The news headlines on Amazon’s new Echo versions say that you can’t actually buy Echo Dot without having an Alexa product. This means you need an Alexa to order your Echo Dot 4th gen as Amazon is allowing ordering from Alexa voice control only which means even buying Echo without Alexa is not possible.
Further reading: What Is The Amazon Echo Dot? Everything You Need To Know About Amazon’s Compact Smart Speaker
However, this also seems to have alternatives. You can still buy Echo Dot without the help of Alexa with the help of some tricks. Will this hold true for using Echo without Alexa as well?
Let’s throw light on it.
Can I Use The Echo Without Alexa? Yes, You can use the Echo without the Alexa app but using Echo without Alexa will limit your Echo to just a normal speaker.
See more: How To Use Alexa As A Speaker For PC
Using The Echo Without Alexa App
Amazon Echo becomes a smart speaker only with the use of Alexa. If for any reason, you don’t want to use the Echo with the help of the Alexa app, you can take the help of the Alexa web app. This won’t fully function as the Alexa mobile app but will help to a great extent.
You can visit Alexa.amazon.com to use the Alexa web app by logging in with your Amazon credentials.
With the Alexa web app, what you will be badly missing are enabling groups i.e. creating rooms and routines. Everything else besides this works just fine on the Alexa web app. You will still be able to wake up Alexa and throw some voice commands on her.
Creating groups are quite helpful when you have more than one Amazon device in your room or house. You can simply create rooms by naming them the living room, drawing, or study room and add your Amazon device in each room differently.
This allows Alexa to be better aware of the location and the device being referred to. You won’t be able to access this feature on the Alexa web app.
Using Echo Without Alexa
Using the Echo without Alexa entirely will be like having a body without its limbs. Alexa is the heart and soul of Echo products without which the Echo can turn out to be just a speaker with limited functionality.
You can use an Alexa without Echo but using Echo without Alexa is actually meaningless. You can use Alexa by simply downloading it on your mobile and shop through the Amazon shopping app and view shows on Amazon Prime through voice commands.
Still, if you want to use the Echo without Alexa because of your own worthy reasons, here is how you can make the most of your Echo device.
Listen To Podcasts And Audiobooks
You can use your Echo to listen to audiobooks and podcasts without using voice commands too. You can manually select the audiobook you want to read by signing into your Audible account. You can similarly listen to music through Spotify and listen to podcasts on TuneIn.
Use It As An External Speaker
You will only be able to do so if you have an Alexa app no connected to the internet. You will need an Alexa app to connect it to your Echo device via Bluetooth. Once you have successfully paired Echo with an external speaker or paired your Echo with your smartphone, you no longer would need Alexa to pair them again.
Your paired devices will function perfectly until they are not unpaired.
Use To Change The Volume
Without Alexa, you can use Echo to increase or decrease the audio volume as desired with the help of the control panel.
Turn Off Time, Reminder
Another task you can do without the use of Alexa is turning off the timer or reminder by pressing the Action button (-) button on top of the speaker.
The very essence of Echo lies in Alexa app without which it won’t be able to function. People have found ways to use Alexa without an Echo device but not the other way round. You can even use Alexa without wifi through a personal hotspot, but without Alexa at all neither the mobile app nor web app, it will not be possible for the Echo to wake up too.
You won’t be able to perform even simpler things on Echo without the use of Alexa like playing music, setting timer, reminders, using it as a Bluetooth speaker, access Alexa skills, and whatnot. Not using Alexa for Echo will only complicate its functionality and you will end up doing nothing on your Echo