AirPort Express status light (LED) behavior and meanings
Summary
Is your AirPort Express winking at you? This article tells you what the light is trying to say.
Products Affected
AirPort Express Base Station
When you plug AirPort Express into an AC outlet, the startup sequence goes like this:
- The status light flashes green for 1 second,
- Then solid amber while it starts up;
- Once it has started up completely, it glows solid green.
That's how it behaves during normal use. If it can't get an IP address, the light may flash amber. This table outlines the status light behaviors you might see and what they mean:
| Status Light Behavior | What It Means |
| Off | AirPort Express is unplugged or not receiving any power. |
| Flashing green | AirPort Express has been plugged in. The LED flashes green for one second to indicate that power has been applied.
Note: There is also a Flash On Activity option you can select in AirPort Admin Utility. If you select that option, it will flash to indicate network traffic during normal use. |
| Solid amber | AirPort Express is completing its startup sequence. |
| Solid green | AirPort Express has started up, has an IP connection, and is working normally (see note above). |
| Solid yellow | There was an issue starting up. AirPort Express will restart in 60 seconds. |
| Flashing amber | Startup is complete, but AirPort Express didn't get an IP connection. Depending on your setup, it may mean AirPort Express is out of network range, unplugged from Ethernet, lacks a path to the Internet (or local router), or that there's an issue with your Internet service provider.
Note: If AirPort Express is set up as a wireless client and the network it's joining is protected by an access control list, AirPort Express must be in the ACL to get an IP connection. |
| Alternating amber/green | When multiple AirPort Express base stations are available during setup, you can trigger this behavior by using the Identify feature. |