Customer Ratings & Reviews

Hi AllisonM,

Thank you for sharing your experience with the Echo Show 5. We're really sorry to hear it didn't live up to your expectations — especially coming from a happy Echo Dot household, that disappointment hits a little harder.

We completely understand your frustration with the lag, the Spotify connectivity issues, and the struggles with basic commands like timers and questions. That's not the experience we want for you, and we sincerely apologize that it fell short.

A few things that may help get things back on track:

For lag and slow response times: Try restarting the device by going to Settings > Device Options > Restart, or simply unplug it for 30 seconds and plug it back in.
For Spotify playback issues: Make sure the Spotify skill is properly linked under Settings > Music & Podcasts in the Alexa app, and that your Spotify account is set as the default music provider.
For command recognition issues: Check that the microphone isn't muted (the red light indicator), and try moving the device away from walls or other electronics that may cause interference.

If these steps don't resolve the issues, our support team would love to dig deeper with you. Please reach out at 1-888-280-4331 or through the Amazon app — we're committed to making sure your Echo Show 5 works the way it should.

We truly appreciate your feedback, AllisonM, and we're glad your Echo Dot has been such a great experience. We hope we can get the Echo Show 5 to that same level for you!

Hi 4321,

Thank you for sharing your feedback about the Echo Show 5. I'm sorry to hear that you're disappointed with the performance compared to your previous model – that's definitely not the experience we want you to have with an upgraded device.

I understand your frustration that Alexa isn't responding as well as it did on your older Echo Show 5. This is concerning since the newest model is designed with improved features including 2x the bass and clearer sound, which should enhance the overall experience including voice recognition. There are several factors that might be affecting Alexa's responsiveness:

Microphone sensitivity settings: Try going to Settings > Device Options > Alexa's Voice and adjusting the microphone sensitivity
Wake word detection: Ensure the wake word is set correctly and try speaking more directly toward the device
Placement: The device's microphone array works best when it's not placed too close to walls, in corners, or near other electronic devices that might cause interference
Software updates: Make sure your Echo Show 5 has the latest software by going to Settings > Device Options > Check for Software Updates
Factory reset: If the issue persists, a factory reset might resolve any configuration issues that occurred during initial setup

Since you purchased this just 3 days ago from Best Buy, I'd strongly encourage you to contact Amazon Customer Service at 1-800-280-4331. They can run diagnostics on your device remotely, help troubleshoot the responsiveness issues, and determine if there's a defect with your specific unit that warrants a replacement. You're well within the return window if you decide the new model isn't meeting your needs.

Your feedback about the performance comparison to the previous model is valuable and helps us understand where customer expectations aren't being met.

Hello! I'm sorry to hear you're experiencing these frustrating issues with your Echo Show 5 — freezing up and having YouTube crash the device is definitely not the experience you should be having, and I completely understand the disappointment.

The Echo Show 5 is designed to be a compact smart display with access to video streaming, smart home controls, video calling, and more. While it is a capable device, performance issues like freezing and app crashes can occur and are often resolvable with a few targeted steps.

For the Freezing Issue:

Freezing on the Echo Show 5 is most commonly caused by the device needing a restart or a software refresh. Here are the steps to address it:

Restart your Echo Show 5 — Press and hold the mute button for about 20 seconds until the device restarts, or simply unplug it from power, wait 30 seconds, and plug it back in. This clears temporary memory and often resolves freezing.
Check for software updates — Swipe down from the top of the screen, go to Settings > Device Options > Check for Software Updates. Keeping the firmware current ensures you have the latest performance improvements and bug fixes.
Reduce background activity — If you have many skills or smart home devices connected, this can sometimes slow down the device. Disabling unused skills through the Alexa app can help free up resources.

For YouTube Crashing / Shutting Everything Down:

YouTube on the Echo Show 5 runs through the Silk browser or the Alexa video skill, and it can be resource-intensive for the device's hardware. Here are steps to improve stability:

Clear the browser cache — Go to Settings > Applications > Silk Browser > Clear Cache and Data. A buildup of cached data can cause apps and the browser to crash.
Use the Alexa app to launch YouTube — Instead of navigating directly on the device, try saying "Alexa, open YouTube" to let Alexa handle the launch, which can sometimes be more stable.
Avoid running multiple apps simultaneously — Close any other active apps or skills before opening YouTube to give it the most available memory.
Factory reset as a last resort — If freezing and crashes persist after the above steps, a factory reset can resolve deeper software issues. Go to Settings > Device Options > Reset to Factory Defaults. Note that you will need to set up the device again afterward.

It's worth noting that the Echo Show 5 is optimized for Alexa-native experiences, and heavy video streaming apps like YouTube can sometimes push the limits of its processing power. If performance continues to be a concern after trying these steps, Amazon Customer Support is available 24/7 and can assist with further diagnostics or discuss your options. You can reach them at 1-888-280-4331. Hope this helps, have a great day!