(7 Fixes) Alexa Brief Mode Not Working [Updated 2023 Guide]

Not everyone loves hearing Alexa’s verbal responses. 

Sometimes, I can totally relate. 

And if you also feel the same… 

You’ll know that Alexa’s Brief Mode is such a lifesaver.

Unfortunately, though, yours won’t work. 

But don’t worry. If you miss the snappy version of your voice assistant, just… 

Keep reading to find out:

• 7 easy fixes to try if your Alexa Brief Mode isn’t working.
• The most common reasons this feature suddenly won’t work.
• How you can factory reset your Echo device and fix this problem. 
• And a lot more… 

Alexa brief mode not working – why?

Alexa Brief Mode isn’t working because you may have forgotten to enable this feature. This problem also occurs if your Echo device or the Alexa app glitches. Moreover, slow Internet makes it seem like your Alexa’s Brief Mode won’t work. 

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Alexa brief mode not working – 7 fixes

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#1: Ensure you’ve enabled the feature 

Before diving into the simple fixes for this problem below…

Double-check whether your Alexa’s Brief Mode actually has an issue.

See, 5 months back… 

My friend asked me why his Echo kept saying, “Okay.” Even with the Brief Mode ON. 

But it turned out…

This feature was, in fact, OFF. 

Because his girlfriend changed his Alexa settings when she came over. 

Now, I want you to avoid the same silly mistake my friend made. 

So, follow these steps to…

Ensure your Alexa’s Brief Mode is ON:

Step 1: Launch your Amazon Alexa app

If you need to download the app on your mobile device…

Here’s the download link (iOS/Android). 

Make sure you’ve logged in before you proceed to… 

Step 2: Open the Menu sidebar

You can do so by tapping the icon at the top-left corner of your screen.

Note: The one with 3 horizontal lines. 

Step 3: Choose Settings 

You’ll find this option near the bottom of your screen.

Step 4: Select Alexa Voice Responses

Note: You might need to scroll down before seeing this selection. 

Step 5: Ensure that Brief Mode’s toggle is ON

If it isn’t, swipe the slider to the right to enable the feature. 

Need a visual guide for this process? 

Watch this official instructional video from Amazon: 

#2: Check your Internet connection 

Try asking Alexa a simple question. 

Does she respond to you at all? 

If she does, skip to the next solution. As this one doesn’t apply to you. 

But if she doesn’t respond…

Then, you should check whether your Internet connection works. 

See, Alexa’s functionalities become very limited when she’s offline. 

In fact, without the Internet…

She can’t even respond to voice commands even if she hears them. 

And since the Brief Mode is part of the features related to Alexa’s voice…

It also won’t work if your AI is offline. 

Now, luckily, checking whether your Internet works is pretty easy. 

All you need to do is open a mobile device or a PC that uses the same WiFi your Alexa does. 

Note: If you’re using a phone/tablet, turn OFF its mobile data. 

Then, open up any online streaming applications, like the following:

• TikTok. 
• YouTube.
• Instagram. 

Pro tip: Alternatively, you may use your device’s browser for this process. 

Once you have your online application open… 

Try looking up anything inside the app’s search bar.

If the results show up… 

Then, your Internet connection isn’t the problem. 

So, you should focus on fixing your Alexa that won’t respond instead. 

However, if other devices like your phone or PC can’t use your WiFi’s Internet… 

That means your Alexa’s Brief Mode isn’t experiencing issues.

Rather, it’s your Internet connection.

So, contact your Internet Service Provider so they can address your WiFi problems.

Or, simply wait for your Internet to return to normal. 

#3: Power cycle your Echo device 

Like other gadgets… 

Your Echo device, Alexa’s vessel, isn’t totally safe from glitches and bugs. 

Which are usually the main culprits for technological issues. 

Fortunately though…

You won’t need longer than a minute to get rid of them. 

All you have to do is power cycle your Echo device. 

In other words… 

You should disconnect your smart speaker from its power source before reconnecting it again.

I know it sounds like a very simple process.

But trust me…

Power cycling is 1 of the most effective solutions for glitchy devices. 

In fact, it’s how I fixed my Echo Dot that wouldn’t turn ON. 

My Alexa’s red ring of death also stopped appearing after this process. 

Interesting fact: There are many ways to refer to power cycling. Some call this process a soft reset, while others refer to this as a cold reboot. 

All that said, here’s…

How to power cycle your Echo device:

1. Unplug your gadget from the outlet. 
2. Wait for 30 seconds. 
3. Reconnect your Echo to its power source. 

Note: These steps apply to all Echo models. 

After 1 minute, try saying a voice command to Alexa again.

Is her Brief Mode still not working? 

Then, it’s time to… 

#4: Reenable the feature 

Glitches aren’t exclusive to gadgets. 

After all, mobile app features, like the Brief Mode, can also malfunction randomly. 

How to fix this problem?

Easy. 

Just disable Brief Mode temporarily to refresh it inside the Alexa application.

Then, reenable it again. 

Need the exact steps?

I got you. Just prepare your mobile device and follow these… 

Steps to reenable Alexa’s Brief Mode:

1. Launch the Amazon Alexa app.
2. Click the Menu icon at the top-left corner of your screen. 
3. Choose Settings. 
4. Select Alexa Voice Responses.
5. Turn OFF the Brief Mode toggle.
6. Wait for 30 seconds (without leaving the current screen). 
7. Turn ON the Brief Mode again. 

After doing the steps above… 

Talk to Alexa to see whether her Brief Mode is finally working. 

#5: Update your Amazon Alexa app 

Yes, Amazon is 1 of the biggest brands worldwide.

However, this doesn’t mean its apps are going to be perfect. 

See, like all other software …

Alexa’s mobile app also has flaws and occasional bugs.

And they may affect your AI’s functionalities. 

The good thing is, though… 

When Alexa’s developers notice new flaws or errors… 

They’ll immediately fix the problem at hand. 

How?

By providing your mobile app software updates. 

Now, more often than not… 

Applications update automatically.

However, they don’t always do.

After all, you may turn OFF the automatic-update feature.

Plus, a slow Internet connection also stops updates on your mobile device. 

With that, for this fix, you should…

Manually update your Alexa application:

iOS

1. Turn ON your mobile device. 
2. Launch the App Store. 
3. Click the Search icon at the bottom-right corner of the app. 
4. Type and search “Amazon Alexa.” 
5. Tap the official application’s title. 
6. Click the UPDATE button below the app’s name (if applicable). 
7. Follow further instructions. 

Note: If you see an OPEN button instead of UPDATE, your app is already up to date. So you can skip to the next solution. 

Android

1. Turn ON your Android device. 
2. Launch the Google Play application. 
3. Click your profile icon at the top-right corner. 
4. Select Manage apps and device. 
5. Under the Updates available option, tap the text saying See details.
6. Find your Amazon Alexa app from the list.
7. Click the Update button beside it.
8. Follow further instructions. 

Note: If you can’t find the Alexa app in step 6, it’s already updated. So you can simply move on to the next solution. 

#6: Reinstall the application 

Unfortunately, updates aren’t always enough to remove application glitches. 

In this scenario…

Your best option is to simply delete your app and reinstall it. 

Don’t worry. This process isn’t as hard as you think it may be. 

Let me show you the…

Quick steps to reinstall the Amazon Alexa app:

iOS

Step 1: Find the Alexa app on your phone’s home screen. 

Step 2: Press and hold the application’s icon.

Step 3: Click Remove App.

Step 4: Tap Delete App to confirm the action. 

Step 5: Select Delete.

Step 6: Open the App Store application. 

Step 7: Click your profile at the top-right corner. 

Step 8: Select Purchased. 

Step 9: Tap the tab saying Not on this iPhone. 

Step 10: Locate your Amazon Alexa app from the list.

Step 11: On its right, tap the download icon (cloud).

Android

Note: Steps may vary depending on the brand/model of your Android device. 

Step 1: Open your phone/tablet’s Settings.

Step 2: Click Apps. 

Step 3: Choose Amazon Alexa from the list of applications. 

Step 4: Tap the Uninstall option.

Step 5: Head back to your device’s home screen.

Step 6: Launch the Play Store app.

Step 7: Click the search bar. 

Step 8: Type and search “Amazon Alexa.”

Step 9: Select the official app from the results. 

Step 10: Touch the INSTALL button.

Step 11: Follow further instructions. 

After reinstalling the Alexa app…

Log in using the Amazon account used by your Echo again.

Then, after double-checking that the Brief Mode is still enabled… 

Talk to Alexa to verify whether you’ve solved the problem. 

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#7: Factory reset your Echo 

If none of the solutions above fixed your Alexa’s Brief Mode issue…

It’s time to conduct a factory reset. 

This process deletes all of your app’s data from your Echo device.

Similarly, you’ll remove your smart speaker’s information from your Alexa account. 

And since you’ll cut off the connection of your Echo device and mobile app… 

The glitches and bugs that exist in between them will also be removed. 

Hence, there’s a high chance your Alexa’s Brief Mode will be functional again after this process. 

Fret not. This fix is just as easy as the previous solutions.

Just follow these…

Steps to factory reset your Echo device:

Using the app

1. Launch the Amazon Alexa application.
2. Click the Devices icon at the bottom of your screen.
3. Select the Echo & Alexa tile.
4. Choose your Echo device.
5. Scroll down and click Factory Reset.
6. Confirm the action. 

Through the device 

Standard Echo (3rd/4th gen):

1. Locate the Action button on your device.
2. Press it for about 20 seconds.
3. Let go when you see the spinning orange light on your Echo, and it turns OFF.
4. The factory reset is finished when the light turns ON and reaches orange. 

Amazon Echo Plus (2nd gen) and Amazon Echo Dot (3rd/4th gen): 

1. Find your device’s Action button.
2. Press and hold it for about 20 seconds.
3. Let go when the light ring turns OFF.
4. Wait for your Echo device to light up again. 

Amazon Echo Show:

1. Locate the Mute and Volume Down buttons.
2. Press and hold both keys simultaneously.
3. Let them go when the Amazon logo appears on the screen.
4. Follow your device’s further instructions. 

Amazon Echo Studio:

1. Find your device’s Mute and Volume Down keys.
2. Press and hold both buttons simultaneously.
3. Let go when the light ring turns OFF and ON.

After you factory reset your Echo device, set it up again.

Then, relink it to your Alexa account and test the Brief Mode.