These days, Alexa doesn’t need much of an introduction. It has become a part of modern pop culture and is used by millions of people around the world.
And, let’s face it, most of the time it does make our lives easier. You can use it for a lot of different things. You can connect it to any smart device you have at home and easily control your environment.
But. We’re not here to tell you about Alexa. We’re here to figure out what’s wrong with the many small problems that can happen with these kinds of devices.
For example, what if your Alexa won’t play Spotify?
Even though Alexa is probably the most reliable product of its kind, something could always go wrong. If you don’t know what you’re doing, it can be very hard to fix things like this on your own.
So, to save you some time and maybe some stress, we’re going to show you what to do if you can’t get Alexa to play Spotify when you tell it to. Let’s get down to business, shall we?
Further reading: 19 Best Ways to Fix Alexa Not Playing Music from Amazon Music
Alexa won’t play Spotify. Why?
There are times when Alexa won’t play Spotify because your account isn’t verified or because the volume is turned down. It’s also possible that your Echo device needs to be turned off and on again, and that both Spotify and Alexa need to have their cache and app data cleared.
Spotify not working on Alexa: Top 13 Ways to Fix
Method #1: Reset your Alexa device
If you’ve tried all of these steps and are still having trouble, the last thing to do is reset your Alexa device.
When you reset your Alexa, all of the settings and configurations you have made are erased. We know this is a pain because you’ll have to start over with everything.
You can reset the Echo speaker by pressing the buttons on your device or using the Alexa app.
How to factory reset a device depends on its model and generation.
Here’s how to turn off Alexa using the app:
1. Go to the Alexa app on your phone first.
2. Click the Settings button.
3. Go to the Device Options menu.
4. Touch Reset to Factory Defaults, and then confirm that you want to do this.
Different Amazon Echo models have different steps you need to take to reset them.
Here’s how to use the Echo speaker to reset:
For Amazon Echo Dot 2nd Generation
Hold the Microphone Off button and the Volume Down button down for 20 seconds.
For the third and fourth generations of Amazon Echo Dot
Hold the Action button down and press it for 25 seconds.
For the first generation of Echo Plus
Use a paper clip or another small tool to push the Reset button.
For the second generation of Echo Plus
Hold the Action button down and press it for 20 seconds.
For the Echo Show by Amazon
Press and hold the Volume Down and Mute buttons for about 15 seconds.
Note: Spotify is approved for use on the following Alexa-powered devices
- Cube.
- Sonos.
- Amazon Tap.
- Amazon Echo.
- Amazon Fire TV.
- Amazon Echo Dot.
- Amazon Echo Spot.
- Amazon Echo Show.
If none of these steps work, call Amazon’s customer service. Tell the person on the phone what you have already done to fix the problem.
It will help you figure out what to do faster.
Method #2: Clear both apps’ caches and data.
If you can’t get Alexa to play Spotify, try clearing the cache and app data on both apps. Most likely, they can’t talk to each other because of a problem.
So as to:
1. Go to your cell phone’s “Settings” menu.
2. Went to the settings for the app
3. Open the app for Spotify.
4. Find the option for storage.
5. Tap Delete cache.
6. You’ll get a pop-up asking you to confirm it.
You could also try clearing the cache on Alexa and restarting your phone.
How do I clear the cache on my iPhone?
Here’s how to clear the cache on an iPhone for third-party apps:
1. Tap Settings to open them.
2. Tap Spree.
3. Turn the switch next to “Clear Cache” on.
Here’s another way to uninstall the app and download it again from the App Store.
1. Open Settings.
2. Tap General.
3. Pick iPhone Storage.
4. Select the app you want to delete.
5. Tap Delete App.
6. When the pop-up message appears, tap “Delete App” again.
7. Get the app from the App Store and reinstall it.
Method #3: Don’t remember Echo or get rid of it from your Spotify account.
Even though you linked your accounts, do they still not talk to each other right? The next step is to “forget” or “delete” the Echo from your Spotify account.
So as to:
- Open your Spotify app and sign in.
- Go to “Settings” and remove Echo from there.
- Then, close the app and turn your phone back on.
- Once your phone is up and running, open the Spotify app and re-pair the Echo.
This should have helped a lot of you solve the problem. Keep this trick on hand in case you need it for something.
Method #4: Disconnect and reconnect Alexa to Spotify
If you’re already logged in to both apps, try disconnecting them and then reconnecting them.
The easiest way to do this is to switch your default music service to something else, like Pandora or Amazon Music, and then back to Spotify.
You can disconnect Alexa from Spotify by going to the Alexa app or the Spotify website.
On the app for Alexa:
- Open the Alexa app on your phone.
- Click More.
- Tap the menu called Settings.
- Music and podcasts can be chosen.
- Tap Spotify on the list to choose it.
- Click the “Disable Skill” button.
- Make sure of your choice.
On the site for Spotify:
- Sign in to your Spotify account using a web browser on your Mac or PC.
- In the upper right corner, click Profile and then tap Account.
- On the list, click Apps.
- Look for Alexa in the list of your apps that can access Spotify.
- Tap on take Access Away.
- Then, check your decision.
Once it’s no longer linked, close the app and reopen it. Then, click “Link Account” and do what it says on the screen.
If you still can’t link your accounts, try a different web browser or get in touch with Spotify support.
Note: If you go to this page, you can unlink Spotify even if you don’t have a phone or the Alexa app.
Method #5: Connect the proper Spotify account
Sometimes people will have two or more Spotify accounts. While the other(s) are free, one is premium.
To avoid compatibility problems if you have numerous Spotify accounts, make sure you’re linking the right one.
Warning: When pairing your devices, use caution to make sure your accounts are properly registered.
Alexa might only be compatible with Premium Spotify accounts depending on where you are.
Reminder: To utilize voice commands to manage your music with Amazon Alexa, your Spotify account must be upgraded to Premium.
Method #6: Make Spotify your primary music player.
Make sure that Spotify is configured as your default music service if you wish to play it on your Echo.
How to do it:
- Open the Alexa app on your iPhone or Android phone.
- Choose Settings.
- Pick Podcasts & Music.
- As your primary music player, select Spotify.
- When ready, don’t forget to click “Done.”
If everything is configured properly, asking Alexa to play music on your Echo should now launch Spotify.
Note that this approach does not work with podcasts. As a result, you must include them in your voice commands. Simply put “on Spotify” before the command.
Need help setting up Spotify as your default music player and connecting it to Amazon (Echo) visually?
Then view the following quick video:
Continue to the next option if it doesn’t help.
Method #7: Verify your echo device’s name.
Make sure the names of your speakers and groups are distinct from one another if you have more than one speaker.
To confirm the names of the speaker group:
- Activate the Alexa app.
- Select the Devices tab.
- Your speaker groups and Echo devices are located here.
- Rename your Echo device(s) by opening it.
The Alexa app allows you to configure one or more speakers so that only particular devices within a Smart Home Group play music.
- Activate the Alexa app.
- Tap Devices
- Select a Smart Home Group that is already in place, like Dining Room.
- Tap Change next to Speakers.
- Select the speaker or speakers for the smart home group.
- Complete the setup by following the instructions.
- Now, Alexa will play music on your speaker when you say “Play music in the [Smart Home Group name]” (s).
Method #8: Restart Alexa and your smartphone.
Most of the time, Alexa’s Spotify issues may be resolved with a relatively easy workaround.
You can try restarting your Echo if you’re not having any trouble getting it to connect to WiFi. You can accomplish this by disconnecting it from the power outlet and then plugging it back in.
Remove and replace the batteries to restart devices with removable batteries (Echo dot 4th generation).
Method #9: Examine the playlist’s name.
You can effortlessly listen to your favorite music and podcasts thanks to the connectivity between Alexa and Spotify.
You should organize your command so that it is clear to Alexa because she is constantly listening.
Say “Alexa, play [the name of the playlist]” to play a specific playlist.
You don’t need to include “my,” as doing so might make the app confused, and Alexa would respond that it couldn’t be played.
The most common Alexa commands for Spotify are shown here.
- “Pause” or “Stop.”
- Resuming or playing.
- “Stop shuffle” or “Shuffle”
- Play this song from Spotify, Alexa.
- Play this playlist from Spotify, and Alexa.
Visit the Amazon website for a detailed list of the available commands.
There may be regional and device-specific variations in some Alexa services and functionalities.
Method #10: Turn off the shuffle function on Spotify.
To deal with the issue, try turning off Spotify’s shuffle option.
A small percentage of Spotify customers claim that enabling the shuffle feature the last time you listened to the service would interfere with Echo.
To turn off the shuffle on Spotify:
- Get Spotify open.
- To find the “Now Playing” box, scroll down. (Shuffle play will be enabled if the “Shuffle” button is green.)
- Click the “Shuffle” button to stop shuffle play.
Method #11: Remove both apps.
You should remove Spotify and Alexa from your phone if Spotify still won’t play. After reinstalling the apps, restart your phone.
Not all problems are due to Spotify, occasionally. Amazon Music audio files may not play properly on Echo.
Method #12: Make sure Alexa is up to date on your device.
Is your device’s Alexa app up to date?
It can have a few issues, including not connecting to Spotify, if it is not updated.
To solve this problem, you have two options.
Choice 1
Select “Settings” from the Alexa app’s menu. Until you find “Software Version,” scroll down. You ought to have the choice to update it if it is out of date.
Choice 2
Make sure your Alexa app is updated by going to the App Store or Google Play Store.
Play Spotify once again after updating your app. Continue to the next option if it doesn’t help.
Method #13: Check your Echo login status.
You might occasionally unintentionally log out of Spotify. As a result, Alexa is unable to access your podcasts and music.
On the Alexa app, check your Spotify login status. To avoid inconsistencies between the accounts you use for the two apps, do this.
Follow these steps to make sure you are signed in to both your Spotify and Alexa apps.
- Select Preferences from the settings menu on your Alexa app.
- From the Music and Podcast menu, select Spotify.
- Through the Alexa music settings, connect your Spotify account.
Make sure you are logged in if this problem persists the next time you are unable to access Spotify for some reason.