How to Connect Your Android Phone to Alexa

You'll need the Alexa app for your phone or pair it with an Alexa device

By
Joshua Hawkins
Josh Hawkins
Joshua Hawkins
Freelance Technology Reporter
  • Full Sail University
Josh Hawkins is a freelance writer for Lifewire who loves writing about the latest tech and gadgets that help make people’s lives easier. As an avid gamer and VR enthusiast, he also enjoys diving deep into the technology that helps bring those kinds of experiences to life.
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Published on July 25, 2022

What to Know

  • Install the Alexa app, open it, and sign in to your Amazon account. Press the Alexa button to activate.
  • Open the Alexa app and say the wake word ("Alexa," "Ziggy," "Computer," "Echo," or "Amazon") to start using.
  • To use Alexa devices with your phone, open the Alexa app, select Devices > Echo & Alexa and pair your device.

This article will teach you how to use Alexa on your Android phone and how to connect an Alexa-powered device to your Android phone.

How Do I Connect My Android Phone to My Alexa?

Connecting your Android phone to Amazon’s Alexa assistant is typically done in two ways: the app or by pairing it with a device.

The first method requires you to install the Alexa app on your phone to activate the assistant through it. Follow the steps below to start using Alexa with your Android phone.

  1. Open the Alexa App. If you haven’t yet, install it from the Google Play store, and sign in to your Amazon account.

  2. Choose the user that will use this device.

  3. Tap the Alexa button at the top of the screen and allow the permissions to access your phone’s microphone.


  4. You can now use Alexa by pressing the button or by using one of the wake words ("Alexa," "Ziggy," "Computer," "Echo," or "Amazon") to start the assistant.

    Account holder name, Alexa icon, and keyboard icon in the Alexa app

How Do I Connect My Android Phone to an Alexa Device?

If you want to use your Android phone with an Alexa-powered device, like an Echo Dot or Echo Show, then you’ll need to pair it with the device. This can also be done through the Alexa app. Follow the steps below to pair your Android phone to the Alexa device. This will allow you to stream music and other audio through the Echo device.

  1. In the Alexa app, navigate to Devices.

  2. Tap Echo and Alexa near the top of the screen.

  3. Select the Echo device you’d like to connect to and choose Connect a Device.

  4. On your Android device, open Settings and ensure Bluetooth is enabled. It may be listed under Bluetooth Connections on some devices like the Pixel 4A.

    Echo & Alexa, Connect a Device, and Device Settings gear in the Alexa app

  5. Tap Bluetooth to open a list of available devices, and then tap on the Echo device in the list.

    Connected Devices and Echo Dot in Bluetooth connection lists on Android

Once your Android phone is connected to your Echo speaker, you can stream audio to the speaker from your phone and use it as a Bluetooth speaker. You can also interact directly with Alexa by pressing the Alexa button or using one of the wake words like "Alexa," "Ziggy," "Computer," "Echo," or "Amazon.”

FAQ
  • Can I connect Alexa to my Samsung phone?

    Yes. All Samsung devices run Android, so they are all compatible with the Alexa app. Alexa is also compatible with Samsung SmartThings.

  • How do I make Alexa my default voice assistant on Android?

    After you set up the Alexa app on your phone, go to Settings > Apps > Choose default apps > Digital assistant app and choose Amazon Alexa. You can then access Alexa without opening the app using voice commands or the Home button on your device.

  • How do I update the Alexa app on my Android phone?

    To update apps on Android, open the Google Play Store and go to My apps & games > Updates > Update or Update all. To update automatically, go to the Google Play Store's Settings and select Auto-update apps.

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