Amazon Echo Dot F31 Error Code Guide (Fast Fix)

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What This Error Means

F31 on an Amazon Echo Dot is an unofficial error that usually means the Dot failed to finish Wi‑Fi or account setup.

In plain terms: the Echo boots, tries to join your network and Amazon account, chokes on the handshake, and gets stuck in setup.

Amazon doesn’t publish an F31 code, but users see it in the Alexa app, smart-home hubs, or router logs when the Dot just won’t come online.

Official Fix

Do the boring, by-the-book steps first. They actually solve most F31 cases.

  • 1. Power-cycle everything
    • Unplug the Echo Dot power adapter from the wall for 30 seconds.
    • Unplug your router/modem for 30 seconds, then plug them back in.
    • Wait until Wi‑Fi is fully back (all router lights stable), then power the Dot back up.
  • 2. Stand next to the router
    • Move the Dot within a few feet of the router.
    • Don’t test through walls, metal racks, or in a corner of the house.
    • Weak or noisy Wi‑Fi is a common trigger for F31‑type setup failures.
  • 3. Re-run setup from the Alexa app
    • Open the Alexa app on your phone.
    • Go to Devices > Echo & Alexa, tap your Dot.
    • If it shows as offline or half-setup, choose Forget Device or Remove.
    • Now tap + > Add Device and follow the prompts to set it up again.
  • 4. Check the Wi‑Fi details
    • Confirm the Wi‑Fi password is correct. One wrong character will brick the setup and can show up as F31.
    • Use a 2.4 GHz network if possible (many Dots are fussier with 5 GHz).
    • Avoid super-long or fancy SSID names and passwords while testing (stick to letters/numbers).
  • 5. Update Alexa app and phone OS
    • On your phone, update the Alexa app from the App Store or Google Play.
    • Restart the phone after updating.
    • Old app versions can bug out during device provisioning and throw odd codes like F31.
  • 6. Factory reset the Echo Dot (manual’s last resort)
    • Echo Dot 3rd gen and newer: Hold Action button (the dot button) for about 25 seconds, wait for the light to go off and back on.
    • Echo Dot with clock & later gens: Same idea: hold Action until the light ring changes and the device announces it’s resetting.
    • Once it restarts and the ring goes orange, re-run setup in the Alexa app.
  • 7. Try a different Wi‑Fi network
    • If you can, test on a friend’s or neighbor’s Wi‑Fi, or a phone hotspot.
    • If it sets up fine there, the Dot is okay; the issue is your router/network settings.

The Technician’s Trick

When the official steps fail and F31 keeps coming back, pros treat it as a picky-network problem. Here’s the inside play.

  • 1. Do a clean account break
    • On a computer, sign in at amazon.com.
    • Go to Account & Lists > Content & Devices > Devices.
    • Find the Echo Dot and choose Deregister.
    • Now factory reset the Dot again and set it up like it’s brand new.
  • 2. Temporarily simplify your Wi‑Fi
    • Log into your router settings.
    • Create a basic 2.4 GHz SSID just for smart devices. Example: Home-IoT.
    • Use WPA2-Personal with a simple but strong password (letters + numbers, no weird symbols while testing).
    • Turn off MAC filtering and any “AP isolation” / “Client isolation” features.
    • Turn off band steering / “Smart Connect” that blends 2.4 and 5 GHz into one name.
    • Connect only the Echo Dot to this test network first. If it works, then you know your old Wi‑Fi settings were the problem.
  • 3. The hotspot bypass move
    • Turn on a mobile hotspot on your phone (use 2.4 GHz if selectable).
    • Factory reset the Dot again.
    • Set it up in the Alexa app, connecting it to the phone’s hotspot.
    • Once it completes setup and registers to your Amazon account, go back into the app and change its Wi‑Fi over to your home network.
    • This sidesteps some router quirks that can trigger F31 during first-time setup.
  • 4. Put the settings back
    • After the Dot is working, go back to your router and restore any security settings you relaxed.
    • Don’t leave your Wi‑Fi permanently wide open just to keep an Echo online.

Is It Worth Fixing? (The Financial Verdict)

  • ✅ Fix: Dot is under 4–5 years old, no physical damage, and F31 only shows during setup or after a Wi‑Fi change.
  • ⚠️ Debatable: Older Dot (2nd gen or earlier), needs router setting changes just to function, or keeps dropping offline every few days.
  • ❌ Replace: F31 persists even on multiple different networks, plus you’ve got mic, speaker, or power issues; put the money toward a newer Echo.

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See also

Dealing with other F-series or smart-device error codes? These guides keep the guesswork low.