Connect Alexa to Spotify in three steps
Open the Alexa app on your phone, tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines) in the bottom right, then select Settings. Scroll down and tap Music and Podcasts, then Spotify. Tap Link Account, and you'll be taken to Spotify's login page. Sign in with your Spotify username and password, then tap Agree when Alexa asks permission to access your account. Once you see the confirmation screen, the connection is complete.
After linking, you can play music by saying "Alexa, play [song name] on Spotify" or "Alexa, play my Discover Weekly playlist on Spotify." If you don't specify Spotify, Alexa will use whatever music service you set as your default — you can change this in the same Music and Podcasts settings menu.
The whole process takes about two minutes. You only need to do it once per Alexa device, and it works on Echo speakers, Echo Dots, Echo Shows, and any other Alexa device in your home.
Key Takeaways
- You need a Spotify account (free or paid) and the Alexa app installed on your phone to make the connection.
- The Alexa app guides you through linking by taking you to Spotify's login page, where you approve access to your account.
- Once linked, you control playback by voice — say the song name, artist, playlist, or station you want to hear.
- Each Alexa device needs its own connection if you want to use Spotify on multiple speakers in different rooms.
- If Spotify is not your default music service, you must say "on Spotify" when you give a voice command, or Alexa will use the default service instead.
What you need before you start
You need a Spotify account — either the free tier or a paid subscription. Both work equally well with Alexa. You also need the Alexa app on your phone or tablet; you cannot complete the connection from an Echo device alone or from a web browser.
Make sure you know your Spotify login credentials. If you signed up through Facebook or Apple, you can still log in to Spotify's website, find your email address in account settings, and set a password there — then use that email and password in the Alexa app.
Your Alexa device must be set up and connected to your home Wi-Fi network already. If you have not set up your Echo yet, do that first through the Alexa app before attempting to link Spotify.
Why Alexa might not find Spotify or play it
If you say "Alexa, play a song" and Alexa plays something from a different service, Spotify is probably not set as your default music service. Go back to Settings > Music and Podcasts in the Alexa app and tap Default Music Service. Select Spotify from the list. After that, Alexa will use Spotify unless you tell it otherwise.
If Spotify does not appear in the Music and Podcasts menu at all, the link may have failed. Tap Spotify again and go through the login process a second time. If it still does not appear, sign out of the Alexa app completely (go to Settings > Account > Sign Out), then sign back in. This refreshes your connection to Amazon's servers.
If Alexa says "I'm having trouble with Spotify" when you ask it to play something, check that your Wi-Fi is working and that you are still logged into Spotify on your phone. Spotify sometimes logs you out if you have not used it in a while. Log back in through the Spotify app, then try the voice command again.
Playing music by voice after linking
Once Spotify is linked and set as default, you can say commands like "Alexa, play Taylor Swift," "Alexa, play my Liked Songs," or "Alexa, play the Today's Top Hits playlist." Alexa will search Spotify and start playing within a few seconds.
You can also control playback with your voice: "Alexa, pause," "Alexa, next song," "Alexa, turn up the volume," or "Alexa, repeat this song." These commands work on any Alexa device in the room where you are speaking.
If you have multiple Alexa devices, you can play the same song on all of them at once by creating a group in the Alexa app. Tap Devices, select the devices you want to group, and give the group a name like "Living Room and Kitchen." Then say "Alexa, play [song] in the living room and kitchen" or just "Alexa, play [song] everywhere."
Controlling Spotify from your phone while Alexa plays
You can use the Spotify app on your phone to control what plays on your Echo device. Open Spotify, tap the Now Playing bar at the bottom, then tap the Connect to a Device icon (it looks like a speaker with a dot). Select your Echo device from the list, and your phone will now control what plays on that speaker.
This is useful if you want to browse Spotify's full library on your phone screen instead of relying on voice commands. You can search for specific songs, artists, or playlists, and send them directly to your Echo. The device will start playing when ready.
You can switch back to controlling the Echo with your voice anytime by saying a voice command. Spotify will automatically hand control back to Alexa.
What happens if you unlink Spotify from Alexa
If you go back to Settings > Music and Podcasts > Spotify and tap Unlink Account, Alexa will no longer be able to play Spotify. Any playlists or songs you were playing will stop. You can link it again anytime by following the same three-step process at the beginning of this guide.
Unlinking Alexa does not affect your Spotify account itself. Your playlists, saved songs, and listening history remain exactly as they were. You are only removing Alexa's permission to access Spotify on your behalf.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a paid Spotify subscription to use it with Alexa?
No. Spotify's free tier works with Alexa just as well as a paid subscription. The only difference is that free users hear ads between songs, and paid users do not. Both can link to Alexa and play any song or playlist they want.
Can I use Alexa to play Spotify on my phone or computer?
No. Alexa can only play Spotify on Echo devices and other compatible speakers. If you want to control Spotify on your phone, use the Spotify app itself. Alexa is designed to work with speakers and smart displays, not phones or computers.
What if I have multiple Alexa devices in different rooms?
Each device can play Spotify independently. You only need to link your Spotify account once in the Alexa app, and all your Echo devices will have access to it. You can play different songs on different devices at the same time, or group them together to play the same song everywhere.
Can someone else in my house use Spotify on my Echo device?
Yes, if they are set up as a household member in your Alexa app. Tap Devices, select your Echo, scroll down to Household Profile, and add them. They can then use voice commands to play their own Spotify account on that device. Each person's Spotify history and recommendations stay separate.
Why does Alexa sometimes play the wrong song when I ask for one?
Alexa's voice recognition sometimes misunderstands song titles or artist names, especially if they are uncommon or have unusual spelling. Try saying the name more slowly or clearly, or use the Spotify app on your phone to send the exact song to your Echo device instead of using a voice command.