Anki Cozmo Troubleshooting

The sounds that Cozmo makes to display emotions are quiet, low quality, or do not exist.

Make sure the volume on Cozmo itself is turned up.

Open the Cozmo app and make sure the volume is up. Go to Music Level General Settings > Volume and General.

Make sure the device using the Cozmo app is not on vibration, in silent mode, or on low volume.

If the sound quality is weak or quieter than it should be, a common cause is that there is foreign material blocking the speaker. This can be fixed by accessing Cozmo’s internal hardware and lightly dusting off the speaker system with a cotton swab or similar object.

If the sound does not emit from Cozmo at all, the speakers may not work and need to be replaced. To replace the speaker, follow this guide.

Anki Cozmo is turning on and doing the assigned tasks but cannot recognize you.

Make sure Cozmo’s environment is bright by turning on the light or going to a brighter location. Make sure your face is well lit.

Make sure you are near Cozmo and in a straight line of its sight.

Make sure you are holding Cozmo still or Cozmo is on stable ground.

Make sure there is not a large number of people in Cozmo’s line of sight. Also, make sure there is no one who is already recognized by Cozmo in its line of sight. If there is already a person recognized by Cozmo in its line of sight, then it doesn’t recognize the new person it is trying to scan because it recognized the person it already knew.

New Cozmo displays errors on-screen during the setup tutorial.

There are two clear plastic pieces with red arrows, one in the front section under Cozmo's chin and the other on the back of the head. Make sure they are removed.

If Cozmo displays the "Put Cozmo on a flat surface" message, Cozmo should be placed on a flat and stable surface for it to explore.

The Cozmo app alerts you that “Cozmo is having trouble seeing”.

Cozmo needs to be able to see in order to function properly. Cozmo often has trouble seeing when the lighting of its surrounding environment is either too bright or too dark. In order to help Cozmo see better, try adjusting the lighting of its environment accordingly. Either dim the lights or make them brighter.

Cozmo sees the world through a camera. If Cozmo is still having trouble seeing even in ideal lighting conditions, there might be an issue with its camera.

The Cozmo app alerts you that Cozmo is hungry, but you are having difficulty feeding it.

To feed Cozmo, the cubes need to be energized and within range of Cozmo. Sometimes, Cozmo will not eat because it cannot hear its cubes. Try placing the cubes closer to Cozmo so that they are easier to detect.

Sometimes, Cozmo will not eat even if the cubes are near it. If this is the case, the cubes might not be working. First, give Cozmo a quick snack while you work on the cubes. Then, test to see if the batteries need replacing. To test if the battery needs replacing, unscrew the cube’s lid, wait ten seconds, then screw the lid back on. If the cube flashes red, green, then blue, the battery is good. If not, replace the battery. To replace the battery, follow this guide: Anki Cozmo Battery Replacement.

If the batteries are working and Cozmo is still not eating, the cubes might need to be reset. First, give Cozmo a quick snack while you work on the cubes. Then, make sure the cubes are connected properly. Open the Cozmo app, go to Settings, and then go to Cube Status. If the cubes are all connected, there will be three green checkmarks. If not, they might need to be reconnected. To connect the cubes to Cozmo, move them to another room to stop Cozmo from connecting to them, close the Cozmo app, relaunch the Cozmo app, and place the cubes near Cozmo for them to connect.

Cozmo is trying to interact with the cubes but is experiencing some issues.

The cube’s battery causes it to light up and interact with Cozmo. To test if the battery is dead, unscrew the cube’s lid, wait ten seconds, then screw the lid back on. If the cube flashes red, green, then blue, the battery is good. If not, replace the battery. To replace the battery, follow this guide: Anki Cozmo Battery Replacement.

In order to work, the cubes must be properly connected to Cozmo. To make sure the cubes are connected properly, open the Cozmo app, go to Settings, and then go to Cube Status. If the cubes are all connected, there will be three green checkmarks. If not, they might need to be reconnected. To connect the cubes to Cozmo, move them to another room to stop Cozmo from connecting to them, close the Cozmo app, relaunch the Cozmo app, and place the cubes near Cozmo for them to connect. If the cubes are still not connecting, this could be a battery issue. To replace the battery, follow this guide: Anki Cozmo Battery Replacement.

Cozmo shuts off randomly on its own.

Check to make sure your device meets the minimum specifications:

• USB adapter should be type A
• If your Cozmo does not have a backpack button- use a power source that is minimum output 5V/2A
• If your Cozmo does have a backpack button- use a power source that is minimum output 5V/1A (recommended output is 5V/1.5A)

Charge Cozmo for 30 minutes until it shows a solid green LED. Make sure the USB cable is fully plugged into the adapter / USB power source to make sure Cozmo is getting enough amperage.

Turn off network auto-switching on your cellular device by following the steps below.

Android Devices:

• In the App Drawer (or on the Home Screen), click on "Settings"
• Click on "Network & Internet" and then click on "Wi-Fi’
• In the top right-hand side of the screen, select the submenu and click "Advanced Wi-Fi"
• On this screen, turn off the "Switch to Mobile Data" option

iPhone / iOS:

• On the Home Screen, click on "Settings"
• Click on "Cellular"
• Find "Wi-Fi Assist" (you may have to scroll down)
• Once you have found "Wi-Fi Assist", swipe to turn it off

Cozmo is displaying error 2 and 3 messages on screen.

Restart your device. Uninstall the Cozmo app (tip: export your code lab projects first). Remove the SD card. Reinstall the app. If the error persists, repeat the steps and also clear your Google Play Store and Google Play Service cache and data before reinstalling the app.

Cozmo cannot connect to its WiFi or the cellular device to use the Cozmo app.

Check to make sure your cellular device is compatible with the Cozmo app. Check to make sure the app version is up to date. Check to make sure your device’s OS version is up to date.

Check to make sure your cellular device is searching for all network types

• Toggle airplane mode to temporarily cut data exchanges
• Turn off mobile data connection
• In the list of networks in your device's WiFi settings, forget Cozmo’s network
• Turn off Wi-Fi assist (iOS 9 or higher or Android 8 or higher)
• Disable VPN if you are using it

Check to make sure location services are turned on in your cellular device (location will not be stored).

Check to make sure your cellular device is not lagging.

• Turn off the "Smart network switch" - Android 6 (Marshmallow) or Android 7 (Nougat) only
• Powercycle Cozmo
  • Cozmo with a backpack button:
    • take Cozmo off its charging station
    • press and hold the backpack button for 5 seconds
    • place Cozmo back on its charging station
  • Cozmo with no backpack button:
    • take Cozmo off its charging station
    • unplug the adapter from socket (leave USB plugged into adapter)
    • place Cozmo back on its charging station until its light goes off
    • plug adapter back into socket
    • place Cozmo back on charging station
• Restart your device
• Close apps and processes running in the background on your device

Check to make sure the Cozmo Wi-Fi has a strong signal.

A common cause of this issue is home WiFi interfering with the Cozmo WiFi or preventing it from reaching and connecting to your cellular device. Check for interference from other devices. Distance Cozmo from microwaves, baby monitors, digital cordless telephones, etc. A common symptom of this error is being prompted to re-enter your password or noticing the Cozmo WiFi is dipping in and out. To fix this, try turning your home WiFi off while using Cozmo. This reduces interference from the home network and should increase the reception and connective ability of the Cozmo WiFi network.

If Cozmo is not connected to your phone’s WiFi through the app that had to be downloaded in order for him to operate, it will not turn on. Go to the app store and download the app “Cozmo”. After that, put it on its charger and press the “on” button. Open the WiFi in your phone’s settings application and connect to Cozmo’s WiFi. Then, take Cozmo off of its charger and try again. It should wake up.

Cozmo’s arms will not move upon command from the Anki app, or to express mood during the free mode.

A common cause of the arms not moving is the arms becoming misaligned with the internal motor system. To fix this, remove arms using a screwdriver and then reattach them.

When Cozmo is powered on his screen does not light up.

Cozmo’s battery may be depleted and needs charging. Place Cozmo on its charging station and press the power button.