What can you do if Alexa won’t connect to Spotify? While you will find that this is an irritating issue to deal with, you’ll luckily find several solutions to the problem.
There are several reasons why Spotify won’t connect to Alexa. These could range from issues with your internet connection to problems with software on your speaker or the Alexa app. Sometimes, you might also need to disconnect and reconnect Spotify with your device.
Regardless of why Echo won’t play Spotify, we’ll try and help you fix the problem today. You’ll discover several reasons why you may have problems playing music from your device, along with what you can do to solve the problem.
Why is my Alexa not connecting to Spotify?
Before we look at solutions to the Alexa not connecting to Spotify problem, let’s identify why you might be encountering this problem in the first place.
You might not be in the range of your speaker
One of the simplest reasons why you might struggle to connect Alexa and Spotify is that you’re not close enough to your speaker. Ranges for Amazon Echo devices will differ depending on the model you use, and it’s worth checking to see if you need to be closer.
Besides not being close to your speaker, Alexa might not connect to Spotify because you’re not talking loud enough. So, this is another thing to consider before moving on and diagnosing some of the other issues you might be facing.
Issues with your speaker
In some cases, Spotify won’t connect to Alexa because of problems with your speaker. While Amazon Echo devices are typically resilient, they do have a lifespan – and you might find that your device is close to the end of its own.
In other cases, however, you might simply have glitches that don’t require a huge amount of effort to fix.
You might need to update the software on your Amazon Echo device
Besides glitches and other issues, one potential reason behind Alexa not connecting to Spotify is due to the software on your device. Like if you use a smartphone or computer, speakers need to be updated intermittently to ensure that they still work as they should.
If you’re unable to connect Alexa with Spotify, outdated software could be a potential contributor.
In addition to updating the software on your speakers, you should check to see if you need to do this for your smartphone, tablet, or wherever you’re using the Alexa app from.
Internet connection issues
Another reason that you might struggle to connect Alexa with Spotify is because of problems with your internet connection. When using Amazon Echo, you will typically need to use Wi-Fi to perform several tasks – and streaming music from platforms like Spotify and Apple Music is one of those.
You will also need an internet connection on whichever device you use the Alexa app from. So, if you’re having problems with your Wi-Fi at home, you can look to this as one of the first places to solve your Spotify connectivity issues.
Explicit filters
When using Amazon Echo, you can choose whether you want to turn on explicit filters. If you do, your device will block out explicit words – including from songs. Needless to say, this is a huge problem when a lot of music will include words of this kind.
While some music streaming will work when you have these filters switched on, that’s not always the case. So, if you’re unable to use Spotify with your speakers, check to ensure that you haven’t switched this feature on.
Issues with the Alexa app
In some cases, Alexa might not connect to Spotify because of problems with the app. You’ll need to download updates to ensure that everything continues working as it should, and it’s worth checking to make sure you’ve got the latest version on your device.
How do I relink Spotify to Alexa?
Now that you know some of the reasons why Spotify won’t connect to Alexa, let’s identify a selection of the top solutions to this issue. You’ll find a broad range of things you can try in the sub-sections below.
Move closer to your speaker
If Alexa won’t connect to Spotify, the first thing you should do is try moving closer to the speaker. It’s also worth ensuring that nothing is blocking your devices from connecting to each other, such as walls and doors.
In instances where you aren’t sure how far away you can be from your speaker, check the specifications for your particular Amazon Echo device. You should be able to find these online by looking for the model that you have.
Update the software on your Amazon Echo device
Another smart idea if you’re struggling to connect Alexa and Spotify is to check and see if you need to update the software on your speaker.
To update the software on your speakers, you’ll need to connect it to your smartphone. When you’re connected, any new updates will automatically be downloaded onto your device.
You can go to your app settings to check the current software version downloaded on your Amazon Echo speakers.
Update the Alexa app
If you’re still having issues playing Spotify from Alexa, you can always try updating the Alexa app. How you do this will depend on your device – but from your smartphone, you can go to the App Store or Google Play. When you’re there, you can check for updates and install these.
You can also try updating the Spotify app. The process is the same as updating Alexa if you’re using it from your smartphone or tablet, and you should see that everything is working as normal after completing these steps.
Disconnect and reinstall Spotify
If you’re still having issues with Alexa and Spotify, try disconnecting and reconnecting your account. You can do this by going into the Alexa app and choosing Settings > Alexa Preferences.
After that, follow these steps:
- Go to Music & Podcasts > Spotify.
- Select Disable Skill.
- Confirm your decision by hitting the Disable button again.
To reconnect Spotify with Alexa:
- Go to Settings > Music & Podcasts.
- Go to Spotify > Link account to Alexa, and sign into your Spotify account.
You should now have Spotify linked to your device, and you shouldn’t have issues playing your songs. Once you’ve done that, you might want to consider checking out how to see who liked your playlist on Spotify.
Check your internet connection
You can also try checking your internet connection when Alexa won’t connect to Spotify. First, it’s worth disconnecting your smartphone from your Wi-Fi and reconnecting it again. Start by simply turning on Airplane Mode before forgetting and reconnecting to your network if you’re still encountering problems.
You can also try resetting your Wi-Fi router. Switch it off and unplug the modem from the wall before waiting and turning everything on again. After that, check to see if you’re able to connect Spotify and Alexa again.
Turn off your explicit filters
You can also check to see whether you have explicit filters switched on for your Amazon Echo speakers. To do this, go to More > Settings in the Alexa app. Once you’ve done that, go to Music & Podcasts > Explicit Language Filter > off.
When you’ve turned off your explicit language filters for Amazon Echo, close and reopen the Spotify app. Then, see if you’re now able to connect everything and play music as you previously would have been able to.
Switch your speaker off and on
Another potential solution for the Alexa won’t connect to Spotify issue is to try turning your Amazon Echo speaker off and on again. Doing so may help to solve any glitches that could potentially stop your devices from properly connecting to each other.
To turn off your Amazon Echo speaker, you can simply unplug your device from your wall. After doing that, you can wait a little while before reconnecting it and trying to play Spotify from your device again.
Clear your Spotify cache
Clearing your caches might be another ideal way to get your Spotify account working with Alexa again. You can clear your cache on Spotify by opening Spotify and going to Settings > Storage > Clear cache.
Note that when you clear your cache on Spotify, you’ll need to re-enter your login details. However, you should hopefully no longer have issues with using the app alongside Alexa.
Get Alexa and Spotify working together again
Why won’t Alexa play Spotify?
There are several reasons why Alexa won’t connect to Spotify. Sometimes, you might have problems with your internet connection – and in other cases, you may need to update your Alexa and Spotify apps.
But those aren’t the only potential contributors; you might also need to do things that you may not otherwise have thought of, such as turning off explicit filters for Amazon Echo.
Generally speaking, Alexa not connecting to Spotify isn’t a problem that you should worry too much about. You will find several solutions to fix the issue, and it’s worth trying a selection of these until the issue is solved.
You can also try completely reconnecting Spotify and Alexa if you can’t fix the problem in another way.
Once you’ve fixed the problem with Alexa and Spotify, why not find out how to share liked songs on the app with others?
Unwired for Sound: Set your audio free.
Now read these:
—Your guide to sharing liked songs on Spotify
—How to see who liked your playlist on Spotify
—The best playlists for unknown artists on Spotify
—How to find new music for playlists on Spotify
