Amazon invented Alexa as a smart assistant to help ease the use of multiple devices with voice control.
Alexa has steadily become a top choice among virtual assistants. Due to its high quality and compatibility with multiple devices, it is well-known and recommended.
However, as typical with tech products, Alexa sometimes experiences malfunctions. In this article, we’ll discuss seven possible causes and the solutions for why your Alexa makes static noises.
Your Alexa smart assistant can start making static noise because of a poor wifi connection or faulty auxiliary cable. Additionally, it could be due to a fault from the sound equalizer, the distance between connected devices, or a low battery.
Why Is My Alexa Making Static Sounds?
Alexa’s basic feature involves sound, which converts words to acts. Alexa’s sound system must be in good condition to enable its effective use.
When you start hearing static sounds from your Alexa, it could result from:
#1. Unstable/poor wifi connection
Your wifi router, which enables connection to Amazon, echoes dot devices to work. Alexa has to be near your router to get a good connection.
However, if the router is placed far away, or there’s an interference in its connection, Alexa starts making static noises due to the break in connection.
Sometimes, interference to the network is caused by waves if the Alexa device is kept close to certain home appliances, such as a microwave.
In addition, if the devices connected to Alexa aren’t connected properly to the router, it’ll produce static sounds.
#2. Sound Equalizer Problems
Alexa’s sound equalizer controls its music frequency and sound frequency. Sometimes, a third-party app may adjust the equalizer’s setting, messing up Alexa’s sound and causing the static noise you hear.
#3. Faulty Auxiliary Cable
some people use an auxiliary cable to get audio to Alexa. Whenever this cable develops a fault, it affects the audio quality of Alexa.
The location and quality of the cable used for the connection affect Alexa’s sound directly. When the auxiliary cable gets tampered with, Alexa starts producing static sounds.
#4. Distance From the Device
The size and distance of the device sending a signal to your Alexa device are directly proportional to its audio quality.
Therefore, if your device is too far from Alexa, it’ll experience poor connection, resulting in hearing static sounds.
#5. Low Battery
if your Alexa device has a low battery may give out static sounds if not attended to.
In addition, if the device connected to Alexa is running low, Alexa’s static noise may sound like a notification for you.
#6. Regular Usage At High Volume
It isn’t healthy to use Alexa at an extremely high volume. Continuous usage of Alexa at outrageously high volume will lead to the production of static sounds.
Continuous use of extremely high volumes eventually damages the sound system of the Alexa-enabled device, causing static sounds.
#7. Weak Bluetooth Connection
it is common to connect your Alexa device to a Bluetooth device to send and receive signals.
Sometimes the connected device experiences poor network, which affects the Bluetooth connection’s stability. The weak Bluetooth connection signal can set off your Alexa device’s static sounds.
How Do I Get Rid of Static On Alexa?
As with other faults that technical devices experience, you can stop static sounds on your echo dot.
The primary thing to know is the specific cause of the static noise. Knowing the cause of the static noise is the first step in getting rid of it.
Table Showing Causes And Solutions for Alexa Static Sound:
| Causes | Solutions |
|---|---|
| Poor wifi connection | Place the router in an accessible position and reconnect. |
| Issues with sound equalizer | Manually reset the sound equalizer or ask Alexa to “reset equalizer.” |
| Faulty auxiliary cable | Change the cable. |
| Distance from device | Moves the device closer to Alexa. |
| Low battery | Charge both the device and the Alexa device. |
| Continuous usage at a high volume | Reduce the volume and avoid extreme volumes. |
| Unstable Bluetooth connection | Disconnect and re-pair your Bluetooth devices. |
The solutions mentioned above are the primary and simple ways to tackle whatever causes your Alexa static noise.
If you go through the above solutions and still hear the static noise, it would be best to get technical help.
Amazon has online support sites that will guide on other possible causes and solutions for the static noise not mentioned in this article.
Similarly, the Amazon team also provided a general method to troubleshoot your Alexa when it’s making static noises.
Just follow these steps:
- Confirm that your Alexa app uses the latest software.
- Next, reconnect power to your modem.
- After the modem fully connects to the internet, connect your router.
- After the modem and router are fully active, restart your Alexa-enabled device.
If you troubleshoot your Alexa with these steps and it still makes static noise, it’s a case of being old and worn out. If your echo dot wears out, it is advisable to purchase a new one.
Why Does Alexa Keep Breaking Up?
It can be pretty frustrating having Alexa break up when making calls, listening to music, or a podcast.
Your Alexa device producing crackling or static noises isn’t the only technical issue you may experience.
There have been reports of Alexa breaking up, especially when playing songs or making calls.
Alexa can start breaking up because of several issues; here are a few.
#1. Glitches and Bugs
Certain glitches can occur in Alexa’s system because of bugs or other factors. For example, if Alexa gets infested by bugs, it will cause distorted sound or audio quality.
#2. Outdated Version
Suppose there’s a new version you haven’t updated to. The outdated version can prove troublesome as it won’t be compatible with third-party apps.
#3. Network Failure
It is experiencing network connection failure with either Bluetooth or wifi.
Both wifi routers and Bluetooth typically experience interference problems. Bandwidth and distance are other barriers to effective connection.
#4. Packet Loss
When streaming songs online, it gets sent in units called packets. Packet loss is when some parts of the song get missing before reaching you.
In this situation, some parts of it end up crackling and breaking up. Packet loss could be an effect of poor network connection.
#5. Third-party Apps
Amazon Music is the primary music producer for your Amazon echo dot.
Therefore, if you choose to stream songs from third-party apps like Spotify or Apple Music, you may sometimes experience breaking. The traffic on these platforms could be a possible reason.
#6. External Speakers
Connecting your echo dot to external speakers could break audio. In addition, problems with the speakers could tamper with Alexa’s audio quality.
#7. Auxiliary cables
The cables connecting the external speakers could be an issue, especially if the cables are old or of poor quality.
#8. Worn Out Echo Dot
Lastly, your echo dot may be approaching its warranty period. An echo dot that has gotten old may start manifesting in a degrading audio quality.
Why Does My Alexa Voice Sound Muffled?
If you haven’t adjusted the sound of your echo dot and Alexa sounds muffled, you mustn’t rush into a panic thinking it’s faulty.
For these reasons, Alexa’s voice may sound muffled:
- An outdated version of Alexa. Keep your echo dot on auto-update to prevent this.
- You can adjust the equalizer settings if it sounds muffled when playing music.
- The specific Alexa voice you’re using has a malfunction. You can stop this by changing to a different voice.
- Your echo dot speaker may have a fault. Try using external speakers for clearer sounds.
- Alexa may sound muffled if the echo dot is low.
- The size of your echo dot determines its audio quality. Therefore, if your Alexa device is relatively small, it’ll have a low sound quality that might eventually sound muffled.
If none of the reasons and fixes mentioned above seem to be the problem, seek professional technical help.
How Do I Adjust My Alexa Equalizer?
You can adjust the Alexa sound equalizer manually or automatically through voice commands. Adjusting the equalizer serves to help you control the audio to suit your preference.
You can tell Alexa to “reset the equalizer” or give specific commands like “turn up the bass,” “turn down the treble to three,” or “turn up the midrange to five.”
Giving specific commands with the number helps Alexa better. Alexa can work with these commands to adjust your sound equalizer.
Here’s how to adjust the equalizer in your mobile app:
- On the Alexa app home screen, scroll down and select more.
- Next, tap on settings.
- Select sounds under settings.
- Swipe and tap on the equalizer.
- You can adjust the bass, midrange, and treble settings here from -6 to +6 decibels.
Conclusion
Alexa will serve to make things easier for you despite its technical problems that may occur once in a while.
It would be best to take necessary precautions to avoid dealing with the recurrence of issues such as your Alexa making static sounds.
Whenever you experience such issues, use the solutions mentioned above to tackle them or take your echo dot to a technician for help.