Amazon Smart Thermostat not responding to Alexa
Usually the thermostat has lost its Wi-Fi or internet connection, so Alexa cannot reach it. Amazon says it needs 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi with WPA3 turned off. Restart the thermostat by detaching and reattaching the faceplate, check the Wi-Fi in the Alexa app, then try a partial reset, which keeps your HVAC configuration.
Why does Alexa say the thermostat is not responding?
Because Alexa cannot reach it. The Amazon Smart Thermostat talks to Alexa through your Wi-Fi and the internet, so anything that breaks that link makes it show as unresponsive in the Alexa app and ignore voice commands. Amazon groups those two symptoms with connectivity issues on its reset page, and the first fixes it gives are for the connection.
The thermostat's own screen may help. Amazon says an Info icon on the left of the display means there is an alert; when it is red, yellow or green, open the Smart Thermostat page in the Alexa app to see what it says. You can look up what every icon means in the Alexa app under Devices, Thermostat, your thermostat, Device Settings, Thermostat configuration, Thermostat icons.
For the same problem on other brands, see thermostat shows offline or Wi-Fi disconnected.
What should you check first?
Start with the network, because it is the usual cause and the quickest to rule out.
- Is the internet up? Amazon suggests asking your Echo, "Are you online?", and checking that other devices have internet access.
- Is the thermostat on 2.4 GHz? Amazon says it requires 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi and 5 GHz is not compatible.
- Is WPA3 off? Amazon says to turn off the WPA3 setting on your router. Your router maker can tell you where it is.
- Is the Alexa app current? Amazon lists downloading or updating the Alexa app as a step.
- Did the router change? Update the thermostat's network in the Alexa app: Devices, Thermostat, your thermostat, Device Settings, Thermostat configuration, Wi-Fi. Rebooting the router can also help, Amazon says.
Voice control also depends on an Echo device on the same network. Amazon's voice page lists commands such as "Set the temperature to 68 degrees." and "Is the thermostat on?", spoken to a connected Echo or the Alexa app.
What do the Alexa app error codes mean?
If the thermostat dropped off after a router change and you are setting it up again, the Alexa app may show a code. Amazon publishes these for its smart home devices:
| Code | What Amazon says it means | What Amazon suggests |
|---|---|---|
| 3:1:0:1 | Problem processing your Wi-Fi credentials | Factory reset the device, then Add Device in the Alexa app |
| 3:2:0:1 | The password was incorrect | Confirm the password and enter it again |
| 3:5:0:1 | Connected to the router but no internet | Check other devices; contact your internet provider if they are offline too |
| 3:16:0:1 | Router found but the connection failed, possibly a weak signal | Move the device and router closer together and retry |
| 3:20:0:3 | Cannot connect to the router or access point | Retry setup |
| 3:15:0:3 | Registered, but timed out on later steps | Try using it; if it does not work, retry setup |
Should you restart or reset it?
Restart first. Amazon says most common issues clear with a restart: gently detach the faceplate from the wall plate, wait a few seconds, and reattach it.
If that does not work, Amazon's next step is a partial reset, which erases everything on the thermostat except its HVAC configuration:
- Press the Up Temperature and middle Mode buttons together for 10 seconds, until "rEs" appears.
- Press and hold the middle Mode button until the device resets after a five-second countdown.
- Wait for a red exclamation mark on the screen, then set it up again in the Alexa app and reconnect it to Wi-Fi.
A full factory reset is the last resort, because it restores factory settings and you set the thermostat up again from the start. Amazon's general Alexa advice for a device that stopped responding also includes removing it from the Alexa app and adding it again.
Because a partial reset erases everything except the HVAC configuration, check your schedule periods afterward, and check whether Alexa Hunches is turned on the way you want. More Amazon pages are on the Amazon Smart Thermostat hub.
Does your Echo answer "Are you online?" and do other devices have internet?
- Yes
Is the thermostat on 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi with WPA3 turned off on the router?
- Yes
Restart the thermostat by detaching and reattaching the faceplate. If it is still unresponsive, do a partial reset and set it up again.
- No
Change the router setting or network, then update the thermostat Wi-Fi in the Alexa app.
- Yes
- No
The home internet is the problem. Restart the router and contact your internet provider if it stays down.
Frequently asked questions
- Does a partial reset erase my Amazon Smart Thermostat settings?
- Mostly. Amazon says a partial reset erases all data on the thermostat except the HVAC configuration, so you set it up again in the Alexa app afterward but do not redo the system setup. A full factory reset erases everything.
- Can I use 5 GHz Wi-Fi with the Amazon Smart Thermostat?
- No. Amazon says the thermostat requires 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi and that 5 GHz is not compatible. It also says to turn off the WPA3 setting on your router; on eero routers that is on the device settings page.
- Why does Alexa control the thermostat in the app but not by voice?
- Amazon's voice page says to use an Echo device connected to your network. If the app works, check that your Echo is online by asking it "Are you online?" and that it is on the same home network.
- What does the colored info icon on the thermostat mean?
- Amazon says the Info icon on the left of the display means there is an alert or notification about the thermostat. When it shows red, yellow or green, open the Smart Thermostat page in the Alexa app to read it.