What Do the Echo Dot Buttons Do?

Every Echo Dot device has several physical buttons you can use in addition to, or instead of, voice commands. This article explains what the Echo Dot buttons do, including descriptions and explanations of the first, second, third, and fourth-generation Echo Dot devices.

What Are the Buttons on the Echo Dot?

Every Echo Dot has either two or four buttons, depending on the generation. These buttons give you access to certain Echo Dot functions without using voice controls, allow you to issue a command without first saying the wake word, and allow you to stop the Echo Dot from listening to you. The appearance of these buttons differs slightly depending on which version of the Echo Dot hardware you have.

These are the buttons on the Echo Dot:

• Action: This button performs various activities. Pressing it once has the same effect as saying the wake word for the device. It can also silence alarms, put the device into setup mode, and more. This button is either a circle or a dot.
• Microphone: This button turns the microphone on and off. When the microphone is off, this button turns red, and the light ring turns red. This button looks like a microphone or a circle with a cross through it.
• Volume Up: This button turns the volume up, duplicating the voice command. This button looks like the + symbol.
• Volume Down: This button turns the volume down, duplicating that voice command. This button looks like the - symbol.

How to Use the Action Button On the Echo Dot

The action button on the Echo Dot is activated by pressing it, and you can either tap it or hold it depending on the intended effect. Here are the things you can do with the action button:

• Issue a command: Press and release the action button to duplicate the effect of saying the wake word for the device. After you press and release the button, you can issue a command or ask a question as you would normally.
• Enter setup mode: Press and hold the action button until it enters setup mode. When the ring light turns orange, the device has entered setup mode, and you can set it up in the Alexa app.
• Silence an alarm: When an alarm or timer is currently going off, you can press the action button to turn it off.

How to Use the Microphone Button On the Echo Dot

The microphone button is less complicated than the action button, as it only performs two functions. To use this button, press and release the button when you want Alexa to stop listening in. The button turns red to indicate when the microphone is disabled. When this light is red, you can still press the action button to issue Alexa commands.

When you want to start using voice commands again, just press and release the button a second time, the red light will turn off, which indicates the microphone is on and the Echo Dot is listening.

How to Use the Volume Buttons On the Echo Dot

The Echo Dot has two volume buttons. One has a + symbol on it, and the other has a - sign. There’s nothing complicated here: the + button turns the volume up, and the - button turns it down. Press and release the button which corresponds to the change you want to make to the loudness of your Echo Dot, and it will adjust incrementally.

One press of the volume down button is the same as saying, “Alexa, reduce the volume” or “Alexa, turn the volume down,” or “Alexa, decrease volume by one.”