Amazon launched its first smart speaker – the first generation Amazon Echo – in November 2014. Almost two years later in November 2016, Google rolled out its first smart speaker dubbed as the Google Home smart speaker. These two smart speakers marked the beginning of the booming smart home devices in the world. In addition to their respective virtual assistants, Alexa in case of Amazon Echo and Google Assistant in case of the Google Home (now Nest), one of their defining traits has been the colour changing lights. Also Read - Android 13 will warn you about apps with excessive background battery usage
Generation over generation, Amazon has maintained having a circular disc-like structure in its smart speaker that glows in blue-green hue as you interact with Alexa. Google Home and Nest smart speakers, on the other hand, glow in Google’s signature Red Yellow Green and Blue colours as you interact with the Google Assistant. But these smart speakers don’t always glow in their signature colours. Sometimes, the lights in these smart speakers glow in different colours – such as red or green – to convey a message. If you have seen these coloured lights and you are not sure what they mean, fret not. We have compiled a detailed list explaining what these colours mean. Also Read - Google’s Android app will let you delete last 15 minutes of your Search history
Here’s what lights on your Amazon Echo smart speaker mean
Yellow: A slow yellow burst or light on your Amazon Echo smart speaker every few seconds means that Alexa has a message or a notification. Alternatively, it can mean that there is a reminder that you missed. To make it stop, you can ask Alexa about the message or the notification. Also Read - Google 'Switch to Android iOS' app might likely allow direct import from iCloud to Google Photos
Cyan: A cyan spotlight on a blue ring means that Alexa is listening. This is the light you see every time you interact with Alexa.
Spinning Cyan: A slowly spinning teal and blue light means that your Amazon Echo smart speaker is starting up. If the device has not been set up, the light turns to orange when the device is ready for setup.
Red: A solid red light on your Amazon Echo smart speaker means that the microphone on/off button is pressed. That means the device microphone is disconnected and Alexa is not listening. You can press it again to enable the microphone. On the other hand, on Echo devices with a camera, a red light bar means that your video will not be shared.
Orange: If you see orange coloured light on your Amazon Echo smart speaker, it means that your device is in setup mode, or it is trying to connect to the Internet connectivity.Pulsing Green: A pulsing green light means that you are receiving a call on your Amazon Echo smart speaker or display.
Spinning Green: On the other hand, a spinning green light means that your Amazon Echo smart speaker or display is on an active call or an active Drop In.
Purple: You will see purple coloured light on your Amazon Echo smart speaker or smart display when the Do Not Disturb mode is turned on and you make a request to Alexa.
Spinning white: A spinning white light means Alexa Guard is turned on and in Away mode. Return Alexa to Home mode in the Alexa app.
Here’s what lights on your Google Nest smart speaker mean
Multi-colored lights spin clockwise and pulse: This means that Google Assistant on your Google Home or Google Nest smart speaker has detected the “Hey Google” hotword and is waiting for your command.
Multi-colored lights continuously spin clockwise: This means that Google Assistant on your Google Nest smart speaker Google Assistant is thinking.
Multi-colored lights continuously pulse: This pattern appears when Google Assistant on your Nest smart speaker is responding to your query.
4 solid orange lights: This pattern can be seen when the microphone is turned off. You can press the microphone mute button to turn the microphone one.
4 white lights slowly pulse: This pattern is displayed when the Google Home is ready for set up.
4 blue lights slowly pulse: This pattern is displayed when the Google Home needs to be verified by you.
4 white lights spin clockwise: This pattern is observed when Google Home is connecting to Wi-Fi.
White lights light up from top to bottom: This pattern is observed. when Google Home is downloading an update
6 white lights spin clockwise: This indicates that Google Home is installing an update.White and multi-colored lights spin and blink: This indicates that the Google Home smart speaker is booting up.
Orange lights countdown: This means that the Google Home smart speaker is confirming that you want to perform a factory reset.
White lights slowly pulse: This means that an alarm is ringing.
White lights spin: This pattern is displayed when a timer is ringing.
One solid white light shows for about 10 minutes: This means that your Google Home is reminding you that a notification is available. To get the notification, you can say “Hey Google, what’s up?.”
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