To turn off the notification sound on an Echo Dot, open the Alexa app, open More, select Settings, select Notifications, then use the toggles to turn off the features and services you don’t want to hear from. If you want the Echo Dot to stay quiet for a while instead, turn on Do Not Disturb for that device.
The first version of this guide was written for a 2017 version of the Alexa app, where the setting lived under a Sounds menu for each device. The app has changed since then. The steps below follow Amazon’s current help pages for turning Alexa notifications on or off, Do Not Disturb, and Communications.
Why Your Echo Dot Makes a Notification Sound
Amazon explains that a flashing yellow light on an Echo device means you have a notification or a message from an Alexa contact. The chime you hear is the device letting you know one of those arrived. Notifications can come from Amazon features and from skills or services you’ve connected.
If the light keeps flashing, Amazon suggests saying “What notifications do I have?” or “What messages do I have?” to hear them, or updating your notification settings in the Alexa app. That second option is what the next section covers.
How to Turn Off Notifications for Your Echo Dot
- Open the Alexa app on your phone or tablet.
- Open More, then select Settings.
- Select Notifications.
- Select a feature or service, then use the toggle to turn its notifications off.
Result: The features you turn off stop sending notifications to your Echo devices. Repeat for each feature that’s been chiming. You can return to the same screen and turn any of them back on later.
Amazon has separate pages for phone notifications and skill notifications, which are listed alongside the main notifications page if the sound is coming from one of those. If the alerts are on your phone, see our guide to turning off Alexa notifications and other features on an iPhone.
How to Use Do Not Disturb on an Echo Dot
Do Not Disturb is the better choice if you still want notifications, just not on one Echo Dot (say, the one in a bedroom).
- Open the Alexa app and select Devices.
- Select your Echo Dot.
- Select Device Settings.
- Select Do Not Disturb, then turn it on.
Result: Amazon says Do Not Disturb blocks notifications, such as calls and messages, to that device. It doesn’t block your alarms, timers, or reminders, so your morning alarm still goes off.
How to Stop Announcements and Drop In on One Echo Dot
If the sounds come from household members broadcasting messages or dropping in, Amazon lets you turn those off for a specific device:
- Open the Alexa app and select Devices.
- Select the Device Type filter, then select Echo & Alexa.
- Select your Echo Dot, then select the Settings icon.
- Select Communication.
- Turn off Announcements to stop broadcast messages, or turn off Drop In to stop household members and contacts from connecting. You can also turn off Communication entirely.
Result: Amazon notes that turning off Communications turns off all communication options on that device, so only do that if you don’t use calling or messaging on it.
Make Alexa Quieter With Brief Mode
If the sound you dislike is Alexa talking back, Amazon’s Brief Mode can help. In the Alexa app, open More, select Settings, select Voice Responses, and turn on Brief Mode. Amazon says Alexa then speaks less and may play a short sound instead of a full voice response.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will turning off notifications stop my alarms?
Amazon says Do Not Disturb doesn’t block alarms, timers, or reminders. Notification toggles are for features and services that send you alerts, not for alarms you set yourself.
Do these settings apply to every Echo in my home?
Notification toggles under Settings > Notifications apply to your Echo devices in general. Do Not Disturb and Communication settings are set one device at a time.
Can I just turn the volume down?
You can, but that also lowers music and Alexa’s answers. Turning off specific notifications or using Do Not Disturb lets you keep normal volume for everything else.
Related Guides
- How to rename a device in the Amazon Alexa app
- How to connect Alexa to Wi-Fi
- How to play a song on multiple Echo devices at once
- How to change the Ring doorbell sound
- Things to know before buying an Amazon Echo
Have an Echo Show too? Here’s how to use a photo from your iPhone as your Echo Show background.
Matthew Burleigh is the founder, head writer, and editor of Solve Your Tech, which he launched in 2012. He has written technology tutorials since 2008 and worked in IT since 2003, including small-business support, IT management, and consulting. He holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Computer Science from Arizona State University.
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