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The Alexa action button plays a key role in solving problems and guiding Echo users. But, if you own an Echo Show 5, 8, or 10, you’ll notice a snag: these models don’t have an action button!
All Echo Show versions lack a physical action button. You’ll interact with the screen for tasks like resetting or stopping timers, covering everything but waking Alexa, which requires a different approach.
This piece breaks down the Alexa action button’s role, why it’s missing on the Echo Show, and tips on using the screen as a substitute.
What Does the Alexa Action Button Do?
The action button on Echo devices is versatile, essential for various functions.
- Put Echo in setup mode—A long press will reset Alexa, putting it into setup mode where Echo shows an orange light and you can connect Alexa to your Wi-Fi network.
- Wake Alexa—When it’s not convenient to say “Alexa” or when Alexa is not responding, you can press the action button on an Echo or Echo Dot to get its attention.
- Stop Alexa alarms and timers—You can press the action button to stop an Echo timer or alarm instead of saying “Alexa, stop”.
Where Is the Action Button on Echo Show?
The Echo Show lacks a physical action button, but its touchscreen steps in for operations such as canceling timers or resetting the device. Unique to the Show, it requires the wake word to activate, unlike its Echo siblings.
When your timers ring, a screen pops up with a ‘Dismiss’ button. Click it, and the timer halts, similar to hitting the action button on an Echo Dot.
The Echo Show’s touchscreen steps up the game by taking over many tasks you’d usually need the action button or the Alexa app for. Now, you can tweak device settings directly on the screen, a convenience not available with the Echo or Echo Dot, which required using smartphone or computer apps.
Where Is the Reset Button on Echo Show?
Reset your Echo Show easily with these touchscreen steps.
- Swipe down from the top of the screen to bring up the menu bar.
- In the menu bar, press Settings.
- Scroll down in the Settings menu until you see Device Options. Press that item.
- Scroll through the Device Options menu until you see Reset to Factory Defaults. Press that to reach the confirmation page.
- Press RESET to finish reseting your Amazon Echo Show. This is the last confirmation step, so make sure that you understand the impact before you click.
- Wait for your Echo Show to reset. This process will take 2–3 minutes, during which time the device will restart.
What Are the Buttons on Top of the Echo Show?
The Echo Show features three buttons and a slider on its top – but don’t mix them up with the action button; they serve purposes akin to the buttons found on the Echo or Echo Dot.
Here’s what the Echo show buttons and slider do:
- Mute button—Turns off the Echo microphone and stops the Show from listening for its wake word. You can tell your Echo Show is musted by the red bar along the bottom of the screen and the mute icon in the upper right. You can turn off mute by pressing the mute button a second time.
- Volume up and down buttons—These buttons adjust the speaker volume of the Echo Show. When you press one of them, you’ll see a volume slider appear indicating the current speaker volume. You can also control this slider by pressing and dragging on the touchscreen.
- Camera privacy slider—The privacy slider puts a physical cover over the Echo Show’s camera. This slider can only be enabled and disabled manually, which is important for privacy purposes. When you move the slider, you’ll see an info bar at the top of the screen saying either Camera On or Camera Off. You can also see the cover itself if you look where the camera lens would usually be on your device.
How to Put Echo Show in Setup Mode
Resetting your Echo Show? Just follow the steps above. After resetting, it’s primed for setup, making it perfect for a new user to start fresh.
Switching Wi-Fi or connecting your Echo to a smartphone doesn’t require Alexa’s setup mode. Just explore the settings menu to make these changes.
There are only two reasons to use setup mode:
- You bought a used Echo Show and you need to switch it to your account. This shouldn’t be necessary for new or certified refurbished Echo Shows since they are shipped ready for setup.
- Your Echo Show isn’t responding due to an Alexa firmware update problem or similar issue, and you have to resort to a factory reset to fix it.
What’s Next?
Switching from an Echo or Echo Dot to an Echo Show introduces screen-based commands, which might seem tricky at first. However, the touchscreen is user-friendly, and you’ll soon discover its benefits.
The Echo Show stands out for its higher price tag, notably when compared to other Alexa speakers. The soon-to-launch Echo Show 15 is set to top the charts as the priciest Alexa gadget, surpassing even the Echo Studio known for its immersive 3D Audio.
The screen on the Show transforms it into an excellent smart hub. It unlocks a range of smart plug applications, connects with security cameras, and much more. Despite missing an action button, it’s an impressive gadget for tech lovers.
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Zachary has spent 12 hears in the tech industry focusing on automation, analytics, and cybersecurity. His passion is tech education; he uses his industry expertise and STEM PhD to break down complicated concepts into simple step-by-step guides. When he’s not writing or coding, you can find him binging anything Star Trek or Marvel or reading far too many sci-fi novels.
Hi! Alexa echo show 10 will not let me swipe down so I am unable to revert to factory settings can you help? Thank you!
Try holding down both the mute and volume-down buttons for about 15 seconds. That should trigger a factory reset even if your screen isn’t responding.
I’m looking for a way to keep the photo show running without having to speak to it to “show my photos” every hour or so
Possible?
Unfortunately, there isn’t a way. I think it runs for 3 hours if you turn on photo frame mode. But that’s the best you can do right now.