Amazon Echo Dot F33 Error Code Fix

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What This Error Means

Decoded: F33 on an Amazon Echo Dot means a boot / connection failure.

The Dot powers up but can’t finish starting, talk to your Wi‑Fi, or reach Amazon’s servers, so it throws F33 instead of going ready and listening for commands.

Official Fix

Do this in order. This is the same path support will walk you through.

  • 1. Power check. Plug the Dot straight into a wall outlet. Use the original Amazon Echo Dot power adapter if you have it. Don’t use a TV USB port, a random 5W phone charger, or an extra‑long flimsy USB cable.
  • 2. Soft reboot. Unplug the power adapter from the wall. Wait 30 seconds. Plug it back in and give it a full two minutes to boot. If you still see F33, keep going.
  • 3. Re-run Wi‑Fi setup in the Alexa app. On your phone, open the Alexa app > Devices > Echo & Alexa > select your Dot > Change Wi‑Fi. Put the Dot next to the router and walk through setup again. Make sure you pick the right network and password, and avoid any “guest” network that might block devices from talking out.
  • 4. Reboot the network. Unplug your modem and router for 60 seconds. Plug the modem back in and wait until its lights are solid. Then plug the router back in and wait another 2–3 minutes. After that, unplug and replug the Dot once more and try Wi‑Fi setup again from the Alexa app.
  • 5. Factory reset the Echo Dot. This wipes settings and usually clears stubborn F33 glitches:
    • Echo Dot 3rd, 4th, 5th gen: press and hold the Action button for about 25 seconds, until the light ring turns off and then back on in orange.
    • Echo Dot 2nd gen: press and hold Mic off + Volume down together for about 20 seconds, until the light ring turns orange.
    • Echo Dot 1st gen: use a paper clip to press and hold the reset hole until the ring turns orange.
    After the reset, set it up again in the Alexa app like it’s a new device.
  • 6. Still stuck on F33? The official next step is contact Amazon device support. If you’re in warranty, they’ll generally replace it. If you’re out of warranty, they’ll steer you toward buying a new Echo.

The Technician’s Trick

This is what techs try in the field before calling a Dot truly dead.

  • Rule out a weak power brick. Swap in a known-good 9W or 15W Amazon-branded adapter from another Echo or Fire device, or a decent-quality charger with enough amps. Plug it into a different wall outlet, no power strips or extension cords. Undervoltage makes Dots boot-loop and throw weird codes like F33 even when Wi‑Fi is fine.
  • Bypass your router with a phone hotspot. Turn on hotspot on your phone. Factory-reset the Dot, then during setup choose your phone’s hotspot as the Wi‑Fi network. If it sets up clean with no F33, the Dot is okay and your home router (firewall rules, MAC filtering, guest isolation, or a bad channel) is the problem. Fix or replace the router, or put in a simpler Wi‑Fi access point for smart devices.
  • Cool it down and give it one clean boot. If the Dot feels warm, unplug it for 10–15 minutes. Set it on an open, hard surface (not buried in a shelf or on a couch). Then power it back up with the better adapter and run setup again. Dots that overheated during an update often need one clean, cool boot to stop acting flaky.

Is It Worth Fixing? (The Financial Verdict)

  • ✅ Fix: It’s still under warranty, or swapping in a proper adapter/cable (around $10–$20) plus a reset clears F33 and it runs stable.
  • ⚠️ Debatable: The Dot is a few years old, only works sometimes after resets, and you’d need to buy both a new power adapter and probably update/replace a sketchy router.
  • ❌ Replace: F33 sticks even with a known-good adapter, clean factory reset, and hotspot test; at that point, your time is worth more than the cost of a newer Echo.

Parts You Might Need

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See also

Chasing other device errors around the house? These will help you clean up the rest: