echo device. This is different from a spinning yellow, which indicates your Echo is disconnected from Wi-Fi. The pulse is gentle and slow — about one fade in/out cycle per second or two. If you see this and haven't asked Alexa anything recently, it almost always means you have a notification waiting.
What it means
Amazon Alexa uses the yellow ring specifically for notifications — a queued system that holds messages, delivery updates from Amazon orders, or Drop-In voicemail. The ring pulses yellow until you acknowledge the notification.
Common sources include: Amazon package shipping updates, messages from Alexa contacts, Alexa Announcements from family members, or third-party Alexa Skill notifications (like a Ring doorbell alert or a calendar reminder).
Just ask: 'Alexa, what are my notifications?' and she'll read them aloud. The yellow ring clears automatically after all notifications are read.
Brand & model variations
The same light pattern can mean different things across manufacturers.
| Brand / Model | What yellow slow blink means | Recommended action |
|---|---|---|
Amazon Echo (all generations) | Yellow pulse = pending notification. Spinning yellow = Wi-Fi connection issue. Solid yellow = not a standard Echo state — contact support. | Say 'Alexa, what are my notifications?' to clear. |
Amazon Echo Dot (3rd, 4th, 5th gen) | Same as Echo — yellow pulsing ring around the top. Dot's ring is smaller but behavior is identical. | Same: 'Alexa, what are my notifications?' |
Amazon Echo Show (screen models) | Echo Show displays a small yellow bar at the top of the screen in addition to audio notification. The notification icon appears in the header. | Swipe down from the top of the screen or ask Alexa verbally. |
Diagnose your issue
Answer a few questions to narrow down the cause.
Is the yellow ring pulsing (slow fade in/out) or spinning (rotating)?
Safe next steps
Ordered from least to most involved. Check each step as you go.
Say 'Alexa, what are my notifications?' and listen to all notifications.
If the yellow ring persists after hearing all notifications, say 'Alexa, what are my messages?' (messages are separate from notifications).
Check the Alexa app → Bell icon for a full notification history.
If you want to stop certain notifications (e.g., package updates): Alexa app → More → Settings → Notifications → uncheck the relevant categories.
When it resolves on its own
Condition: After reading notifications
Expected time: Clears immediately after all notifications are acknowledged verbally or via the app.
When to escalate
Stop troubleshooting and contact your ISP or manufacturer if:
- Yellow ring persists after 'Alexa, what are my notifications?' returns 'You have no notifications' — possible firmware display bug, restart the Echo by unplugging for 30 seconds.