Alexa, also known as Amazon Alexa, is a technology-based virtual assistant based on a Polish speech synthesizer called Ivona; in 2013, Amazon bought it.
This digital assistant can respond to and answer questions within a short period. They also perform tasks within seconds of administration.
It sometimes becomes unreliable and starts to troubleshoot, and becomes unable to process or receive commands. Especially the”I don’t know that one response” from Alexa.
Whenever Alexa says, ” sorry, I don’t know that one,” the solution depends on the actual problem; it could be that your network connection is bad, you have bad weather, Alexa needs an update, a hardware problem, or your servers are down. And all these problems have their solution.
Why Does Alexa Keep Saying? “Sorry, I Don’t Know That One”
Whenever you give a command or ask a question, and Alexa replies with”sorry, I don’t know that one,” there’s possibly a glitch somewhere that needs a check-up
The glitch might be coming from your end or Alexa’s end depending on what exactly the problem is and the condition of the environment you are in.
However, various reasons could make Alexa find it hard to understand your commands or answer your questions.
#1. Poor Network Connections
Your bad network connection could be why Alexa cannot understand what you’re saying.
It could be that you’re far away from the route or have too many devices connected to your WiFi. You might also connect your Alexa to the wrong WiFi.
Network issues are prevalent as the problems that can make Alexa fail to understand or interpret simple commands and questions.
#2. Bad weather
Weather conditions affect network Connections and can cause a glitch in the connection 9f a device such as Alexa.
Rainy weather can cause a very inconvenient network connection, making Connections slow or bad.
Wind and storms also can disturb connections and cause a glitch in Alexa’s response and interpretation of commands.
#3. Outdated Alexa
Your Alexa might be outdated; that’s why it’s difficult for it to comprehend simple instructions.
It might be lacking essential features, and these features are limiting it to some activities that an Alexa could carry out.
Apart from a glitch and failure to understand instructions, your Alexa could show some other signs if it is outdated and an update is needed.
It can also be that the server from Amazon is currently down, so you’ll have to wait until the server is back to normal, or you can contact Amazon to lay a complaint.
What to Do When Alexa Says Sorry, I Don’t Understand That?
You get scared when your virtual assistant starts troubleshooting and telling you they don’t understand a particular question or command from you.
Most problems can be solved within the comfort of your home and don’t need any stress or energy.
To fix it, you need to know the actual problem of your Alexa before you can come up with a solution. It’ll be difficult to solve the issue without getting the issue.
You can even damage something, thinking it is an actual problem. So it’s better to get the exact problem before looking for solutions.
#1. Poor Network Connections
If it cannot understand questions or commands because of a bad network connection, it doesn’t need too much to solve.
Check if your WiFi is still on, and if it is not enabled, put it on and see if your network connection is now okay and working fine.
You might be too far from your WiFi, so you need to get closer to your WiFi and make a statement if your Alexa would understand.
If too many devices have connections to your WiFi, you need to disconnect a few devices so your Alexa can work well.
#2. Bad Weather
If the weather is why your device cannot work perfectly, you’ll have to wait a bit for clearer and more good weather.
You cannot change the weather; you can look for a better network connection or a place with a better connection.
#3. Outdated Alexa
If the problem comes from outdated Alexa, you must do the following.
- Find the mute button on your device
- Press the button(the echo ring will turn red)
- Leave it for three minutes, and your device will say it needs an update
- Allow the device to run the update process on its own
- It takes about 30 minutes to finish the update. The device will automatically restart once it’s through with the update.
You can try to communicate with it to see if it’ll work well after the update and if it doesn’t, then there is something else causing the glitch.
#4. Problems with Server
If the server of Amazon is down, your device will have difficulties interpreting and understanding instructions.
You’ll have to contact Amazon through their customer care and lay a complaint to them to see if they have recorded any issues.
#5. Reboot
Your device may need a reboot. If you’ve tried all other options, the factory reset didn’t work. Restarting your device can also solve simple connection issues.
To reset your device use the Alexa app.
- Go to “Devices” on the settings
- Then proceed to “Echo and Alexa.”
- Select the device you want to reset
- Then hit the “Factory reset.”
- Allow your Alexa to perform the resetting
#6. Hardware or software problems
The issue could be coming from a problem due to hardware or software issues. However, it is a severe case that needs the service of an expert.
You could take it to a technician, possibly an expert, and he gets to identify the problem, and you can take it back for repair under warranty.
You can only take it back to the producer if the damage doesn’t come from rough handling or transportation of the product, as the company cannot fix it under warranty in such situations.
How Do I Get Alexa to Respond Again?
Getting Alexa to respond isn’t energy or time required unless the software or hardware issue needs special attention.
Restarting your device isn’t a bad idea, as you can also choose to restart a device that has a connection with your virtual assistant.
You can also reset using the factory reset setting. It can also reset Any device connected to it. This setting is ideal when you’ve tried all other options.
Restarting and resetting can also be a solution to bad network connections and also bad network connections caused by weather conditions.
Also, updating your Alexa whenever there’s a new version is essential. It would be best if you did this, so your Alexa doesn’t eventually run outdated.
Issues with the server come directly from Amazon, so do not panic thinking only your device is undergoing such a glitch.
However, before you confirm this, you’ll have to contact Amazon through their customer care to check if there are any reported issues with the network server.
Alexa Not Responding to Commands
Sometimes you notice your device is on and working perfectly but not responding to commands; they may be a few reasons that can cause this.
#1. Poor Network Connections
Sometimes, if the network connection is bad, Alexa won’t be able to get your command at all and thereby not giving you a response.
You can restart the device, then wait a few minutes before giving Alexa a command to see if it’ll respond. If it doesn’t respond, something else might be wrong.
#2. On Mute
Alexa might be mute; that’s why it doesn’t respond to any question or command you give to it, no matter how loud you are.
When it is on mute, all the sounds going In are no longer going in like a closed deaf human can no longer listen to any command.
To remove it from the mute mode, check for any blinking red light on your device. The red light signifies mute.
All you have to do is press it, and you will remove your device from mute mode. If this doesn’t work or you don’t see the red light, this isn’t the problem.
#3. Unclear Commands
Are you in a noisy place, speaking too fast, or speaking with a very low voice? Then Alexa is not receiving your voice enough for her to give a respond.
If you’re in a noisy place, it is difficult to recognize your voice, making it difficult to respond to the command.
Why Is Alexa Not Responding But Lighting Up?
If Alexa is not responding to commands but is lighting up, there might be a situation of possibly not understanding you.
Different lights indicate different issues or information they indicate. So it would help if you didn’t think all the light means the same.
Although Amazon has not yet defined color language or information, you can ask Alexa what her color means, and she’ll tell you.
However, some colors have certain pieces of information. But this can vary with your model of Alexa.
| Light Color | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Blue | Processing user’s request |
| Faint yellow | New message or notification |
| Yellow | A missed reminder |
| Faint green | Incoming calls |
| Green | Ongoing calls |
| Spinning orange | Setup mode or connecting to the internet |
| Faint purple | Error during WiFi setup 9r do not disturb mode |
| White | During volume adjustment |
| Spinning White | Away mode |
| Red | Camera’s or microphone’s on and off button is pressedWiFi connection error Mute mode. |
Conclusion
Alexa is a smart technology-based virtual assistant that helps keep schedules and reminders and perform some tasks.
Your Alexa needs a WiFi connection to work properly, so enable you always to connect it to WiFi whenever you want to use it.
In conclusion, devices like this need the utmost care to last long and perform their job perfectly. So it is advised to follow the producers’ and don’ts to maintain it.