How to Connect Echo Input to Bluetooth Speaker

Top view of the Echo Input device, with the USB power cord connected.

This post shows how to connect the Echo Input Alexa device to a typical Bluetooth speaker. We will do this with the JBL Flip 5 speaker. Since this Bluetooth connecting happens between the speaker and the Echo Input directly, you need not turn Bluetooth on in the mobile device you’re using to set up this link.

How to Connect the Echo Input to a Bluetooth Speaker

Start with your Bluetooth speaker powered off. Then run through this routine to connect it to the Alexa Echo Input device. We’re using an iPad Air tablet to set up this linkage.

1. Find the Alexa app on your Mobile Device

We found the app on an iPadOS iPad Air as shown in the next screenshot. In our case, the Alexa app is on the third home screen page. It’s pointed at by the blue arrow.

iOS home screen, showing the Amazon Alexa app Icon highlighted.

2. Run the Alexa App

The app displays its Home screen as shown in the next screenshot.

The Alexa app on iPadOS Home screen, with the -More- Item highlighted.

3. Tap the More (Hamburger) Control

Find the hamburger item in the lower right corner of the screen. This is pointed at by the green arrow in the last screenshot.

This brings up the Alexa app’s main menu, as shown in the next screenshot.

The app’s main menu, with the -Settings- item highlighted.

4. Tap the Settings Option on the Main Menu to Continue with How to Connect Echo Input to Bluetooth Speaker

The Settings option is pointed at by the green arrow in the last screenshot.

This brings up the Settings screen, as shown in the next screenshot.

From here, choose which Alexa device you wish to connect to your Bluetooth speaker. The green arrow in the next picture points at our choice, the Thomas’s Echo Input device.

The -All Devices- page, with an Echo Input highlighted.

5. Tap the Alexa Echo Input Device you Want to Connect

This takes you to the device-specific settings screen for the Echo Input you picked.

The Alexa app on iPadOS, displaying the -Device Settings- page for the Echo Input, with the -Bluetooth Devices- option highlighted.

6. Tap the Bluetooth Devices Item

Find the Bluetooth Devices menu item pointed at by the green arrow in the last screenshot.

This brings up the Bluetooth Devices screen, as shown next.

At this point, you’re ready to start a Bluetooth scan by the Echo Input you just chose for this connection. In our demo here, our Alexa Input will be the one that scans for Bluetooth devices.

But don’t press the Pair a New Device button just yet. We must first power up the Bluetooth speaker and put it into discovery mode.

The -Select Previously Paired Device- page, with the -Pair a New Device- button bar highlighted.

7. Turn On your Speaker to Continue with How to Connect Alexa Echo Input to Bluetooth Speaker

Put down your mobile device for a moment, and turn on your BT speaker. In this demo, we’re pairing with a JBL Flip 5. So in our case, we turn the speaker on by quickly pressing its Power button. See this button pointed at by the green arrow, in the next picture. Your Power button may look similar.

Top view of the JBL Flip 5 Bluetooth speaker, powered OFF, with the Power button highlighted.

The speaker then powers up.

But since our Amazon Input device does not know about this speaker yet, this BT speaker will not connect with it automatically. Thus, the Bluetooth light that shows as dark after you power up this speaker. Note that your particular speaker may show this non paired state differently.

8. Put your Bluetooth Speaker into Discovery Mode

Now, to allow Alexa Input to find your speaker, place that speaker in Bluetooth discovery mode by pressing and releasing the Bluetooth button, as pointed at by the green arrow in the next picture.

Top view of the JBL Flip 5 Bluetooth speaker, showing the flashing Bluetooth button highlighted.

When you press the Bluetooth Discovery Mode button, many speakers make some sort of noise to let you know that they’re ready to pair. Some also flash the Bluetooth button or some other lamp on their control panels.

9. Now, Go Back to your Mobile Device

The screen with the blue Pair a New Device button should still be showing, as in the next screenshot.

Alexa App on iPadOS displaying its -Select Previously Paired Device- page, with the -Pair a New Device- button bar highlighted.

10. Tap the Blue Pair a New Device Button to Continue with How to Connect the Amazon Echo Input to a Bluetooth Speaker

This starts your Echo Input scanning for any nearby Bluetooth devices that are themselves in discovery mode. Since your BT speaker is now in discovery mode, the Input should find it.

After a short pause, you should see something like the screen we got. Shown next.

The -Pair Bluetooth Device with your Echo Input- page, with a JBL Flip 5 Bluetooth speaker on the list highlighted.

In our demo, the Alexa app found our BT speaker, named JBL Flip 5.

11. Find your Bluetooth Speaker on the Discovered Devices List

See the screenshot above.

So, we located our speaker in the list, as pointed at by the green arrow in that picture.

12. Finally, Connect your Echo Input with your Bluetooth Speaker

Connect to the BT speaker by tapping the listed speaker in the Bluetooth Setup screen, shown in the last screenshot above.

The Echo Input then connects with the speaker (“JBL Flip 5” in this demo).

The app then takes you back to the Device Settings page for the Echo Input, as shown next.

The -Device Settings- page for an Echo Input, showing 1 paired and connected device highlighted.

Also, our speaker makes a Speaker Paired sound (the three ascending tones). Again though, your speaker may do something different to indicate that it is paired.

The speaker is now connected with the Echo Input.

13. Done with How to Connect Echo Input to Bluetooth Speaker !

We have now successfully connected our BT speaker with an Alexa Echo Input. So we can now ask Alexa to play music or any other audio content through this speaker.