Is The Alexa Incoming Call Ringer Not Working? Here’s How To Fix It

With Amazon Alexa (also called Amazon Echo), users can make and receive calls through Alexa-enabled devices.

This functionality works even if the user’s phone is in another room, dead, or turned off.

Sometimes, however, the Alexa incoming call ringer doesn’t work, which can be frustrating if you want to receive calls on a connected Alexa device. 

When Alexa’s incoming call ringer isn’t working, causes include incorrect settings, an outdated version of the app, Alexa devices that aren’t connected, or an internet outage. Solutions include checking the settings and devices, updating the app, and confirming that the internet is working. 

In this article, I’ll discuss the common reasons for the Alexa incoming call ringer failing to function correctly, including the Alexa app settings, app updates, connected devices, and internet/Wi-Fi issues.

I’ll also explain exactly how to fix each of these issues. 

1. The Communication Settings Are Incorrect

The communication settings within the Alexa app must be set correctly to allow incoming calls to ring through to the connected Alexa device.

If the communication settings are incorrect, the app will not let calls ring through on the Alexa device. 

How To Fix

To update these settings, you’ll need to know which phone carrier you use, as well as your phone account’s login and password information.

Currently, Alexa supports connecting services from AT&T, Skype, and Verizon.

Fortunately, it’s easy to change the communication settings in the Alexa app.

All you have to do is take the following general steps. 

1. Open the Alexa app on your phone. 
2. Along the bottom of the screen, you’ll see the icons for “Home,” “Communicate,”
   “Play,” “Device,” and “More.” 
3. Tap on the “More” icon.  
4. On the next screen, you’ll find the gear icon for “Settings.” Tap “Settings.”
5. Scroll down to the section called “Alexa Preferences.” 
6. Tap “Communication.”
7. You’ll see the major US phone networks listed, as well as Skype. Select the carrier that you use for phone calls. 
8. Follow the instructions to sign in to your phone account to connect your phone service or Skype account to the Alexa app. 
9. Check to make sure the connection was made correctly by having someone place a call to you and see if it rings through to your connected Alexa devices. 

This YouTube video from Voice Spark Live demonstrates how to connect a Skype account to the Alexa app. The process is the same for AT&T and Verizon accounts. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvWfJqpIXiE

2. The Alexa App Needs To Be Updated

As with all apps, the Alexa app needs to be updated every now and then.

These updates come straight from the app engineers at Amazon and often include changes designed to resolve any reported bugs, improve the service, or update security measures. 

How To Fix

If you’re getting notifications regarding an outdated Alexa app, all you have to do is download any updates to the Alexa app through the app store as follows. 

1. Open the app store on your phone. 
2. Use the search bar to find the Alexa app.
3. If there are any updates, the word “Update” will appear next to the name and icon for the Alexa app. 
4. Tap “Update.”
5. The app update should begin automatically. 
6. When the update is complete, the button will change to read “Open.”
7. Tap “Open” to launch the updated version of the Alexa app. 

3. The Alexa Devices Are Not Connected

Before a call rings through to an Alexa device, that device must be connected to the account through the Alexa app.

Otherwise, the Alexa app won’t know that there’s a device that it can send calls to.

Only devices with microphones and speakers can be used to receive incoming phone calls. 

Also, smart devices connected to Alexa, such as electrical plugs or light bulbs, can’t be used to receive incoming phone calls.

Luckily, you can see which Alexa devices are connected using the Alexa app. 

How To Fix

1. Open the Alexa app on your phone. 
2. Along the bottom of the screen, you’ll see the icons for “Home,” “Communicate,” “Play,” “Device,” and “More.”
3. Tap the “Devices” icon. 
4. At the top of the screen, you’ll see an Amazon Alexa icon with the label “Echo and Alexa.” 
5. Tap this icon to open the list of all connected Amazon Echo and Alexa devices. 
6. Scroll through the list to make sure the device you want incoming calls to ring through to is listed. 
7. If it’s not listed, add it as a new device by tapping on the “+” sign in the upper right-hand corner. 
8. Tap “Add Device.” It will ask you to select the specific type of device that you’d like to add (Echo, Echo Dot, Echo Show, Echo Buds, etc.). 
9. Follow the on-screen prompts to connect the selected Amazon device. 

4. There Is an Internet Outage

The Alexa app and the incoming call ringer functionality rely on the internet being up and running.

If the internet or your home Wi-Fi is down, the Alexa app may not be able to forward any incoming calls to your enabled devices. 

How To Fix

1. On your phone, open “Settings.”
2. Select “Cellular.”
3. Turn off the cellular data.
4. Using any web browser, try opening any website.
5. If the page loads even when cellular data is off, the internet and your Wi-Fi are working.
6. If the page doesn’t load, your internet and Wi-Fi may be out.

If there’s an internet or Wi-Fi outage, you’ll need to do further troubleshooting to restore functionality before the incoming call ringer works again.

You can turn your router off and on again, or contact your internet service provider for additional support. 

Final Thoughts

There are four common reasons incoming calls won’t ring through to a connected Alexa device: incorrect settings in the Alexa app, using an outdated version of the Alexa app, Alexa devices that aren’t connected to the app, and internet or Wi-Fi outage. 

All these issues have relatively easy fixes.

To resolve these issues, try checking the communication settings, updating the Alexa app, checking for device connectivity, or checking for any internet or Wi-Fi outage.