Seeing a yellow light on your Amazon Echo device can be puzzling, especially when you’re not sure what triggered it. This amber glow isn’t random – it’s Alexa’s way of telling you something important needs your attention right away.
Your Alexa shows yellow when you have unread messages, notifications, delivery updates, missed reminders, or voicemails from contacts. A slow yellow pulse indicates pending notifications, while a spinning yellow light suggests Wi-Fi connectivity problems. Most yellow lights disappear after checking your notifications or messages.
Message Notifications
The most common reason your Echo displays yellow is unread messages from other Alexa contacts. When someone sends you a voice message through the Alexa app or another Echo device, your device will flash yellow until you listen to the message.
These messages come from friends or family members who have your contact information in their Alexa app. They can send voice messages by saying “Alexa, send a message to [your name]” which triggers the yellow light on your Echo device.
Amazon’s official help documentation confirms that yellow lights specifically indicate message notifications. The light will continue pulsing slowly until you address the pending communication.
To check your messages, simply say “Alexa, what messages do I have?” or “Alexa, play my messages.” Once you’ve listened to all pending messages, the yellow light should disappear automatically.
Some users receive messages without realizing they’ve enabled the messaging feature. Check your Alexa app settings to see if messaging is turned on and configure it according to your preferences.
Delivery Updates
Amazon frequently uses the yellow light to notify you about package deliveries, shipping updates, and order status changes. This integration between Amazon’s shopping platform and Alexa devices creates a seamless notification system for online purchases.
Medium’s Alexa guide explains that delivery notifications are among the most common triggers for yellow lights. Your Echo will alert you when packages are out for delivery, delivered, or when there are shipping delays.
The notification system also covers Subscribe & Save orders, letting you know when automatic shipments are preparing or have been delivered. This feature helps you track recurring orders without constantly checking the Amazon app.
“One of the most common times you’ll see the yellow light is when Alexa wants to tell you that a package from Amazon has been delivered.”
Medium Technology
To hear your delivery notifications, ask “Alexa, what notifications do I have?” The device will read all pending delivery updates, including tracking information and estimated delivery times.
You can disable delivery notifications if you find them annoying or prefer to check order status manually through the Amazon app or website.
Reminder Alerts
Missed reminders trigger yellow light displays on your Echo device. When you set a reminder using voice commands and aren’t present when it activates, Alexa saves the notification and displays the yellow light to alert you later.
These reminders might include appointments, medication schedules, important tasks, or recurring events you’ve programmed into your device. Reolink’s troubleshooting guide provides detailed information about reminder-based yellow lights.
The reminder system works across multiple Echo devices in your home. If you set a reminder on one device but are near another when it activates, both devices might show yellow lights to ensure you receive the notification.
Ask “Alexa, what reminders do I have?” to hear all pending reminder notifications. The device will list each reminder with its original time and content, helping you catch up on missed alerts.
Common reminder categories that trigger yellow lights:
- Daily medication reminders
- Appointment notifications
- Bill payment alerts
- Exercise or break reminders
- Cooking timer notifications
You can manage reminder settings through the Alexa app, including turning off specific types of reminders or adjusting notification preferences for different devices.
Service Notifications
Third-party services and skills often send notifications that trigger yellow lights on your Echo device. These might include news updates, weather alerts, smart home notifications, or updates from enabled Alexa skills.
Many popular services like news outlets, weather services, and smart home platforms use Alexa’s notification system to send important updates. These notifications accumulate throughout the day and cause yellow light displays.
Calendar applications frequently send meeting reminders and event notifications through Alexa. If you’ve connected your Google Calendar, Outlook, or other calendar services, upcoming events might trigger yellow light notifications.
Amazon’s notification settings page allows you to control which services can send notifications to your Echo devices. You can enable or disable specific notification types based on your preferences.
Smart home devices like security cameras, door locks, and temperature sensors often send status updates through Alexa. These notifications help you stay informed about your home’s condition but can accumulate quickly if you have many connected devices.
Wi-Fi Connection Issues
A spinning yellow light indicates your Echo device is having trouble connecting to Wi-Fi networks. This differs from the slow pulsing yellow that indicates notifications – spinning lights suggest connectivity problems.
When your Echo loses internet connection, it cannot access Amazon’s servers to process voice commands or download content. The spinning yellow light serves as a visual indicator that the device is attempting to reconnect to your network.
Check other devices in your home to determine if the problem affects your entire network or just the Echo device. If your phone, computer, and other devices also have connectivity issues, the problem lies with your internet service provider or router.
Move your Echo closer to your Wi-Fi router to improve signal strength. Physical barriers like walls, metal objects, and electronic interference can weaken wireless signals and cause connection problems.
“A spinning yellow light does indeed mean the Echo is trying to reconnect to Wi-Fi, a sign of a fault or incorrect network settings.”
Gearbrain Technology
Restart your router by unplugging it for 30 seconds, then plugging it back in. This process often resolves temporary network glitches that prevent Echo devices from maintaining stable connections.
Shopping Notifications
Amazon shopping notifications frequently cause yellow lights on Echo devices. These alerts cover order confirmations, shipping updates, delivery notifications, and promotional offers from Amazon’s retail platform.
The Amazon Echo Spot (2024) features enhanced notification displays that make shopping alerts more prominent and easier to manage. This newer model provides clearer visual feedback for different notification types.
Subscribe & Save notifications inform you when automatic orders are processing, shipped, or delivered. These recurring orders often generate multiple notifications throughout the subscription cycle.
Deal alerts and promotional notifications appear when items on your wish list go on sale or when Amazon offers special discounts on products you’ve viewed recently.
Steps to check shopping notifications:
- Say “Alexa, what notifications do I have?”
- Listen to all pending shopping alerts
- Ask for specific order details if needed
- Use the Alexa app to view detailed order information
- Disable unwanted shopping notifications in app settings
Prime delivery notifications include estimated delivery windows, driver location updates, and confirmation when packages are delivered to your doorstep or designated delivery location.
App-Based Notifications
Many smartphone and tablet apps send notifications to Echo devices when you have the Alexa app installed and notification sharing enabled. These cross-platform notifications create a unified alert system across your devices.
Social media apps, email clients, and messaging platforms can trigger yellow lights on your Echo when configured properly. This integration allows you to receive important notifications even when your phone is in another room.
News apps often send breaking news alerts through Alexa’s notification system. Major news events, weather emergencies, and local alerts can cause yellow lights to appear on your Echo devices.
TechRadar’s Echo guide explains how to manage app-based notifications through the Alexa app settings. You can control which apps are allowed to send notifications and customize their frequency.
Gaming apps and entertainment services sometimes send achievement notifications, update alerts, or promotional messages through connected Echo devices. These notifications help you stay informed about your favorite apps and services.
Turn Off Yellow Lights
You can disable yellow light notifications entirely if you find them disruptive or annoying. The Alexa app provides granular control over notification types and sources, allowing you to customize your experience.
Open the Alexa app and navigate to Settings > Notifications to see all available notification categories. Each category has individual toggle switches that let you enable or disable specific types of alerts.
“To turn notifications on or off, use the Alexa app and select the specific notification types you want to control.”
Amazon Customer Service
Delivery notifications can be turned off separately from other notification types. This setting is particularly useful during holiday seasons when frequent package deliveries might cause constant yellow light displays.
Message notifications from contacts can be disabled if you prefer not to receive voice messages through your Echo devices. This setting affects both incoming and outgoing message capabilities.
Notification categories you can control:
- Amazon shopping and delivery updates
- Messages from Alexa contacts
- Reminders and alarms
- Smart home device alerts
- Third-party app notifications
Communication features including Drop In, calling, and messaging can be disabled entirely through device settings. Navigate to Device Settings > Communications in the Alexa app to modify these preferences.
The latest Echo Dot (5th Gen) includes improved notification management features that make it easier to control yellow light triggers. The enhanced software provides more detailed notification categories and better customization options.
“You can toggle on or off the notifications that are relevant or irrelevant to you for specific apps and services.”
Reolink Smart Home
Remember that disabling all notifications will prevent your Echo from alerting you about potentially important messages, deliveries, or reminders. Consider which notification types are most valuable to you before turning them off completely.
Video Credit: Smart Home Perfected / YouTube
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a slow yellow pulse mean on my Echo device?
A slow yellow pulse indicates you have pending notifications, messages, or reminders waiting for your attention. This is the most common yellow light pattern and typically means someone sent you a voice message or you have delivery notifications from Amazon.
The pulsing will continue until you check your notifications by saying “Alexa, what notifications do I have?” or “Alexa, what messages do I have?” Once you’ve addressed all pending items, the yellow light should disappear automatically.
Why does my Alexa show a spinning yellow light?
A spinning yellow light indicates Wi-Fi connectivity problems rather than notifications. Your Echo device is attempting to reconnect to your wireless network and cannot access Amazon’s servers for normal operation.
Check your internet connection and restart your router if necessary. Move your Echo closer to your Wi-Fi router to improve signal strength. If the spinning continues after troubleshooting, contact your internet service provider to check for service outages.
Can I turn off specific types of yellow light notifications?
Yes, you can control individual notification types through the Alexa app. Navigate to Settings > Notifications to see all available categories including shopping updates, messages, reminders, and third-party app notifications.
Each category has its own toggle switch allowing you to disable unwanted notifications while keeping others active. This granular control helps you customize your Echo’s notification behavior to match your preferences and lifestyle.
How long will the yellow light stay on if I don’t check notifications?
The yellow light will continue pulsing indefinitely until you address the pending notifications. There’s no automatic timeout that causes the light to disappear on its own, ensuring you don’t miss important messages or alerts.
However, if new notifications arrive while the light is already active, they’ll be added to the queue without changing the light pattern. You’ll need to check all pending notifications to clear the yellow light completely.
Why do I see yellow lights but have no notifications when I ask Alexa?
This situation can occur when notifications get stuck in the system or when you have hidden notification types that aren’t announced verbally. Try saying “Alexa, clear my notifications” or restart your Echo device by unplugging it for 30 seconds.
Check your Alexa app for any notifications that might not be announced through voice commands. Some notification types appear only in the app and won’t be read aloud even when you ask about pending alerts.
Sources:
- Amazon Echo light meanings guide
- Reolink Alexa yellow light troubleshooting
- Amazon notification settings help
- TechRadar Alexa yellow light guide
- Medium Alexa light ring meanings
Read More: