Are you wondering why Alexa not playing music out of nowhere? You can play music on Amazon Alexa from radio, Spotify, Amazon Music, Prime music, Apple music, Sonos One, and more. But when you command to play music then echo won’t respond at all and leaves you in a frustrating situation.
In some cases, you will also hear an echo saying “Sorry, Amazon music stopped playing because we didn’t detect any activity”. This will happen when Alexa won’t hear your voice even though you are shouting out loud to play songs.
So, today you will learn to fix Amazon Alexa is not playing music on echo using various methods. Make sure to follow the instructions step by step.
Table of Contents
Why Alexa Not Playing Music?
There are various reasons behind Alexa not working or playing music. One has to be with the Echo device and another can be with the music service platform. Besides, your location from where you are playing music also determines whether you can listen to that certain music or not.
Whatever the issue that is causing ‘why Alexa not playing music, here are the following best troubleshooting methods to fix it.
Solution 1: Check Your Internet Connection
The first solution to fix Alexa not playing music from Amazon music or Spotify music is to check your internet connection. You must remember that the echo device needs a proper connection to catch your command to play music. If Alexa won’t be able to hear you then how do you expect t to play song for you?
So, first, examine the internet and disconnect other devices from your Wi-Fi if possible in order to reduce the network congestion.
Solution 2: Change Wi-Fi Router
If checking your internet and disconnecting other devices won’t help to fix the issue then restart your router. Maybe the router is throwing the poor signal that echo device won’t be able to catch it.
So, restart your router to give a strong signal than ever. For that, unplug the router main wire for like 15 seconds and re-plug back in. This will simply reset the device server and also fix the internet connection.
Solution 3: Restart Echo Device
There can be an internal issue with your Amazon echo device. Sometimes the echo won’t be able to start the Alexa service properly. So, you have to make sure that the echo device is working and Alexa is listening to you.
Now, if Alexa stopped playing music then disconnect the echo device and leave it for 15 seconds. After that, connect the echo and check whether it’s working or not, You can also play some music from Amazon music or radio.
Solution 4: Check Currently Streaming Devices
If you are trying to play music from different music streaming services at the same time then it won’t be possible for Alexa to do so. For example, you are playing music from the Amazon app and other streaming devices via the same Amazon account. In that case, you will face a streaming limit because of using the same account in different services. So, you have to stop doing that in Amazon Alexa to continue playing songs.
Solution 5: Check Subscription
If you have a monthly subscription for your streaming music service then make sure that it’s still running. When you have an inactive music subscription and try to play songs in Alexa then it won’t be able to do that. It’s like trying to watch online movies without having an internet connection.
Here, you can examine the Amazon music subscription with the help of the following simple steps.
Step 1: Visit the Amazon official website.
Step 2: Now, log in to your Amazon account in order to access it.
Step 3: After that, go to your profile from the upper right header side under the Accounts & Lists section.
Step 4: Next, select “Memberships & Subscription” from the drop-down menu. In some cases, you may need to check for your Prime membership.
Step 4: Here, you can find the active or inactive Amazon Subscription. In case, it’s inactive then renew it as soon as possible.
Solution 6: Check Network Firewall
The network firewall controls the incoming and outgoing traffic on the internet. If the firewall detects any unusual activity while playing music from Alexa then it can block the echo device to continue its service. This is because Alexa plays songs from different streaming services through the internet.
So, here you can verify your network firewall of the internet to ensure it’s running properly.
Step 1: Find out your internet IP address.
Step 2: Now, go to the browser and type your IP address in the search bar.
Step 3: Next, log in to access your internet database or service.
Step 4: Click on the “Settings” page from the left side.
Step 5: Here, find the “Port forwarding” option and open it.
Step 6: At last, examine the following ports (123, 443, 4070, 5353, 33434, 40317, 49317).
Solution 7: Turn Off Explicit Filer
If you are playing the music from Amazon music or Spotify then it has an explicit filter on it. This will prevent you from playing sensual, offensive, violent, and other explicit songs on Alexa. So, make sure that you don’t have an enabled explicit filter feature on Amazon Alexa. In case, it is turned on then disable it.
Here are the following steps to turn off the explicit filter on the Alexa app.
Step 1: Open the Alexa app on your device.
Step 2: Log in to your account if needed.
Step 3: Tap on “Three Lines” which is located in the upper right corner of the screen.
Step 4: Now, tap on the “Settings” option in order to access the Alexa settings section.
Step 5: Here, select “Music” under the Alexa Permission section.
Step 6: After that, tap on “Explicit Filter” under the Account settings section.
Step 7: At last, disable the explicit filter.
Step 8: Now, try to play songs on the echo.
Solution 8: Search for Available Songs
You always have to make sure that the song which you are going to play on Alexa is available. If you are searching for music that doesn’t exist in any music streaming service then Amazon Alexa won’t play any songs for you.
For example, the songs that are available on Amazon prime maybe not available on Spotify, Apple music, or Sonos One. This is because of the terms and conditions of their streaming platforms.
Besides, Amazon Prime offers even fewer songs than other music streaming. Therefore, try to play your favorite music from other platforms.
Solution 9: Place Echo Device at Higher Place
If the Alexa not playing music then you might have placed your echo device and router is two different separate rooms. When Amazon echo won’t be able to catch the proper Wi-Fi signal from the router then Alexa won’t listen to you. At last, Alexa is all about the voice command assistant that requires a stable and good flow of internet.
Therefore, place the echo and router in the same room or make sure Alexa is properly listening to you. You can say ‘Hey Alexa’ and if it responds then it working. Besides, don’t place any metal objects or bars between the Amazon echo and router, it will block the connection.
Solution 10: Play Music on Different Device
When Alexa not playing music from Spotify or Amazon music then you can try out different echo devices. Make sure that there is not issue with your current Amazon echo that prevents supporting Alexa properly. In case, there is a fault reach out the customer support for repair.
Similarly, you can also choose other devices where Alexa is completely supported and working.
Solution 11: Change Echo Location, Date & Time to Your Country
You have to set the echo device settings based on your location and time zone. When certain songs are only available at a specific location but not in your place then you can’t listen to that song. So, make sure that all the echo settings are up-to-date according to your country.
Follow the following steps to change Amazon echo settings.
Step 1: Download and install Alexa app on your device.
Step 2: Tap on the “Devices” option that is located at the bottom right side.
Step 3: After that, select the “Echo & Alexa” option from the upper left side.
Step 4: Here you can find your connected echo device. So, tap on it to select your device.
Step 5: Now, update the location, Time zone, and Language based on your place.
Solution 12: Move Amazon Location to Your Country
If Alexa not playing music from Amazon or Prime music then you have to change its location settings. When the location of Alexa is at one place and Amazon at another place then both of the devices won’t be able to perform together. So, you have to choose the same location or place for both Amazon and Alexa to run music from it.
Here you can change the location of Amazon.
Step 1: Launch Amazon.
Step 2: Open the Manage your country and Device page.
Step 3: Here you have to log in to your account.
Step 4: After a successful login, simply select the “Preferences” option from upper right side.
Step 5: Now, tap on the “Country/Region Settings” option.
Step 6: After that, select the “Change” button.
Step 7: Here, you have to fill out the given form and change the location of your place.
Step 8: At last, tap on the “Update” button to save the changes.
Solution 13: Re-register Echo Device
If none of the above methods works for you then simply deregister the Amazon echo device. It means you have to disconnect your account with echo and again register from the beginning. This will help to solve most of the Alexa as well as echo device issues.
Follow the following steps to deregister Amazon echo device.
Step 1: Launch Alexa app on your device and login to your account.
Step 2: Now, tap on the “Devices” option that is located on the bottom right side.
Step 3: After that, choose the “Echo & Alexa” button from the upper left side.
Step 4: Here, you have to select your connected bedroom echo dot.
Step 5: Scroll down at the bottom and tap on the “Deregister” option.
Step 6: At last, again connect your echo device to Alexa.
Why is Alexa Not Playing Music from Spotify?
Spotify is the best music platform in the world to listen thousands of streaming songs at your own space. You can connect it to various platforms and devices such as steam, mobile devices as well as Alexa.
If you love listening to music from Spotify through Amazon Alexa then you may have find issues one time or another. The Alexa won’t play any songs from Spotify no matter how many times you tried.
When your Alexa won’t play Spotify music then there might be an unverified login status of Spotify account in Alexa. More, the power cycled system of your echo device is also outdated. Other than this, there is also a large amount of cached data stored in both Alexa and Spotify that need to be cleared.
Why is Alexa Not Playing Music from Bluetooth?
If Alexa not playing music from Bluetooth then you have to check whether echo is properly connected with Bluetooth or not. There is trouble linking your Bluetooth with an echo that is causing the main issue.
Other than this, you also have to make sure that the songs which you are playing are supported with Alexa. As you know, Alexa has an explicit filter that restricts any violent, sexual, rude songs from playing.
Similarly, there is also a proper connection between Bluetooth and echo. Don’t place your echo device far from the Bluetooth.
Why is Alexa Not Playing Radio Stations?
If the Alexa is not playing radio station properly then you have to reduce the Wi-Fi congestion. It means disconnecting any devices that are connected with your internet at the same time. This will simply increase the speed of the internet and helps to run the radio. However, if that doesn’t work for you then you have to restart the echo device.
Why is Alexa Not Playing Music on Sonos?
The music which you are going to play on Sonos One also interrupts from time to time. It usually happens because of the slow internet connection and Sonos skill problem. Therefore, you have to re-enable the Sonos skill to fix the issue.
Step 1: Launch the Alexa app on your device.
Step 2: Now, tap on the “More” option from the bottom side.
Step 3: After that, select the “Skills & Games” option.
Step 4: Now, tap on the “Your Skills” option.
Step 5: Next, tap on the “Sonos” device that is connected to Alexa.
Step 6: Here, simply tap on the “Disable Skill” option.
Step 7: After disabling the skill again tap on “Enable Skill”.
Why is Alexa Not Listening?
There are various reasons why Alexa not listening to your voice. The issue lies in the echo device as well as in Alexa app. So, here are the most common issues behind Alexa not working and its solutions.
- Make sure that echo is connected to the internet properly.
- Make sure the Amazon echo microphone is enable.
- Check whether the echo device and your phone are connected to the same internet.
- Make sure that Alexa can properly reaching the Wi-Fi connection to listen to your command.
- Check and change the wake word.
- Speak in a clear voice so that Alexa will understand it.
- Factory reset the Alexa or Echo device.
Why does Alexa say She is Playing Music But Doesn’t?
There is a time when you command Alexa to play music but it says playing and you can’t hear the song. This is a common issue that can occur from time to time if the songs which you are playing is not available in your location.
Similarly, when Alexa starts to play music but it’s not receiving the proper internet connection then you won’t listen to your music. Other than this, maybe there is a fault with the speaker of Amazon echo that won’t throw out the songs.
So, if there is nothing wrong with echo device then simply deregister echo from the Alexa app.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can You Change Amazon Alexa Voice?
Yes, you can change the Amazon Alexa voice, language, and accent for you.
Does Amazon Alexa Work with Apple Music?
Yes, you can listen to music from Apple Music on Alexa.
Can You Use Amazon Alexa Without Prime?
Yes, you can easily use Amazon Alexa without Prime membership.
Final Word
Listening to your favorite music from Alexa on a lovely day is a blessing to your ears. But it can ruin your day because of an issue with the Amazon Echo device. So, follow the following above-mentioned methods if Alexa not playing music from echo.
Music is healing medicine for your stressed day.
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