Your Echo Show 8 sits on the counter, screen on, showing the weather widget. You say "Alexa" and nothing happens. Not even a blue light ring. The device is powered on, the screen is responsive, but it just won't hear you. This is a common gripe with the third-gen Echo Show, and almost always comes down to one of a handful of things.
First thing: look at the top of the device. There are two physical controls up there, a slider for the camera shutter and a button for the microphone. The mic mute button has a small microphone icon with an X. If that button is pressed in and you see a red line along the edge of the device, the mic is off at the hardware level. Tap it once to unmute. The red line disappears and the device should start listening again.
Common reasons your Echo Show 8 stops responding to Alexa
A few specific things tend to trip up the Echo Show 8. The physical mic mute button gets bumped during cleaning or when you're moving the device around. The camera shutter slider can also be bumped but only affects the camera, not the mic, unless you forget which is which. Other causes include a hung audio state after streaming a video, a stale Wi-Fi connection, or an Alexa voice profile that needs retraining after a cold or voice change.
Is the mic physically muted?
That little button on top of the Echo Show 8 is the most common culprit. Press it once to unmute. You'll see a brief notification on screen that says "Microphone on" and the red line vanishes. If the red line stays on after pressing, the button might be stuck, try pressing it a few more times to dislodge any dust or debris. This is especially worth checking if the device is near a kitchen counter where grease or crumbs can work their way in.
Power cycle the Echo Show 8
Unplug the power cord from the back of the device. Wait a full 30 seconds, this gives the internal components enough time to discharge. Plug it back in. The Echo Show 8 will boot up and within about 90 seconds the wake word should start working again. This clears any temporary software hiccups that might have locked up the audio processing pipeline.
I've seen this fix work after streaming a Prime Video show and then putting the device to sleep, the audio hardware sometimes doesn't release properly. A power cycle always sorts it out.
Retrain your Alexa voice profile
If the Echo Show responds to other people in the house but not you, Alexa has stopped recognizing your voice. Open the Alexa app on your phone, tap More in the bottom right, then Settings > Alexa Account > Recognized Voices. Tap your name and select Begin to retrain. You'll repeat four phrases. The whole process takes about a minute.
This is especially relevant if you've had a cold, allergies, or even just a rough morning voice. The voice model is comparing against your enrollment sample, and a different pitch or timbre can confuse it.
Check for background noise
The Echo Show 8 has four microphones (same as the Show 5), but heavy background noise can still overwhelm them. Loud TVs, a running dishwasher, or an HVAC vent pointed at the device will mask the wake word. Try standing three feet away and saying "Alexa" in a quiet room. If it works, the issue is environmental. Move the Echo Show to a spot with less ambient noise, or adjust the volume level of any nearby appliances.
The Ghost touches known issue (in humid environments) doesn't directly affect the mic, but a glitchy touchscreen can sometimes misbehave and override mic input. If you're in a humid room, try moving the device to a drier location and see if responsiveness improves.
Update the firmware
Outdated software can cause wake word detection to become flaky. Open the Alexa app, tap Devices at the bottom, select your Echo Show 8, then scroll to Device software version. If an update is available, it should install automatically overnight when the device is idle. You can also say "Alexa, check for software updates", the device will let you know if it's up to date.
In the past, Amazon has pushed updates that occasionally reset wake word sensitivity or introduced a temporary bug. Keeping the firmware current is your best bet for consistent behavior.
Switch the wake word
Sometimes the default "Alexa" just doesn't trigger reliably due to a sound profile mismatch. Open the Alexa app, go to Devices > select your Echo Show 8 > Settings > Wake Word. You can change it to "Amazon," "Echo," or "Computer." Try a different one for a few days. I've seen "Echo" work better in homes with lots of background chatter because it's a shorter, sharper sound.
Factory reset the Echo Show 8
If none of the above helps, a factory reset is the nuclear option. Go to Settings on the Echo Show itself (swipe down from the top, then tap the gear icon), then Device Options > Reset to Factory Defaults. Confirm the reset. The device will erase all your settings, voice profiles, Wi-Fi, smart home connections, and any custom Routines. After the reboot, set it up fresh through the Alexa app as if it were brand new.
Factory resetting clears any persistent software issues that a power cycle can't touch, including corrupt audio driver states or stuck processes from a failed update. It's the last resort, but it almost always works.
