One of the first questions you’ll likely ask is, can Alexa work without power? This is a reasonable concern, as the device doesn’t use much power when not in use. However, some users may be worried about the cost of their utility bills. Don’t worry; it’s not harmful to have Alexa unplugged, and plugged back in later. However, if you do plan to take your device with you, consider a power backup solution.
While an Amazon Echo or Amazon Tap may seem like they both require a power source, the tap does not. You can expect up to 9 hours of functionality without plugging it in. The tap uses a different wake-up mechanism than the echo. To interact with Alexa, you’ll have to press a button on the device, but it’s important to remember that it’ll go into sleep mode when it’s not in use. You don’t have to worry about it shutting down while you’re using it, either.
However, you’ll need to manually reset the device after a power outage. You can do this by pressing the volume down and microphone buttons simultaneously. Wait for about 20 seconds for the light ring to turn orange or blue. When you turn your device on again, the microphone will turn back on and the device will reboot. If you have a WiFi router, you’ll need to connect your device to it to continue using it.
