Alexa is the virtual assistant found on Amazon devices like the Echo and Echo Dot. You can ask Alexa questions, tell her to do things, and even have her respond to creepy questions in a silly voice. But why does Alexa make that familiar bing-bong noise? Many people may not realize it, but Alexa has a voice that comes pre-programmed on every device with the virtual assistant. That means when you activate Alexa, she makes that same bing-bong noise whether you’re in another room or standing right next to her. So what is the meaning behind this sound, and why does Alexa make it? We’ll cover everything you need to know about that Bing Bong noise below.
Why Does Alexa Make A Bing Bong Noise?
There are many reasons why Alexa makes a bing-bong noise. The most common is that the device is reminding you to ask it a question. A bing-bong noise can also be used to mark the end of a command.
What Is The Reason Alexa Make A Bing Bong Noise?
1. Alexa is reminding you to ask a question
Since the beginning of the Amazon Echo and Echo Dot, Alexa has been programmed with a bing-bong noise. This is not just a random sound, but part of her default voice. That means every time you activate Alexa, she will make this bing-bong noise. It’s important to note that this bing-bong noise does not always mean that she’s done listening to your request or question. The bing-bong noise can also be used to mark the end of a command or command phrase. For example, if you say “Alexa, turn on the lights” when you’re standing by the Echo in your living room, this bing-bong noise will mark the end of that command phrase.
2. Alexa is marking the end of a command phrase
Another reason why Alexa makes this Bing Bong Noise is that it marks the end of a command phrase. This is similar to the reason why Alexa makes this noise when you say “Alexa, turn on the lights” in your living room. But there’s a difference between these two cases. When you’re in your living room, Alexa will make that bing-bong noise after she has completed listening to your command. On the other hand, if you are in another room and say “Alexa, turn on the lights”, this bing-bong noise will mark the end of that command phrase regardless if she is still listening to you or not. This means that Alexa will make this Bing Bong Noise even if her answer is already ready or if she isn’t listening to you at all!
3. Alexa is reminding you of a command
Yet another reason why Alexa makes this bing-bong noise is that it reminds users of an action they have already performed. For the room and say “Alexa, turn on the lights”, you’re asking one question. But when you say “Alexa, Bing Bong”, that is a command phrase. And for this reason, Alexa will make this bing-bong noise when you finish saying this command phrase.
4. Alexa is reminding you to ask a question
If you activate Alexa while standing in your living room and ask her to “tell me a joke” (this is an example of a silly question), she will respond with a bing-bong noise rather than just listening to your request. This means that she is reminding you to ask her another question. The bing-bong noise can also be used in place of the word “yes” when you want to tell Alexa no. For example, if someone asks if they can borrow your phone and your answer is “no” (which is actually the room, Alexa will make this bing-bong noise because she’s done listening to your request or question.
5. Alexa is marking an end to a command phrase
Another reason why Alexa makes this Bing Bong Noise is that it marks the end of a command phrase. This means that after you finish saying a command phrase like room and say “Alexa, turn on the lights,” Alexa is simply marking the end of a command phrase. But when you say “Alexa, turn on the lights” at your desk in your office, Alexa is making a bing-bong noise to mark the end of a command phrase.
How To Stop Alexa’s Bing Bong Noise?
1. Using Command Skills
Command skills are probably the best way to control the Bing Bong sound on your Amazon Echo without completely muting it. This is because, if you open up your Alexa app or log into your online account and go to the skills section, you can literally find thousands of different skills that you can add to your device that allow you to control just about everything. One example is a command skill called ‘Boff Whalers’ that allows you to turn the Bing Bong off, and then turn it back on again whenever you like. Another example is a skill called ‘Wildlife Sounds’ that allows you to turn off the Bing Bong noise and replace it with any of the different sounds. This is a great way to silence the Bing Bong and replace it with something you prefer and will make your home feel more like home.
2. Mute Your Alexa Device
If you don’t feel like adding any skills to your device, then you can always just mute the device instead of completely turning it off. To do this, just press the mute button on the top of the device for five seconds, and the Bing Bong noise will stop. When you are ready to use it again, just press the mute button once more and the device will be back up and running. This will also allow you to still use the device and access all of the things that you would do with it when it is turned on. This is a great way to silence the Bing Bong and turn off the device noise without having to completely shut it off and lose the functionality of your Alexa.
3. Using The Echo Button
The Echo Button is a physical button that you can press to turn off the Bing Bong noise on your Amazon Echo device. You can buy the button from the official Amazon website and it will set you back around $20. The button is connected to your device via WiFi and pressing it will shut off the device noise, but it does require you to be in the range of your WiFi network. The button is a great way to turn off the noise without having to log into your Alexa account and use the app and it also allows you to completely turn off your device and silence the Bing Bong at any time. The button is a great and easy way to silence the noise while still allowing you to use the device in other ways.
4. Turn Off Vocals
Another way to silence the Bing Bong noise is to completely turn off the device’s voice recognition feature. To do this, press the ‘Action’ button three times and then select the option to ‘Turn Off Voice Recognition. Once you have done this, the device will no longer recognize any voice commands and will therefore not emit the noise. This is a great way to silence the noise and still be able to use your device and log into your account. This is also a great way to silence the noise if you are going to have guests over and don’t want them to hear or be put off by the noise. This is a great way to silence the noise and still be able to use the device.
5. Turn Off Voice Recognition
Another way to silence the Bing Bong noise is to completely turn off voice recognition. To do this, press the ‘Action’ button three times and then select the option to ‘Turn Off Voice Recognition. Once you have done this, the device will no longer recognize any voice commands and will therefore not emit the noise. This is a great way to silence the noise and still be able to use your device and log into your account. This is also a great way to silence the noise if you are going to have guests over and don’t want them to hear or be put off by the noise. This is a great way to silence the noise and still be able to use the device.
Bottom Line
The bing bong noise you hear when Alexa is activated is essentially the device’s default “wake word.” Alexa’s wake word is now “Alexa,” which many users prefer over the previous choice. If you want to turn off the bing bong noise on your Amazon device, you can do so by selecting the “off” option in the “wake word” settings menu. That will silence the virtual assistant until you activate her again with her wake word. You can also silence Alexa’s bing-bong noise by simply saying “Alexa, stop.” Or, you can manually turn her off by pressing the button on the top of the device.
