Amazon Echo couldn't pair with other speakers until now.

Previously, for some people, the Amazon Echo Dot seemed to have an advantage over its taller, full-fledged sibling. But thanks to an update that is quietly rolling out, you can finally connect the original Echo - not just Dot - to any Bluetooth speaker and fully leverage its power.

For the audiophiles out there who want to stream better audio from Echo, but through a Bluetooth speaker, here's what you need to do.

Why would you want to connect them?

In our review of Amazon Echo, you'll notice we were not super impressed with the device's built-in speaker. If you're using Echo as a music player, then you'll probably want something with more oomph. The ability to pair it to another Bluetooth speaker would allow you to stream better-quality audio from that external speaker while still gaining access to the Alexa assistant inside of Echo.

How to connect Echo to Bluetooth speaker

Connect

Before we get started, Amazon recommends the Bluetooth speaker should be at least 3ft away from Echo to make sure it doesn’t interfere with Alexa’s ability to hear your commands. Also, you should use a speaker certified for use with Echo Dot (see the full list here).

  • Disconnect any other Bluetooth devices from your Echo, as Echo devices can only connect to one Bluetooth device at a given time.
  • Turn on pairing mode on your Bluetooth speaker (refer to the user guide for your Bluetooth speaker).
  • Open the Alexa app on your mobile device and select Settings.
  • Select your device, and then select Bluetooth > Pair a New Device.
  • When your Echo device discovers your Bluetooth speaker, the speaker will appear in the list of available of devices within the Alexa app. Select your Bluetooth speaker. Alexa will tell you if the connection is successful.
  • In the Alexa app select Continue. Your Bluetooth speaker is now paired.
  • To connect to a previously paired device, say "Connect." Your Echo will connect to the device that was last connected.

Disconnect 

If you want to disconnect, so you can play audio from another device on your Bluetooth speaker, just say "Disconnect."

 

Can you control the speaker with Echo?

Yes. You can control audio volume when connected to a Bluetooth speaker using your Echo. You can do this by voice, volume options on the device, or the volume controls on your Bluetooth speaker.

Want to know more?

Check out Amazon's Help page. You can also see Pocket-lint's Amazon Echo tips guide for more helpful tricks.