Can Alexa work as a speaker without WiFi? In a way, it can, but the functions are limited.
Generally speaking, it cannot work without the internet or WiFi because Alexa is an online algorithm.
To expand more on this subject, there are several questions that will answer in this article.
In the end, you should know the limitations and capabilities of your Amazon Echo Dot and Alexa.
Does Alexa’s Local Voice Control Work Without WiFi?
It is possible to do voice control with Alexa through your speaker without WiFi.
Alexa uses Natural Language Processing (NLP). To do this, it has to connect to the server. Without the internet, it cannot connect to its “brain.”
Despite this, there are some applications where Alexa will work with Local Voice Control.
It is a feature in new Echo devices and the app that powers this is the Zigbee.
It allows the device to perform some functions even if there is no internet available.
What Alexa Functions Will Work Without WiFi?
Here is a quick list of what Alexa CAN DO despite the absence of WiFi or internet.
- Use it as a Bluetooth speaker – you can use it to issue some basic commands
- Use as an alarm and set reminders – the alarm will sound even if there is no internet connection
- Control some smart devices – you can control some light bulbs that are also connected to your Echo
- Call another Echo device – can be useful if you have multiple devices
- Control the volume – you can tell Echo to increase or decrease the volume
As you can see, these functions are severely limited. They are also too basic, and a device like Echo has enough capacity to store these processes locally.
The thing is that some of these applications need the internet for setting up, so you still end up needing internet, after all.
These functions, however, will work if your WiFi is down, provided that you already set them up earlier.
What Alexa Functions Will Not Work Without WiFi?
Now, here are the things you CANNOT DO with Alexa and Echo if the internet is down.
- Provide news, traffic, or weather updates – just ask Alexa what you are looking for and it will read what it found online
- Shop online – you can ask it to open Amazon and you can place your orders
- Stream music – you can ask it to open an app like Spotify and then it will play music of your choice
- Alexa routines – Alexa routines are shortcut voice commands
- Voice commands – these are normal voice commands for the device
- Calls and messages – you can tell Echo to call somebody or compose a message and then send it
- Send announcements to other devices – you can also use the device to send announcements to people or control other devices
Obviously, all these tasks are complicated. Your Echo device and the Alexa program need to connect to its brain to access the information you are looking for.
In addition, there could be a billion other things that you may want it to do, so it really has to connect to the internet.
For example, if you ask Alexa to give you COVID updates, what it does is search the internet and read the answers that it found.
As you know by now, it cannot do this without the internet because it is only reading what it found; it does not store this information in its servers at all.
Does the Alexa Alarm Work Without WiFi?
Yes, however, you need to set the alarm with WiFi. You cannot complete the set-up without an internet connection.
Once this is completed, the alarm will go off even if your device has been disconnected from the internet.
Can Alexa Work on Mobile Data?
Yes, it does work on mobile data. The Echo device is like any device that can access the internet.
However, you must know that data connection is expensive.
Do Alexa routines work without the internet?
No, Alexa will not work with the routines you set if it is disconnected from the internet.
Some functions may work, but generally speaking, many will not function.
Why? The routines are not saved on the Echo device. These are saved in the cloud.
As such, these routines are not locally stored in the device. So, if you want Alexa to access these routines, it has to connect to the cloud.
Why Does Alexa Need a WiFi connection?
Alexa is a software program that has a huge processing unit or “brain.”
The brain is not inside the device—the device is much too small to have the software program in it.
The Alexa in the Echo device is just a small chunk of the AI. A vast majority of it is in the servers of Amazon.
For Alexa in your Echo device to work, it has to connect to its main brain, and this is why it needs the internet.
So, when you ask Alexa a question, it is not the Echo device that processes it.
Your device only acts as a speaker and microphone. The Alexa program inside your device sends that command to the brain.
It is the brain that processes what you said and then executes your command or request through your device.
Does Alexa Work With Bluetooth?
Yes, it works with Bluetooth. To do this, just open your Alexa app on your mobile device, and find ECHO, then Alexa.
From here, you can choose the device that you want to connect. Then, you can connect a device with Alexa via Bluetooth.
Conclusion
Alexa is a powerful machine. However, this power is so great that it cannot be contained locally in a device.
Its brain needs more storage, and we are sure that a house is not even big enough to store all the codes to make it work.
So, if you are planning to buy an Echo device but you have no internet, forget about it.
Even if some apps will work without the internet, it is just not worth it.