Choose the connection according to what you want the phone to do. Use the Alexa app to set up and manage an Echo. Use Bluetooth when the goal is to hear phone audio through its speaker. For the pairing steps and playback checks, see our guide to using an Echo as a Bluetooth speaker. If you simply want Alexa on the handset, the mobile app is the starting point and an Echo is optional.
For a new Echo, start in the app
Sign in to the Alexa app with the account you intend to use. Use Devices and its add-device flow, select the Echo model and follow the Wi-Fi setup prompts. A phone that already plays music through the speaker may still be signed into a different Amazon account. Check the account before repeating setup.
For an existing Echo, check its identity
Look in Devices for the specific room name. If two speakers share similar names, change the volume on the intended one at a quiet moment and check which responds. Avoid resetting someone else’s registered speaker just because it appears in your phone’s Bluetooth scan.
For music, pair an audio connection
Choose the Echo in Devices, open device settings, then Bluetooth Devices and Pair A New Device. Follow the prompts with Bluetooth active on the phone. Afterwards select the Echo in the phone’s playback controls. App control and media output are independent: being able to adjust a speaker in Devices does not automatically send a podcast there.
For the documented details, see Amazon’s Bluetooth instructions.
Common questions
Do I need an Echo to try the app?
No. Supported mobile Alexa features can work on the phone.
Does Bluetooth configure Wi-Fi?
No. Follow the Echo setup prompts separately.
Should I reset an Echo missing from the app?
Check account and registration first.
Why do my headphones still play?
Select the Echo as the phone’s active audio output.