5 Steps To Connect Alexa To A Bluetooth Speaker [2023]

“Finally! I can connect my JBL Bluetooth speakers to Alexa.”

Back then, connecting Alexa via Bluetooth was only possible through Amazon’s Echo Dot. 

But that’s all changed thanks to Amazon’s recent update.

So, turn on your pairing mode and get ready.  

You’re about to find out…

• What Bluetooth speakers Alexa pairs with. 
• How to use Alexa as a Bluetooth speaker if all else fails.
• 5 steps to connect your Alexa device to your Bluetooth speaker.
• 3 causes and fixes why Alexa doesn’t pair with your Bluetooth speaker.
• One tool to connect your speakers and Alexa device if Bluetooth doesn’t work. 
• And so much more…

How to connect Alexa to a Bluetooth speaker?

Connect Alexa to your Bluetooth speaker by turning on your speaker’s Bluetooth first. Then, launch the Alexa app. Choose the Echo device you want to pair with your Bluetooth speakers. Finally, pair your new Bluetooth speaker with Alexa to finish the Bluetooth setup. 

---

5 steps to connect Alexa to a Bluetooth speaker

---

#1: Prepare your Bluetooth speaker

Before we start, it’s worth noting a couple of tips to ensure a smooth-sailing setup: 

• Turn on your Bluetooth speaker to get it ready for pairing mode.
• Make sure your Bluetooth speaker isn’t paired to another device.
• Your Echo device and Bluetooth speaker should be at least 3 ft. (36 in.) apart.

Now, what Bluetooth speaker is compatible with Alexa? Any Bluetooth speaker, really. Some of these include: 

• FUGOO.
• JBL Charge. 
• Harman Kardon.
• Bose SoundLink.
• Ultimate Ears BOOM.

#2: Open the Alexa app and tap Devices

First things first. 

Open your Alexa app and then…

1. Look for the “Devices” Home icon at the bottom of your screen.
2. Tap “Devices”.
3. Tap “Echo & Alexa in the upper-right part of your screen.

#3: Choose the Alexa device you want to pair

After tapping on “Echo & Alexa”, you’ll see a list of Echo devices. 

Choose the Echo device you want to pair with your Bluetooth speakers. For example, if the name of your speaker is Sam’s Echo, then tap your device. 

#4: Tap Bluetooth Devices and select “Pair A New Device”

You should see your Device settings now. Here’s what you should do next:

1. Under Device Settings, look for Wireless.
2. Under Wireless, tap “Bluetooth Devices.”
3. Tap “Pair A New Device”.

Read also: 7 Steps To Connect Alexa To Bluetooth iPhone

#5: Choose your Bluetooth speaker

You should now see “Bluetooth Setup” on your screen. You’ll also see a list of available devices. 

Choose your Bluetooth speaker from the list of available devices. Now you can listen to BTS via your Echo device and blasted by your Bluetooth speakers.

Talk about easy, right? 

But there’s just one more thing. 

What if your Alexa doesn’t recognize your Bluetooth speaker? What if your Bluetooth speakers don’t pair with Alexa?

Don’t worry. 

There are a couple of reasons why Alexa won’t connect to your Bluetooth speaker. Below, I’ve outlined 3 causes and fixes.

---

Why won’t my Alexa connect to a Bluetooth speaker? 3 causes & fixes

---

#1: Your Alexa app isn’t updated

Software updates can be annoying, but sometimes, it’s also the quickest fix to your issue. 

Updating your Alexa app won’t even take a minute. Here’s what you need to do.

How to fix it: 

1. Open your App Store or Google Play Store.
2. Search for the Alexa app in the search bar field. 
3. Tap “Update” and wait for the update to finish installing.

If this didn’t solve your problem, there’s no need to panic. There are still 2 fixes you can do.

#2: Your Bluetooth device isn’t close enough to your Echo device

Think of it this way. 

Your Echo device connects to your Bluetooth speakers wirelessly. 

Let’s say there’s an invisible string your Echo device sends out to find your Bluetooth speakers.

However, your invisible string has a length of about 10 ft. (3.08 m). Right now, the distance between your Bluetooth speaker and Echo device is about 15 ft. (4.5 m) apart. 

So how in the world can the invisible string reach your Bluetooth speaker? And then you also have to factor in the interference. 

If there’s any interference in between, the invisible string can’t pass through either. 

Examples of interferences could be a wall, concrete, metal, or another device. 

Now, invisible strings are sensitive. When they hit a wall, they can somewhat pass through. However, it’s weaker once it passes through the wall. 

As a result, the signal is weaker. And when the signal is weak, it’s harder for a device to find or connect via Bluetooth. 

The same goes for concrete, metal, microwaves, and baby monitors.

How to fix it:

The fix is simple. 

Bring your Echo device and Bluetooth speaker closer together. But not too close as Alexa might pick up sounds from your speaker.

2 to 3 ft. (0.6 to 0.9 m) is a good distance. 

Once both your devices are in close proximity, try connecting your Echo device and Bluetooth speakers again.

#3: Your Bluetooth speakers are malfunctioning 

Still didn’t work, huh? 

There could be two reasons why it isn’t working:

1. Your Bluetooth speakers have a hardware problem.
2. Alexa isn’t compatible with your speaker’s Bluetooth. 

Yes – Alexa is compatible with any Bluetooth speaker. However, this might be a glitch or a Bluetooth malfunction. 

One way to find out is by connecting your Echo device to another Bluetooth speaker.

You can also try connecting your Echo device to your phone’s Bluetooth: 

1. Go to your phone’s settings. 
2. Tap “Bluetooth.”
3. Turn on your phone’s Bluetooth. 
4. Then you can say, “Alexa, pair”.
5. Alternatively, you can look at your list of paired devices on your phone.
6. Tap the Echo device you want to pair with.
7. Try playing music on your phone and see if it works. 

You can also check out this video on how to connect your phone to Alexa via Bluetooth: 

What’s the point of all this? 

Okay. So let’s say you connected your Echo device to another Bluetooth speaker. And let’s also say your phone successfully connected to your Echo device via Bluetooth. 

Then…it means the first Bluetooth speaker you connected to Alexa is the problem. It could be a hardware issue or a malfunction. 

How to fix it:

Your best option is to unpair and re-pair your Bluetooth speaker. Here’s how it’s done:

1. Open the Alexa app.
2. Tap “Devices” (the Home icon located at the bottom of your screen).
3. Tap “Echo & Alexa” (located at the upper-right corner of your screen).
4. Select your Echo device.
5. Under Wireless, Tap “Bluetooth Devices.”
6. Tap “Forget Device.”
7. Repair your Echo device to your Bluetooth speaker. 

Can I use Alexa as a Bluetooth speaker?

You can use Alexa as a Bluetooth speaker. It’s a good alternative if your Bluetooth speakers aren’t working or if it’s charging. 

All you need to do is connect Alexa to your phone, whether it’s an iPhone or Android phone. Both will work with Alexa. 

And of course, make sure you have the Alexa app installed on your phone.

Once you have all those ready, here’s how to use Alexa as a Bluetooth speaker:

1. Turn on your phone’s Bluetooth first. 
2. Turn on your Alexa device. 
3. Say “Alexa, turn on Bluetooth.”
4. This will put your Alexa device in pairing mode.
5. Go to your phone’s Bluetooth settings.
6. Simply tap “Bluetooth” on your phone to access its settings.
7. You should see a list of available devices in your Bluetooth settings.
8. Look for your Alexa device. 
9. Tap your Alexa device to establish a Bluetooth connection.
10. Alexa will tell you if the connection was successful.
11. Try using Alexa as a Bluetooth speaker. 

Can I connect Alexa to my Bluetooth speaker without using Bluetooth?

Yes, it’s possible to connect Alexa to your Bluetooth speaker without Bluetooth. 

Let’s say…

You called Amazon support and they haven’t gotten back to you. 

Right now, you want to use your Bluetooth speakers but it doesn’t seem to connect to your Alexa via Bluetooth. 

What can you do? 

1. Grab a 3.5mm jack pin cable with 2 male sides. 
2. Then, connect one end to your Alexa device’s Aux Out. 
3. Connect the other end to your Bluetooth speaker’s Aux-in port.

Problem solved!

Then again, you can easily buy a new Bluetooth speaker that’s compatible with Alexa.

Can I use Alexa to listen to music in another room?

Yes, it’s very much possible to listen to music in another room with Alexa. With your Bluetooth speakers, you can even leave your Alexa device in your living room. 

You might also be interested in: Is It Safe To Leave Alexa Playing Music All Day?

You can also take your Bluetooth speakers with you to your bedroom. Pretty cool, right? 

But how far exactly will your Alexa device’s Bluetooth work with your speaker? 

A good estimate is between 5 to 10 meters (16.4 to 32.8 ft). 

However, this depends on the size of your house and how it’s designed.

Design plays an important role. Why? Because if your house has a big open space, for example, there isn’t a lot of interference. 

But if your house has a lot of walls that can block the Bluetooth signal, well…

There is one way to find out just how far you can use your Bluetooth speakers from your Alexa device.

Here’s what you can do:

1. First, pair your Alexa device with your Bluetooth speakers. 
2. After, play some music and leave the music on. 
3. Take your Bluetooth speaker to different areas of your house.

You’ll immediately know your Alexa device can’t reach your Bluetooth speakers. How so?

When the signal breaks up. Or, when the music in your speaker stops playing. 

But what if…you want to take that to an even higher level? 

And by that I mean, being able to have Alexa in your entire home. 

Imagine being able to command Alexa anywhere around your home. Amazing, right? But is it possible?

Yes, there is a way. And this article explains how you can do it.

Then again, using your Bluetooth speakers alone gives you a lot of distance to cover.