Linking Spotify to Alexa takes about five minutes and happens in the Alexa app, not in Spotify itself
To play Spotify through an Alexa device, you connect your Spotify account to Amazon's ecosystem using the Alexa app on your phone. Once linked, you can say "Alexa, play [song name] on Spotify" and the music plays through your Echo speaker, Echo Show, or other Alexa device in your home. The connection is permanent until you remove it, so you only do this once.
The process requires that you already have both a Spotify account (free or paid) and at least one Alexa device set up and working. If you do not yet have an Alexa device, linking Spotify will not work. If you have Spotify but no Alexa device, there is nothing to link to.
Key Takeaways
- Open the Alexa app on your phone, go to More, then Music & Podcasts, then Spotify, and tap Link Your Account.
- You will be asked to sign into your Spotify account through a browser window that appears inside the Alexa app.
- After linking, Spotify becomes your default music service in Alexa, so voice commands like "play jazz" will use Spotify unless you say a different service name.
- You can unlink Spotify from Alexa at any time using the same Music & Podcasts menu, and this does not delete either account.
- Linking one Spotify account to Alexa lets all Alexa devices in your home play from that same Spotify account simultaneously.
Step-by-step: linking Spotify in the Alexa app
Open the Alexa app on your phone or tablet. At the bottom of the screen, tap the three horizontal lines (called a menu icon) to open the main menu. Scroll down and tap More.
In the More menu, look for Music & Podcasts and tap it. You will see a list of music services including Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, and others. Tap Spotify. You will see a button that says Link Your Account — tap it.
A browser window will open inside the Alexa app and take you to Spotify's login page. Enter your Spotify username or email address and your password, then tap Log In. Spotify will ask you to confirm that you want to allow Alexa to access your account. Tap Agree or Allow (the exact wording varies). You will see a confirmation message saying the account is linked.
Close the browser window or tap the back arrow. You are now back in the Alexa app, and Spotify is connected. You do not need to do anything else.
What happens after you link: using voice commands
Once Spotify is linked, you can use voice commands on any Alexa device in your home. Say "Alexa, play [song name] on Spotify" or "Alexa, play [artist name] on Spotify." You can also say "Alexa, play my Spotify playlist [playlist name]" if you have created playlists in your Spotify account.
If you do not say "on Spotify" in your command, Alexa will use whatever music service you set as your default. If Spotify is your default, "Alexa, play jazz" will search Spotify. If Amazon Music is your default, the same command will search Amazon Music instead. You can change your default music service in the Music & Podcasts menu.
Spotify will play through whichever Alexa device you spoke to. If you have multiple Alexa devices and want to play music on a specific one, say "Alexa, play [song] on Spotify in the kitchen" or "in the bedroom" — use the name you gave that device when you set it up.
What data Spotify and Amazon can see
When you link Spotify to Alexa, you are giving Amazon permission to see your Spotify account information, including your playlists, saved songs, and listening history. Amazon uses this information to make voice commands work and to show you music recommendations in the Alexa app. Spotify can see that you are using Alexa to play music, and this may affect what Spotify shows you in its own app.
Both companies have privacy policies that cover how they use this data. Spotify's policy explains what it does with listening history. Amazon's policy explains what it does with information from linked services. Neither company sells your listening data to advertisers, but both use it to show you ads and recommendations within their own services.
Unlinking Spotify from Alexa
If you want to stop using Spotify with Alexa, you can unlink it without deleting either account. Open the Alexa app, go to More, then Music & Podcasts, then Spotify. Tap the three dots or the menu icon next to Spotify and select Unlink Account or Remove. Confirm when asked.
After unlinking, your Spotify account still exists and still has all your playlists and saved songs. Your Alexa devices still work. You straightforward cannot use voice commands to play Spotify anymore. If you link again later, everything will be the same as before.
Troubleshooting: Spotify does not appear in the Music & Podcasts menu
If you open Music & Podcasts and do not see Spotify listed, check that your Alexa app is up to date. Open your phone's app store (Google Play on Android, App Store on iPhone), search for Alexa, and see if an Update button appears. If it does, tap it and wait for the update to finish. Then close and reopen the Alexa app.
If Spotify still does not appear, try signing out of the Alexa app completely and signing back in. Tap the three lines at the bottom, scroll to the very bottom, and look for Settings. Tap it, then tap your account name at the top. Scroll down and tap Sign Out. Sign back in with your Amazon account credentials. This refreshes your app and sometimes brings back missing services.
If Spotify appears but the Link Your Account button does not work, make sure you are using a current version of Spotify. Open Spotify on your phone, go to Settings, and check for updates. If an update is available, install it and try linking again.
Playing Spotify on Alexa when you have a free account
Spotify's free tier has limits that affect how you can use it with Alexa. Free accounts cannot skip songs as often as paid accounts, and Alexa will sometimes pause playback and ask you to upgrade. Free accounts also cannot play a specific song on demand — you can only play artists, playlists, or radio stations. If you say "Alexa, play Blinding Lights on Spotify," a free account will play a station or playlist containing that song, not the song itself.
If you have a Spotify Premium subscription, you have no skipping limits and can play any specific song you want. The linking process is the same for both free and paid accounts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I link multiple Spotify accounts to one Alexa device?
No. One Alexa device can only be linked to one Spotify account at a time. If you want a different person's Spotify to play, you would need to unlink the current account and link the new one. This takes about two minutes but interrupts playback. Families with multiple people often use Spotify Family plans instead, which lets everyone share one account.
Will Alexa play Spotify if my phone is not connected to WiFi?
Your phone does not need to be connected to WiFi for Alexa to play Spotify. Your Alexa device needs to be connected to WiFi, and your Spotify account needs to be linked. Once linked, you can leave your phone in another room and Alexa will still play music when you give a voice command.
Does linking Spotify to Alexa cost money?
No. Linking is free. You only pay for Spotify itself if you want a Premium subscription. Alexa devices are purchased separately, but the linking feature has no additional cost.
What if I change my Spotify password after linking?
Changing your Spotify password does not break the link to Alexa. The connection stays active. You do not need to relink or re-enter your password in the Alexa app.
Can I use Spotify with Alexa if I share my Amazon account with family members?
Yes, but all family members will hear music from the same Spotify account. If you want each person to have their own Spotify music, you would need separate Amazon accounts or a Spotify Family plan linked to one Amazon account. Spotify Family lets up to six people have their own login and listening history while sharing one subscription.