Amazon’s Echo smart speakers are best known for the Alexa voice assistant that powers them, but they can also function like any other Bluetooth speaker to play music, podcasts and other audio programming from your smartphone, tablet and other Bluetooth-enabled devices. Not only does this bolster the quality of your audio, but it also allows you to source services that remain inaccessible by Alexa, including Apple Music and popular podcast apps.

The Echo Tap does not support Bluetooth pairing.

Not all Echo smart speakers offer superior sound quality, however. The Echo Dot is best for engaging with Alexa and receiving spoken audio updates rather than listening to music. The second-generation Echo can supply quality sound to a small or medium-sized room. And the Echo Plus is quite robust for any room.

Echo speakers can be synced to boost volume collectively, but Multi-Room Audio is not supported for Bluetooth connections. This is due to limitations of Bluetooth technology rather than a shortcoming of Amazon.

While limited, Alexa’s control of your Bluetooth audio source is not completely absent. Generally, she’ll retain the ability to play, pause, stop, skip forward and backward, and adjust the volume, among other basic functions.

And of course, she’ll coordinate the Bluetooth connection.

Pair your Echo speaker with a Bluetooth-enabled device.

To use your Echo device as a Bluetooth speaker for your smartphone, tablet or other Bluetooth-enabled device, follow the below steps.

1. Ensure your device is in range of your Echo speaker.
2. Disconnect any existing Bluetooth connections with the command, “Alexa, disconnect.”
3. Set your smartphone, tablet or other device to Bluetooth paring mode.
4. Set your Echo device to pairing mode with the command, “Alexa, pair.” She’ll confirm with, “Searching…”
5. On your phone, tablet or other device, select your Echo speaker under Bluetooth settings. Alexa will announce the successful connection.
6. Having configured the connection, you can reinitiate it any time the devices are in range, with Bluetooth, active by issuing the command, “Alexa, pair with [Device Name]” or “Alexa, connect to [Device Name].”