The basic connection: linking your Spotify account to Alexa
To play Spotify through Alexa, you connect your Spotify account to the Alexa app on your phone, then set Spotify as your default music service. Open the Alexa app, go to More (the three horizontal lines), select Settings, then Music & Podcasts. Tap Spotify and choose Link Account. You'll be taken to Spotify's login page — sign in with your Spotify username and password. Once linked, go back to Music & Podcasts and set Spotify as your Default Music Service.
The connection happens between your Spotify account and Amazon's servers, not between your phone and the Alexa device itself. This means you can control playback from any Alexa device in your home once the account is linked, and you don't need to keep the Alexa app open on your phone.
If you use a free Spotify account, you can still connect it to Alexa, but you'll have some limitations — you can't skip songs as freely, and you may hear ads. A Spotify Premium subscription removes these restrictions and gives you better control over playback.
Key Takeaways
- Link Spotify to Alexa through the Alexa app's Music & Podcasts settings, not through Spotify's own app.
- Once linked, you can ask Alexa to play any song, artist, playlist, or album from your Spotify library by voice command.
- Spotify Premium removes skip limits and ads, making voice control more practical for everyday use.
- If you have multiple Alexa devices, the connection works across all of them once you set Spotify as the default music service.
- You can switch back to a different music service (like Amazon Music) anytime by changing your default in the same settings menu.
Using voice commands to play music
Once Spotify is linked and set as default, you can ask Alexa to play music by voice. Say "Alexa, play [song name]" or "Alexa, play [artist name]" and Alexa will search your Spotify library and start playback on that device. You can also request playlists: "Alexa, play my Discover Weekly" or "Alexa, play the Chill Hits playlist."
The voice commands work best when you're specific. "Alexa, play music" will start playing something from your library, but it may not be what you want. "Alexa, play Blinding Lights by The Weeknd" gets you exactly what you asked for. If Spotify can't find what you're asking for, Alexa will tell you it's not available.
You can also control playback with voice: "Alexa, pause," "Alexa, next," "Alexa, previous," and "Alexa, volume up" all work without needing to touch your phone. On a free Spotify account, you can't skip forward as many times per hour, so Alexa will refuse the skip command if you've hit your limit.
Troubleshooting when Spotify won't connect
If you see an error when trying to link Spotify, the most common cause is that your Spotify account password has changed since you last connected, or you're using the wrong login credentials. Log out of Spotify in the Alexa app (go back to Music & Podcasts, find Spotify, and tap Unlink), then try linking again with your current Spotify username and password.
If Alexa says "Spotify is not available" when you ask it to play something, check that Spotify is actually set as your default music service — go back to Music & Podcasts and confirm it's selected. Also check that your internet connection is working; Alexa needs a stable WiFi connection to reach Spotify's servers.
If one Alexa device can play Spotify but another can't, the second device may not be signed into the same Amazon account. Alexa devices are tied to the Amazon account that set them up, and Spotify is linked to that account. Make sure both devices are on the same Amazon account in the Alexa app.
Playing music on a specific Alexa device
If you have multiple Alexa devices in your home, you can tell Alexa which one to use. Say "Alexa, play [song] on the kitchen speaker" or "Alexa, play [song] in the bedroom." Alexa will start playback on that specific device instead of the nearest one or the default device.
If you don't name the device, Alexa plays music on whichever device you're speaking to — the one closest to you that hears your voice. You can rename your Alexa devices in the Alexa app to make this easier: go to Devices, select the device, tap the settings icon, and change the name to something clear like "Kitchen" or "Living Room."
You can also pause, skip, or adjust volume on a specific device by naming it in your command. This is useful if you want to stop music in one room without affecting playback in another.
Switching between music services
Alexa can connect to multiple music services — Spotify, Amazon Music, Apple Music, YouTube Music, and others — but only one can be your default. When you ask Alexa to play music without specifying a service, it uses the default. If you want to use a different service, you can either change your default in settings or ask Alexa to play from a specific service by name.
To change your default, open the Alexa app, go to More, Settings, Music & Podcasts, and select a different service. To use a non-default service without changing the setting, say "Alexa, play [song] on Apple Music" or "Alexa, play [song] on Amazon Music." Alexa will play from that service for that request, but your default stays the same.
If you unlink Spotify, your playback history and preferences stay in your Spotify account — unlinking just disconnects the Alexa integration. You can link it again anytime with the same steps.
What happens when your Spotify subscription changes
If you downgrade from Spotify Premium to the free plan, your Alexa connection stays active, but you'll hit the skip limit and hear ads. You won't need to re-link your account. If you upgrade to Premium later, the restrictions lift automatically — Alexa will recognize the change within a few minutes.
If your Spotify subscription expires or you cancel it, Alexa will no longer be able to play from Spotify. You'll see an error when you try to play music. To use Alexa for music again, you'll need to either renew your Spotify subscription or link a different music service as your default.
If you share your Spotify account with family members, anyone on your Amazon account can control playback through Alexa. If you want separate music libraries, each person needs their own Spotify account and their own Amazon account linked to their own Alexa device or profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I play Spotify on Alexa if I don't have Premium?
Yes, but with limits. Free Spotify accounts can connect to Alexa and play music, but you can skip only a limited number of songs per hour and you'll hear ads between songs. Premium removes both restrictions and gives you better control over what plays.
Do I need to keep the Alexa app open to play Spotify?
No. Once Spotify is linked and set as your default, you can close the Alexa app and still use voice commands to play music. The connection is between your Spotify account and Amazon's servers, not your phone.
What if I want to use Amazon Music instead of Spotify?
Go to the Alexa app, select More, Settings, Music & Podcasts, and choose Amazon Music as your default. You can switch back to Spotify anytime using the same steps. You don't have to unlink Spotify to use a different service.
Can I play Spotify on an Alexa device that someone else set up?
Only if that device is signed into your Amazon account. Spotify is linked to the Amazon account that owns the Alexa device, not to individual people. If the device belongs to someone else's account, you'll need to set up your own Alexa device or have them link their Spotify account instead.
Why does Alexa say Spotify is not available?
Check that Spotify is set as your default music service in the Alexa app's Music & Podcasts settings. Also make sure your internet connection is working — Alexa needs WiFi to reach Spotify's servers. If both are fine, try unlinking and re-linking your Spotify account.