Top 17 Fixes for Alexa Not Playing Music from Spotify

Are you at the stage where you are wondering “Does Alexa work with Spotify?” Yes, it does. Then, you must be thinking, “Why is Alexa not playing Spotify?” There could be several reasons for that. It could be due to an internet problem, Spotify and Alexa accounts aren’t linked, a bug in the app, etc. Whatever the reason, this post shall help in fixing Alexa not playing Spotify music on Amazon Echo.

For some users, Alexa says it’s playing Spotify but no sound comes from it. For others, their Echo device doesn’t show up in the list of available devices on Spotify. Some face the problem only while playing a particular Spotify playlist. We will try to help you fix a variety of issues you face while using Spotify with Echo.

1. Restart Devices

We shall start with the basic fixes first that tend to get overlooked. So begin by restarting your Alexa-enabled Echo device (Echo, Echo Dot, or Echo Plus, etc.) and your phone having the Alexa and Spotify apps.

To reboot your Amazon Echo device, unplug it from the power supply. Then plug it back in after 10-15 seconds. To restart a phone or computer, simply turn it off and on. Hopefully, this simple fix should solve the problem of the Echo Dot won’t play Spotify.

2. Check the Internet Connection

Alexa might stop playing music if there is an issue with your internet connection. Make sure the Alexa-enabled Echo device is having a working internet connection. Follow these tips to fix internet issues on Echo devices:

• Restart your Wi-Fi router.
• Check the active internet connection in the Alexa app. For that, open the Alexa app and tap on Devices. Tap on your Echo device and you will see the status of your Wi-Fi connection. Tap on the Wi-Fi and press the Change button on the next screen, in case you want to change your Echo’s Wi-Fi.

Tip: Know how to fix Echo not connecting to Wi-Fi.

3. Update Spotify and Alexa Apps

Alexa won’t play Spotify if there’s a bug in either of these apps. Keeping your apps updated is a good choice for they fix bugs in the app. You should update the Spotify and Alexa apps from the respective stores on Android and iOS to fix Spotify not connecting to Alexa. Open the Play Store (Android) and App Store (iOS) and search for the app’s name. Then, tap on the Update button.

Tip: Don’t know when to update an app? Learn how to find out when an app should be updated on Android and iOS.

4. Increase Echo Volume

Another simple thing that we miss at times is the Echo device volume. Basically, Alexa might be playing the music but you might not be able to hear it due to low sound.

You should check and increase the volume of your Echo speaker. You can do it from the Echo device. For that, press the Volume up button on your Echo. Alternatively, open the Alexa app on your phone, and you will find the now-playing song at the bottom. Tap on the Speaker icon and increase the volume. Similarly, if you are using the Spotify desktop app, you will find the volume slider at the bottom.

Tip: Know how to fix Amazon Echo sound keeps cutting out.

5. Link Spotify to Alexa

It’s necessary to link your Spotify account to the Echo device to play Spotify on Alexa. For that, you must use the Alexa app and enable the Spotify skill in it. Open the Alexa app, tap on the More tab followed by Settings. Go to Music & Podcasts and select Spotify under Services. We have covered the steps in detail in our post on how to link Spotify to Alexa.

Tip: If Alexa tells you to connect to your Spotify account, but it’s already linked, you must unlink Spotify and Alexa from the web. For that, go to your Spotify account settings on the web. Click on Manage Apps. Then, click on Remove Access next to Alexa. Then, try linking your Spotify account to the Alexa app.

6. Set Spotify as Default Music Provider on Alexa

If Alexa plays music from a different service even after linking Spotify to it, you must make Spotify the default music service provider on the Alexa app. When you make Spotify your default provider, there is no need to add ‘on Spotify’ at the end of your command, which is otherwise required to play music from Spotify. Check our guide on how to set Spotify as the default music service on Alexa.

7. Unlink Spotify Account from Alexa

If your Spotify account is already linked to Alexa, you should try unlinking it. For that, you need to disable the Spotify skill in the Alexa app and enable it again.

For that, follow these steps:

Step 1: Open the Alexa app on your phone.

Step 2: Tap on the three-bar icon and choose Settings.

Step 3: Tap on Music & Podcasts followed by Spotify.

Step 4: Tap on Disable Skill. Confirm on the next screen.

Step 5: Restart your phone.

Step 6: Open the Alexa app and follow steps 2 and 3. Then, tap on ‘Enable To Use’ for the Spotify skill. Follow the on-screen instructions to add your Spotify account again.

Tip: Learn how to fix something went wrong error in Spotify.

8. Use Right Commands to Play Spotify

You must use relevant commands to play music from Spotify on your Alexa device. For instance, say, Alexa, play [Song name]. Check out the list of official Alexa commands that can be used for Spotify.

Here are some tips to play music from Spotify on Alexa without any issues:

• If Spotify isn’t set as the default music app, you must add Spotify at the end of your command.
• If you have multiple Alexa devices in your name, tell Alexa the device name on which you want to play the sound.
• After issuing the right commands, if the Echo doesn’t play your playlist, try adding the word My to your command. For instance, ‘Alexa, play my Super Nova playlist.’

9. Clear Cache and Data (Android Only)

On Android, you can also try clearing the cache for the Spotify and Alexa apps. Doing so has fixed the issue of Spotify not playing on Alexa for many users.

Follow these steps to clear the cache:

Step 1: On your phone Settings, go to Apps followed by Spotify.

Step 2: Tap on Storage followed by Clear cache. Deleting the cache will not remove your files or data.

Step 3: Repeat the steps for the Alexa app.

10. Disable Profanity Filter

You must try turning off the Profanity aka Explicit filter in the Alexa app as it could also be the reason for Spotify not playing music on Alexa. To do so, follow these steps:

Step 1: Open the Alexa app on your phone.

Step 2: Tap on the three-bar (More) option and select Settings.

Step 3: Scroll down and tap on Music & Podcasts followed by Explicit Language Filter.

Step 4: Turn it off on the next screen.

11. Make Spotify Forget Your Echo Device

Forgetting the Echo device from the Spotify app has also proved beneficial for users in fixing Spotify not playing on Alexa.

To remove the Echo device from Spotify, follow these steps:

Step 1: Open the Spotify app on your phone.

Step 2: Tap the Settings icon.

Step 3: Scroll down on the next screen and tap on ‘Connect to a device.’

Step 4: You will find your Echo device. Tap on the three-dot icon next to the speaker and select Forget this device.

Tip: Did you know you can use your Echo device to call people? Find out how calling works on Amazon Echo.

12. Rename Playlist

If Alexa isn’t playing a Spotify playlist, take a look at your Spotify playlist names. Avoid adding punctuations, difficult titles, or acronyms in the name. Also, refrain from keeping similar names for playlists such as Super Nova 1, Super Nova 2, etc. Try to use unique names.

To rename a playlist, follow these steps:

Step 1: Open the Spotify app and tap on the Your Library tab.

Step 2: Tap on your playlist.

Step 3: Tap on the three-dot icon and select Edit Playlist.

Step 4: Tap on the existing name and type a new unique name for your playlist.

At times, even radio stations are responsible for “buffering” the playback of music. So, if you ask Echo to play an artist’s song, the device might just tune into a radio station on Spotify which might be experiencing issues. Again, these issues might be temporary. However, if they persist, you should check other solutions.

Tip: Learn how to copy a Spotify playlist on mobile and PC.

13. Check the Name of the Echo Device

Besides playlist names, you should check the names of your Echo speakers (if you have more than one) and groups as well. None of them should have the same names, otherwise, you will have issues while playing Spotify on Alexa.

To check and rename an Echo device or group, follow these steps:

Step 1: Open the Alexa app on your phone.

Step 2: Go to the Devices tab. Here you will find your groups and Echo devices. Tap on the device or group that you want to rename.

Step 3: Press the Settings or the Edit button at the top and edit its name.

14. Use the Right Account

If you own an Amazon household account, Alexa might have switched to a different user. That will cause issues with your Spotify. To check the currently active profile, ask her, ‘Alexa which account is this’ or ‘Alexa, which profile am I using.’ If it’s a different user, say, ‘Alexa, change user.’

15. Turn Off Shuffle

This solution may surprise you, but a few Spotify users have suggested that if shuffle was enabled the last time you listened to Spotify, it will cause problems with Echo. So turn off the shuffle on Spotify to fix the issue.

To disable shuffle, open the now playing screen on the Spotify app. Tap on the green shuffle icon to disable it. You can disable it from the desktop apps too.

16. Reinstall Apps

Finally, if nothing helps in fixing Alexa not playing Spotify, you must reinstall the Alexa and Spotify apps on your phone. For that, uninstall the apps first, restart your phone, and then install them back. You will have to link Spotify again in the Alexa app.

17. Factory Reset Amazon Echo

Lastly, you must take the harsh step of factory resetting your Echo device. Doing so will fix any temporary issue that could be causing Spotify to not work on Alexa. Please note that resetting Echo will delete your personal information and connected devices from your Echo device. You will have to set up Amazon Echo from scratch again. Check our tips to set up Echo like a pro. If you face any problem while setting up Echo, learn how to fix Echo setup issues.

FAQs About Alexa Not Playing Spotify

Play Music on Alexa

Hope you were able to play music from Spotify on Alexa. If it makes you feel better, the issue isn’t limited to Spotify alone. Sometimes, Echo fails to play audio from Amazon Music too. As an alternative, you can also play music from YouTube Music or Apple Music on Echo devices.