My soccer coach always said: “As a group, we are stronger than we are as individuals!“
The same goes for connecting Echo devices with Alexa.
I use them everywhere in my smart home.
However, they recently stopped working.
Luckily, I found some easy ways to fix it.
Keep reading to find out:
- 9 easy ways to fix Alexa Everywhere.
- Why the “Do Not Disturb” mode can mess up your voice AI.
- How to make it easier for Alexa to recognize multi-room groups.
- Why it’s important to use the 2.4 GHz bandwidth for Echo devices.
- And that’s only the beginning…
Why is Alexa everywhere group not working?
Alexa Everywhere group isn’t working because of WiFi issues or being on the wrong bandwidth. Turning ON Do Not Disturb can also cause this. Another reason could be due to app malfunctions. Echo devices that aren’t set up in the correct multi-room group can also make this feature glitchy.
Alexa everywhere group not working: 9 easy ways to fix it
#1: Reset your WiFi
All of your Echo devices must be connected to your WiFi.
This allows Alexa to:
- Answer your questions.
- Execute your voice commands.
- Connect several Echo devices into groups, such as Everywhere, Living Room, Kitchen, etc.
When you add more than 1 Echo device to your Alexa app, a multi-room group called Everywhere is automatically created.
So, if 1 or more Echo devices aren’t working, the 1st thing you can do is reset your WiFi.
This will create a new connection between the smart speakers and in most cases, solves the issue.
Here’s how to reset your WiFi in 3 steps:
- Unplug your modem from the outlet.
- Wait for 30 seconds.
- Plug it back into the power source and wait for your modem’s LED lights to appear.
Then try it out and see if it works.
Pro tip: If you have a lot of devices connected to your WiFi, disconnect them for the time being. This creates some ‘space’ on your network. Having extra space can help connected devices work faster.
Check the WiFi’s strength
Sometimes your WiFi can’t reach your Echo devices properly.
Maybe your speakers are too far from your modem, or blockages interfere with the WiFi signal.
Luckily, there’s a simple trick to test this.
Get your smartphone and make sure it’s connected to your WiFi.
Then place it close to the Echo device and see how many WiFi bars are shown on your smartphone.
If there are 2, or worse, only 1, you have a weak signal, and your Echo device can’t connect properly to your WiFi.
In that case, you can buy a WiFi extender to improve the signal.
You can also choose to simply place the Echo device closer to the WiFi router.
You might also like: 2 Steps To Use Alexa As A Bluetooth Speaker Without WiFi
#2: Switch to the correct bandwidth
WiFi routers usually have 2 bandwidths: 2.4 GHz and 5.0 GHz.
Here’s a small comparison between the 2:
| Bandwidth | 2.4 GHz | 5.0 GHz |
| Features | About 60 ft (20 m) range. Medium data processing speed. Compatible with most smart home devices. Easily penetrates through objects like thick walls and other solid objects. | About 45 ft (15 m) range. Fast data processing speed. Not compatible with every smart home device. Has more trouble penetrating through thicker walls and other solid objects. |
The data processing on the 2.4 GHz is a bit slower (you’ll hardly notice a difference).
But the range of the signal is further.
Thus, this is also the recommended network setting for using Alexa Everywhere.
So, if 1 or more Echo devices aren’t working, it can be because they’re connected to your router’s 5.0 GHz bandwidth.
A way to check this is by looking at your WiFi network on a computer or smartphone.
You can check it out by following these steps:
- Go to your device’s network settings.
- Select the WiFi you’re connected to.
- Press Properties.
- Scroll and navigate for Network band. This will tell you whether you’re on a 2.4 or 5 GHz bandwidth.
If you’re connected to the latter…
Then you’ll need to change this in your WiFi settings.
Since every router is different, it’s best to check the included manual or call your ISP.
#3: Play content from a different app
Sometimes, the app you use to play content on your Echo device can be the issue.
This can be because of:
- Outdated apps.
- Unavailable content.
- Temporarily down servers.
Whatever the reason may be, simply try playing different content from another app.
For example, if you use Spotify and it’s not working, try to stream using Amazon Music.
You might also like: 3 Easy Steps To Play SoundCloud On Alexa
If your Echo devices still refuse to play, you can also try to…
#4: Turn off Do Not Disturb
If you have had enough of all the notifications, calls, messages, and other sorts of things which Alexa informs you about, then you can put her on Do Not Disturb mode.
This way, she won’t interrupt you for a while.
However, when activated, it can also mess up your multi-room groups.
As a result, Alexa won’t work the way she needs to.
Then it’s time to turn Do Not Disturb off.
And here’s how to do that in 6 simple steps:
- Go to the Alexa app.
- Select Devices.
- Choose Echo & Alexa.
- Select your device.
- Go to Do Not Disturb.
- Turn it off.
Try it out and see if it solves the issue.
#5: Delete and add the Echo device again
If 1 of your Echo devices is not working, then simply delete it and add it again to the Alexa app (Android/iOS).
Furthermore, here are 5 simple steps to remove the Echo device from the Alexa app:
- Open the Alexa app.
- Go to Devices.
- Select All Devices.
- Choose your Echo device and go to its Settings.
- Tap Trash.
Then, you can add the device again with these steps:
- Open the Alexa app.
- Go to More.
- Choose Add Device.
- Select Amazon Echo.
- Choose which Echo device you want to add and follow the further instructions to set up your device.
Once you’re done, test it out to see if it works.
#6: Restart the Echo device
A simple restart is also a good fix if Alexa’s Everywhere mode is unresponsive.
You won’t lose any data…
And there’s no need to re-add the Echo device to the Alexa app.
Simply restart it by unplugging your speaker from the power outlet.
Then wait for a minute and replug it back in.
After, try it out and check if it fixed the issue.
If not, you can go ahead and…
#7: Reset the Echo device
If a restart didn’t help, you can step it up by resetting it.
Warning: After a reset, you’ll need to set up your Echo device again via the Alexa app.
Now, there’s a difference per Echo device on how to reset it.
This link will show you how to do that per Echo device.
And to give an example, here’s how to reset the Echo Dot 5th Gen in 3 simple steps:
- Push and hold the Action button for about 20 seconds.
- Wait until the ring light turns off and on again.
- Then the Echo will enter the setup mode, and you can follow the given instructions.
For other models, you can also check out this video:
#8: Create a new multi-room group
If your Everywhere group isn’t working, then simply create a new multi-room group.
This way, you can start from scratch and solve the issue.
Here’s how to create a new group for your Echo devices in 5 simple steps:
- Go to the Alexa app.
- Select Devices.
- Tap on the Plus symbol.
- Choose Add Group.
- Go to Create a room.
- Select a preset group name, or create your own.
- Tap on Next.
- Choose the devices you want to include.
- Tap on Save.
Pro tip #1: Add Echo devices to the group individually. This way, you can find out which 1 is problematic.
Pro tip #2: When creating a multi-room group name, use simple yet specific names. This makes it easier for Alexa to understand.
#9: Reinstall the Alexa app
The Alexa app is your go-to with your Echo devices, as lots of features can be controlled using it.
But it can get stuffed with too much data.
As a result, the cache memory gets overloaded, and the app works slower than usual.
So, to start fresh and resync all your Echo devices with your smartphone or tablet…
Simply uninstall the Alexa app.
Note: when you reinstall the Alexa app, you will need to log in. So, ensure to keep note of your Amazon Alexa app login credentials.
After downloading the app, set up your Echo devices again, and connect them to a group using Fix #8 above.