How to link Spotify, Amazon Music, BBC Sounds or TuneIn to Alexa
Alexa can play from several music and radio services. You link the service in the Alexa app once, and after that you can simply ask for music by voice.
Linking a service
- Open the Alexa app.
- Look in More and then Settings, and find the option for music, which is often called Music & Podcasts. Menu names in the Alexa app change from time to time, so if yours looks slightly different, look for the closest wording rather than worrying.
- Choose the service you want, such as Spotify or Amazon Music.
- Tap the option to link or enable it. For services that need an account, such as Spotify, you will be asked to sign in and allow Alexa to connect.
TuneIn is a radio service that works with Alexa and normally needs no account for basic use. BBC Sounds content is also commonly reached by asking for BBC stations on Alexa, such as "Alexa, play BBC Radio 4". Whether any service needs a paid plan depends on that service.
Choosing a default
In the same music settings area, look for an option to choose your default music service. This decides what Alexa uses when you say, "Alexa, play some jazz" without naming a service.
You can always name it directly, for example, "Alexa, play Radio 2 on TuneIn" or "Alexa, play my Discover Weekly on Spotify".
If it will not play
- Check you are signed in to the right account in that service's app.
- Free accounts on some services have limits on voice control.
- Unlink the service in the Alexa app and link it again.
- Check the Echo is online.
Unlinking
If you want to remove a service, go back to the same music settings and choose to disable or unlink it. This does not delete your account with that service.
When to get more help
If linking keeps failing or you are asked for a password you do not remember, do not guess too many times as the account may lock. Ask Vision Tech to help you recover access safely.