Alexa is a highly versatile AI assistant created by Amazon to make our lives more convenient than ever. That is exactly what Amazon Echo Dot devices are for and to make them more interactive, they come with physical keys. Naturally, Amazon has also added multiple functions to every button echo dot to make it as versatile as possible. We are sharing all the essential features that each button echo can offer its users.
Button Configuration
Depending on the generation of Amazon Echo devices you look at, you will find either a set of two buttons or four buttons. The four buttons you get include the Action button, the Microphone button, the Volume Up button, and the Volume Down button. Let us take an in-depth look at what each button is and what it has to offer.
1. Action Button
The action button has remained the same across all generations of Amazon Echo devices and it is denoted (rather fittingly for the Dot variants) by a dot. This button can either be used by pressing it once or by pressing and holding it. Each of the two actions has a different function attached to it and you can also customize that action to your choosing.
The most common uses of the action button include:
- Issuing commands like asking questions or taking different “actions” like setting an alarm or playing music. To be fair, they are all pretty much actions if you simplify them.
- Enter the device setup by pressing and holding the action key. The light turns orange when you enter setup mode.
- Silencing alarms is another function that you can perform with the action button.
2. Microphone Button
This button is not so complicated and only performs one function with two outcomes. Pressing the microphone button once mutes the microphone on your Amazon Echo device, so it can no longer listen to you actively. The led light underneath the button also turns red to indicate that the active listening feature is disabled. Of course, you can continue to use voice commands by pressing the action button.
When you want to resume active listening, you can press the microphone button again which will turn off the red light and indicate that the device is now listening. The icon for this button in older generations is a microphone icon, whereas the newer generations have a circle with a line across it to indicate this button. (1)
3. Volume Buttons
As is traditional with this functionality, you get two volume buttons, the plus sign being volume up and the minus sign being volume down. The representation of volume icons is the same for all generations with some aesthetic differences. As for the functionality, it is precisely what you expect it to be, i.e., turning the volume of the device up and down. This is more useful when you have something playing on the device where a voice command to reduce or increase volume might feel interruptive. (2)
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I Connect Echo Buttons to My Alexa Echo Dot?
Pairing Echo Buttons with an Alexa Echo Dot or other Echo devices is super easy. All you need to do is hold the Echo Button down for about 10 seconds. This will result in an orange light glowing on it. Once that happens, you can use the “Set up my Echo Button” voice command on your Echo device to pair.
References
(1) new generations – https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2019/01/17/where-millennials-end-and-generation-z-begins/
(2) aesthetic – https://www.britannica.com/topic/aesthetics
