Diagnosis
The microphone is either obstructed or the device is in a suboptimal spot. The Pop's single front-firing microphone is less sensitive than larger Echos.
How to Fix It
- Physically wipe the fabric front with a dry cloth—dust is the main culprit.
- Move it. Get it off the floor, away from walls, and at least a foot from other speakers or noisy appliances (like a fridge).
- In the Alexa app, go to Devices > Echo & Alexa > your Pop > Sounds. Turn off "Brief Mode" if it's on—the confirmation chime tells you it heard correctly.
If That Didn't Work
Retrain the voice model. In the Alexa app, go to Devices > Echo & Alexa > your Pop > Voice Training and follow the prompts.
Heads Up
The compact speaker means Alexa's voice can drown out your next command. Use a lower volume or enable "Adaptive Volume" in the Sounds menu to have it auto-adjust.