What Does This Error Mean?

Alexa smart home 'device not responding' errors are most commonly caused by the smart device losing its Wi-Fi connection, or the Alexa skill for that device needing to be re-linked. Check that the smart device is still connected to Wi-Fi in its own app, then ask Alexa to discover devices again.

Affected Models

Amazon Echo
Amazon Echo Dot
Amazon Echo Pop
Amazon Echo Show
All Amazon Echo models with smart home support

Common Causes

Smart device lost Wi-Fi connection — needs reconnection in its native app
Alexa skill for the device is unlinked or has an expired token
Smart device hub (Hue Bridge, SmartThings) offline or needing a restart
Device renamed in the native app but Alexa still uses the old name
Router IP address changed and the device has a stale cached address

How to Fix It

Check the device in its native app first.

Open the smart home device's own app (Philips Hue, TP-Link Kasa, etc.) and confirm you can control it directly. If the native app cannot control the device, the problem is the device's Wi-Fi connection — fix that first before involving Alexa.
Ask Alexa to discover devices.

Say 'Alexa, discover devices' or go to the Alexa app > Devices > + Add Device > Discover Devices. This refreshes the connection between Alexa and all linked smart home skills. Wait for discovery to complete and try the device again.
Disable and re-enable the Alexa skill.

Open the Alexa app > More > Skills & Games > Your Skills. Find the skill for your smart home brand and tap Disable Skill. After disabling, re-enable it and re-link your account. This refreshes the authentication token that allows Alexa to control the devices.
Restart the smart home hub.

If your smart home devices use a hub (Philips Hue Bridge, Samsung SmartThings, etc.), unplug the hub from power for 30 seconds and plug it back in. Wait for the hub to fully reconnect before testing Alexa commands.
Check for duplicate device names.

If you have multiple devices with the same or similar names, Alexa may be confused about which one to control. In the Alexa app, go to Devices and rename each device with a unique, clear name. Then test the command using the exact new name.

When to Call a Professional

Smart home integration failures are almost always software or network configuration issues. Contact the smart device manufacturer's support if the device cannot be controlled even through its own app.