Why is my Amazon Echo humming?

If your Amazon Echo device sits close by, you may have noticed a low, static buzz – particularly at high volumes. We explore the simple steps you can take to stop your Amazon Echo humming.

In short, there’s nothing to worry about. A static, or humming noise, is perfectly normal, but it can still be irritating. Luckily, there are a few fixes you can use to reduce the noise.

How to stop your Amazon Echo humming

• Turn the volume down. If the Echo is buzzing while not being used, especially in a bedroom at night, just ask the device to turn the volume down. We find volume level three gives you a good balance between next-to-no buzz and the device still being audible. You can, of course, turn it back up when in use. To adjust the volume, just say: “Alexa, volume three”.
• Move your Echo device to a (slightly) different location. Electrical interference can play a big part so make sure that your Echo isn’t surrounded by other gadgets. However, that doesn’t mean isolating your smart speaker at the end of a long corridor or at the bottom of the garden – instead, you should experiment at intervals of say, 30cm. If that doesn’t make a difference…
• Check that the Echo is plugged in properly. Okay, this is ludicrously simple, but you’d be surprised at how many people (including yours truly) have fretted about a humming noise only to find that the cable wasn’t fully inserted into the bottom of the Echo. Still no luck? It’s time for a more radical fix.
• Insert the plug into a different socket and, if it’s sharing an extension cable, move it. This may mean you eventually have to relocate your Echo, but it’s worth giving it a go – just in case the fault lies with your home wiring, rather than the device itself. The issue may also be an ancient extension cable.

If none of the steps above stops your Amazon Echo humming, there may be an issue with the hardware. If it’s been under a year since you bought the Echo, it should still be covered by the warranty.

To find out, contact Amazon customer services by heading to amazon.co.uk/gp/help/customer/contact-us, clicking the Devices tab, selecting the picture of your Echo and then choosing an issue from the dropdown box.

You’ll then be given the option to either chat to someone on the phone (which we’d always recommend) or via a live messaging box.

Final note: if you sought help from Reddit before heading here, you might have seen users recommending you use something called a “ground loop isolator” to get rid of the hum. To be honest, this will make very little difference, as well as costing you a hard-earned tenner, and will be next to useless if it’s a fault with the Echo anyway. Steer clear.

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