Many troubleshooting and how-to guides for Echo users include information about the Alexa action button. There’s an obvious problem with that if you have an Echo Show 5, Echo Show 8, or Echo Show 10: There’s no action button.
There is no action button on any of the Echo Show models. You’ll instead use the screen to reset and stop timers. This works for everything except getting Alexa to wake up.
In this article, I’ll explain what the Alexa action button does, why the Echo Show doesn’t have one, and how to use the screen instead of the action button.
What Does Alexa Action Button Do?
Most Echo devices have more than one use for the action button. You need it to:
- Put Echo in setup mode. A long press will reset Alexa and put Echo in setup mode, where it will show an orange light and you can connect Alexa to your Wi-Fi network.
- Wake Alexa: If it’s not convenient to say “Alexa” or if Alexa isn’t responding, you can press the action button on an Echo or Echo Dot to get its attention.
- Alexa alarms and timers can be stopped by pressing the action button instead of saying “Alexa, stop.”
Where Is The Action Button On Echo Show?
There is no action button on the Echo Show. Instead, you can use the touch screen to do things like turn off timers or reset your Echo. But unlike other Echos, you can’t wake up the Show without saying the wake word.
For instance, when your timers go off, you’ll see a screen with a button that says “Dismiss.” When you press that, the timer will stop, just like when you press the action button on an Echo Dot.
In fact, the screen takes the place of most of the action button’s functions and even a few of the Alexa app’s. On the Echo Show, you can use the touchscreen to access all of the device’s settings. On the Echo and Echo Dot, you had to use an app on your phone or computer to do this.
Where Is The Reset Button On Echo Show?
You have to use the touchscreen on an Echo Show to reset it. Here’s how it works:
- To get to the menu bar, swipe down from the top of the screen.
- Press Settings in the menu bar.
- Scroll down until you see Device Options in the Settings menu. Push that button.
- Scroll through the Device Options menu until you find Reset to Factory Defaults. To get to the confirmation page, press that.
- To finish resetting your Amazon Echo Show, just press the RESET button. This is the last step to confirm, so be sure you know what will happen before you click.
- Wait until your Echo Show reboots. During this process, which will take 2–3 minutes, the device will restart.
What Are The Buttons On Top Of The Echo Show?
The top of the Echo Show has three buttons and a slider. None of these buttons should be used instead of the action button. Like the other buttons on the Echo or Echo Dot, they do the same things.
Here’s what the buttons and slider on Echo Show do:
- Mute button: The mute button turns off the Echo microphone and stops the Show from listening for its wake word. The red bar at the bottom of the screen and the mute button in the upper right corner show that your Echo Show is muted. You can stop the mute feature by pressing the mute button again.
- Volume up and down buttons: These buttons let you change the Echo Show’s speaker volume. When you press one of them, a volume slider will appear to show how loud the speakers are. You can also use the touch screen to move this slider by pressing and dragging.
- Privacy slider for the camera: The privacy slider covers the camera on the Echo Show. This slider can only be turned on and off by hand, which is good for privacy. When you move the slider, you’ll see either “Camera On” or “Camera Off” in a bar at the top of the screen. You can also see the cover if you look where your device’s camera lens would normally be.
How To Put Echo Show In Setup Mode?
To get your Echo Show into setup mode, follow the steps above to reset it. Once the process of resetting your device is done, it will be ready for a new user to set up.
You don’t have to use Alexa’s setup mode to change Wi-Fi networks or connect your Echo to your phone. All of these things can be done in the settings menu.
Setup mode is only used for two things:
- You bought a used Echo Show and need to link it to your account. This shouldn’t be necessary for new or certified refurbished Echo Shows, since they come ready to set up.
- Your Echo Show isn’t working because of a problem with an Alexa firmware update or something similar. To fix it, you have to do a factory reset.
Final Words
When you switch from an Echo or Echo Dot to an Echo Show, one of the hardest things to learn is how to use the screen. The touchscreen is very easy to use, so you’ll quickly see how helpful it is.
Compared to the price of most Alexa speakers, the Echo Show is pricey. The upcoming Echo Show 15 will be the most expensive Alexa device, even more expensive than the Echo Studio with 3D Audio.
But the screen makes the Show a great smart hub, making it possible to use smart plugs in new ways, connect it to security camera feeds, and do a lot more. Once you get used to not having a “start” button, it’s a pretty cool device.