In the era of smart homes, Amazon’s Alexa has become a popular choice for many users due to its many features and ease of use. However, users have reported that the Amazon Alexa app has been crashing on their iPhones recently. If you are one of them, don’t worry. In this blog, I will share some of the best solutions to fix Alexa app not working on your iPhone.
1. Force stop the Alexa app
If you use too many applications at the same time, they may conflict when running in the background. In this case, you must force close all applications on your iPhone and free up memory.
After that, wait a few seconds and open the app again. This will resolve the issue and remove any potential bugs the Alexa app might encounter.
Once you’ve done that, try using the app again to see if it’s working properly.
2. Check your internet connection
The Amazon Alexa app works exclusively on the web. So make sure Amazon Echo and your iPhone have a strong and stable internet connection to work properly.
- Connect both devices on the same network.
- Make sure you have an active data plan.
- Turn on/off airplane mode.
- Disable and enable your iPhone’s cellular data.
- Check if your cellular data is limited.
- In the case of Wi-Fi, turn off the router, wait a few seconds and turn it back on.
3. Make sure Alexa has access to cellular data
Sometimes we inadvertently limit cellular data for certain apps. So, if you’re using the Amazon Alexa app on a cellular network, give the Alexa app permissions to access cellular data.
- Open the Settings app on your iPhone → tap Cellular. In some regions, this may be “Mobile Data”.
- Scroll down to find Amazon Alexa.
- Turn on the switch next to Amazon Alexa.
4. Sign out of Alexa
If the Amazon Alexa app suddenly stops working, it may experience some kind of internal glitches in the app, such as being unable to recognize your voice or connect to the server. Therefore, you can exit the Alexa app on your iPhone and let it sync with your preferences.
- Launch the Alexa app on your iPhone.
- Choose Advanced→Choose Settings.
- Scroll down and select Sign out.
- Select Sign Out when prompted to confirm your choice.
Now you need to enter your credentials again and set up Alexa again.
5. Restart your iPhone and Echo device.
Restarting any device clears any performance issues. So, turn off your Amazon Echo, plug it into a wall outlet, and wait 10 seconds. Then plug it back in and turn it on. Also, restart your iPhone and check if Alexa is working.
6. Uninstall and reinstall the app.
In case of incorrect installation or any issues with iOS integration, your Alexa app may not work.
So, you have to uninstall the app and then reinstall it from the App Store. This will fix any annoying issue that is interfering with the app.
7. Factory Reset Echo
Source: Twitter
Factory reset is another way to help your device and app start working again. This will delete all potentially burdensome data.
- Press and hold the action button for at least 30 seconds, or hold it until the LED on the Echo turns amber.
- A yellow light indicates a successful reboot.
- Now wait until it turns blue again to start the setup.
8. Check your Alexa app settings
You may have added too many settings to the Alexa app, preventing it from working. So, check out the various Alexa settings and settings to make sure everything is in order. Also, if Alexa is not responding to your voice, you should turn on the speakerphone feature.
- Open the Alexa app on your iPhone.
- Tap More → Settings.
- Select Alexa App Settings.
- Turn on Alexa Hands-Free.
- Tap Continue.
- Then click “OK”to grant permission to use the microphone → Allow when using the app to access the location.
- Select your language and click Continue.
Remember that Alexa will only respond to your voice when the app is open or running in the background. So make sure background app refresh is enabled for Alexa.
9. Update App and iOS
The Alexa app may not open due to pending updates. The developers release security patches and bug fixes in every update. So check the App Store to see if any update is available. Also, keep your iOS up to date so that you can use apps without problems.
To update iOS:
- Just open “Settings”→ “General”.
- Tap Software Update.
- If there is an update, click the Download and Install button to install it.
10. Clear cache
Using the application for a long time will cause a large amount of cache memory to accumulate, which may cause a crash. Therefore, I recommend clearing app data by offloading Alexa. You may need to install an app from the App Store.
- Open settings.
- Click General→Select iPhone Storage.
- Select the Amazon Alexa app.
- Double-tap “Upload Application”to confirm your choice.
11. Turn off the private relay
The Private Relay feature in iCloud+ provides additional security when browsing the Internet. But when enabled, it blocks some website data. So if you ask Alexa something and she can’t access the site, you won’t get a response. In this case, disable Private Relay to fix the Alexa app not working issue.
12. Contact Amazon
If the problem persists after trying these fixes, you can contact Amazon Customer Support for help. Also, check the Amazon Help page on Twitter frequently as it is updated frequently and replies to people who report issues.
- Open the Alex app.
- Tap More→Help & Feedback.
- Select “Talk to a representative”.
Get your Alex back!
Virtual assistants like Alexa have become an integral part of our daily lives. So Alexa app not working on iPhone can be frustrating, but you can fix it with the above mentioned solutions. Also, the app might be in maintenance mode, or the Amazon server might be offline, causing problems. In this case, please wait a while.
If the problem persists, it might be related to the underlying issue with your iPhone. In such cases, contacting Apple Support can help.