Spotify Alexa skill does not work on Echo devices at all

[ninjinskie]

For months I have been using Spotify as my default music provider for my Echo/Alexa devices using the Spotify skill, and whilst it was pretty tempramental (such as sometimes not playing songs, playing the wrong song occasionally etc.) it was at least functional.

However, as of today I have acquired an Echo Dot and linked it to my Amazon account, and the Spotify skill seems to have completely stopped working. Asking the echo to play any song just ignores my settings and plays it through Amazon Music instead, and if I specify "on spotify" at the end it will just say that it can't find the song on Spotify. I have also tried relinking my Spotify account to no avail.

[ninjinskie]

My playback issues on my Echo 4th Gen were resolved today using these steps from Spotify:

1. Go to Settings > Wi-Fi.
2. Tap the ⓘ icon next to the Wi-Fi network that you want to change DNS servers for. Scroll down to find the DNS section and tap Configure DNS.
3. Tap Manual and add Google IP addresses. Optionally, you can also remove all default DNS servers in the list.
4. For IPv4: 8.8.8.8 and/or 8.8.4.4
5. For IPv6: 2001:4860:4860::8888 and/or 2001:4860:4860::8844
6. Switching back to Automatic will restore the DNS server specified by the Wi-Fi network.

     Also, we highly recommend you change your DNS settings from your router, so that it'll apply to all used devices. To do so:

1. Log in to your router's web interface
2. Find its DNS settings
3. Enter your preferred DNS servers (the ones previously mentioned)
4. Save your settings
5. Restart your modem and devices

I hadn’t thought to manually configure the DNS from my iPhone for the network being used by the Echo. I had previously configured it to Google’s DNS from my router only.

Now my question is why do all my old Echo Dots work with the Xfinity DNS (75.75.75.75 and 75.75.76.76) but not my brand new Echo 4th Gen? Why would switching to Google’s DNS fix the issue? Does the Spotify Connect skill need to be updated for the newest Amazon Echo?

I hope this helps!

-Kyle

[ninjinskie]

I would also suggest that anyone who is experience this issue check to see if they are using a range extender (a router that relays the router's signal).  I recently found that unplugging my range extender resolved exactly this problem

[MihailY]

Hey folks,

We're sorry to hear you're still having issues.

We'd like to re-open the investigation on this one, so can you please send us the info requested by @AlejaR above? In addition, let us know the troubleshooting steps that you've tried so far, so we can share them with our tech team.

It would also be helpful if you can provide a more detailed description of what's the behavior you're seeing when you try to use Spotify.

Cheers,

[waces]

All the info available in the thread just look back a bit. However nothing changed in the last 5+ yeard so our expectations are lower than low

[cades1]

Yes, all info already provided. Nothing has changed. Good that the issue has been “reopened” but it should never have been closed

[BullSpencer]

Hello everyone, as I was quite hot with this topic, today I decided to investigate by my own means what was happening, the hint has given me the user @samuel777, indeed, connecting the echo to the shared wifi of my mobile phone (Android) the echo began to play the songs .... Then I decided to sniff my internal network part to know what was happening, since I do not have a usual user configuration, I have several vlan, and other security options that do not come to the case, the question is that my DNS was blocking the following domain ‘.spotifycdn.com’, then what I did was to add a wildcard so that my firewall does not block these addresses. It's funny because this is not used by spotify desktop or the mobile app and I never imagined that the problem could come from my side in the first place.

So for the moment I seem to have found a solution, hope this helps others.

Regards

Bull

[kylemadson]

My playback issues on my Echo 4th Gen were resolved today using these steps from Spotify:

1. Go to Settings > Wi-Fi.
2. Tap the ⓘ icon next to the Wi-Fi network that you want to change DNS servers for. Scroll down to find the DNS section and tap Configure DNS.
3. Tap Manual and add Google IP addresses. Optionally, you can also remove all default DNS servers in the list.
4. For IPv4: 8.8.8.8 and/or 8.8.4.4
5. For IPv6: 2001:4860:4860::8888 and/or 2001:4860:4860::8844
6. Switching back to Automatic will restore the DNS server specified by the Wi-Fi network.

     Also, we highly recommend you change your DNS settings from your router, so that it'll apply to all used devices. To do so:

1. Log in to your router's web interface
2. Find its DNS settings
3. Enter your preferred DNS servers (the ones previously mentioned)
4. Save your settings
5. Restart your modem and devices

I hadn’t thought to manually configure the DNS from my iPhone for the network being used by the Echo. I had previously configured it to Google’s DNS from my router only.

Now my question is why do all my old Echo Dots work with the Xfinity DNS (75.75.75.75 and 75.75.76.76) but not my brand new Echo 4th Gen? Why would switching to Google’s DNS fix the issue? Does the Spotify Connect skill need to be updated for the newest Amazon Echo?

I hope this helps!

-Kyle

[Southpaw773]

Hello,

I master reset my router and Alexa Echo Show, and re linked Spotify. My Echo Dot plays Spotify, Echo Show still does not, from app, verbal commands or using the screen. Nothing. But- if I connect to my cell phone as a WiFi hotspot for the Echo Show, Spotify does work. So either something still amiss with the router or my fiber internet provider perhaps?

[Southpaw773]

Ok folks my Alexa Echo Show 10 plays Spotify again including verbal commands, tapping the screen menus and Spotify app on my phone selecting the speaker. It’s a miracle. I found that trying my hotspot it worked on so I suspected my router or home ISP. I bought a new NETGEAR router and kicked my D Link to the curb. Proud to say after one more reboot with the new router I have no issues anymore. 

[Nicolas82]

I am seeing similar issue with my TP-Link AX6000 router blocking only Spotify on my  Echo Show5, Spotify is working on the regular Echo Dot. Trying to found the configuration in the router that is blocking that ! 

[Diu]

I had the same issue 3 months ago, after several power cuts the spotify skill stopped working. One day by chance a streaming app also stopped working, the solution was to turn off IP V6 on the tv. That gave me a hint so I disabled the IPV6 in one of my access points, conected the echo to that AP, and that's it... Spotify worked again.

[wnbro]

Had this same issue (after instructing Alexa to play songs from Spotify - she'll say its playing but nothing audible is heard, Spotify app on iPhone says its playing, and if you switch speaker back to iPhone it is playing). This seamed to happen as part of upgrading broadband to house and replacing router as a result. Added suggested DNS settings to new router and iPhone (as per instructions from 'kylemadson' above and as suggested by moderator in first page of responses).

I also turned off IPV6 on LAN settings in router (as per suggestion from 'Diu' above).

...Not sure which one fixed it or if it needed both solutions, but echo show 8 v2 is now playing Spotify songs again. Thanks to power of the people on forums!

[CarlosVenturaV]

Yep 👍 I think I have the same issue with echo studio, I tried to connect via hotspot with other phone ( my phone + echo studio) and finally I can use "Spotify plays...." And star hearing...so my router or internet company is the problem...I'll keep searching...

[SereneL]

Hi there, I am

Having trouble getting my echo show to work, can I please get some clean instructions step by step for a non technical user

[steephill]

Same problem, but here's why: 

• My 4th Gen Echo Dots (firmware build 1198…) connect to Spotify Connect immediately on my home Wi-Fi.

• A brand new 5th Gen Echo Dot (firmware build 0012…) would not appear in Spotify Connect on the same network.

• When I took the 5th Gen to a different house and connected it to Wi-Fi there, it worked perfectly — Spotify Connect appeared straight away.

• This rules out faulty hardware.

From this, the evidence points to:

• A NAT traversal / server recognition issue in the 5th Gen firmware.

• The device struggles when sitting behind certain router configurations, even though older Echo models handle the same environment without problems.

Workarounds tested:

• Enabling UPnP on my router did not make Spotify Connect work, but it may help with general stability (still under observation).

• Bluetooth streaming works reliably as a fallback.

Conclusion:

The Echo Dot 5th Gen is not defective, but its firmware handles NAT differently from previous generations. This appears to be within Amazon’s remit to fix in a software update. Until then, owners experiencing this issue are not at fault — the device will function on some networks but not others.

I hope this helps others facing the same problem and saves time on repeated resets or replacements.

[Mrswhit3y]

Plan

Premium

Country

New Zealand

Device

Amazon Alexa Echo Dot

Operating System

My Question or Issue

When trying to play Spotify on my children’s echo dots there is no sound. It says it is playing when checking on my phone, but nothing can be heard. It plays all other streaming services with sound.

I have reset both devices and disabled the skill and enabled it again but no change.

i have two other Amazon Alexa devices that are not having this problem.

[Skimdaily]

Same issues when streaming on all my Alexa devices for the past few days now!!! I’ve rebooted, updated, and restarted all apps devices and internet modem

[AngieC1]

I've had the same problems with three different Amazon Echo devices and have tried all of the suggested solutions (cache clearing, default/app permissions in both Alexa and Spotify, device reset, changing wi fi, resetting router, changing voice commmand, starting Spotify on one device and switching). It's beyond frustrating and I keep seeing other users report the same/similar issues with no real resolutions. 

I much prefer Spotify to Amazon Music, but I gave in and got a free trial to Amazon Music Unlimited (in part also because the MrBallen Podcast signed an exclusive with Amazon Music and is no longer free on Spotify) and guess what? It works perfectly on all my Amazon Echos and Echo Dots. I didn't even have to change any settings or defaults or permissions. It just plays on the Echo when I ask it to. What a relief! 

So unless Spotify comes up with better solutions or compatibility instead of gaslighting us with fake advice or fixes, my advice is: Switch to Amazon Music Unlimited. Quit Spotify Premium. Enjoy seamless device integration and check out the MrBallen Podcst for free. It's awesome! 

[Dessi · Accepted solution]

Hi folks,

Thanks for all your posts and patience!

A lot of users mentioned the issue doesn't occur with a different internet connection, such as a hotspot or a different WiFi, so this seems to be network-related for the most part and we recommend following these steps and user suggestions from the thread:

• change the DNS in your router's settings to a public one as mentioned here
• make sure your network firewall has these ports open
• disable IPV6 in your router's LAN settings
• unplug the power cord for the Echo > wait 30-60 sec > plug it back and reboot it 

In case the issue persists afterwards, it'd be really appreciated if you can send us the following info so that we can pass it on to the respective team:

• Make/model and exact OS version of the affected Echo devices.
• The day, time and time zone this has occurred in.

Hope this helps.

[waces]

No, just because you mark it as a solution, it won't be. If you read back the thread, you can see all the mentioned steps were tested by me or by others, and that's _NOT_ a solution. Currently, the only working solution is to cancel Spotify and subscribe to a proper service like Apple Music or Amazon Music.

It's not a DNS issue (otherwise it occurs for other services) and it was tested with the provider DNS as well as 3 different public DNS - same issue

Ports are opened, and confirmed they are opened - same issue

IPv6 disabled (most of the ISP devices comes with disabled IPv6 by default, and also IPv6 getting more and more frequent, so disabling it couldn't be the long-term solution - same issue

Powering off does not resolve the issue, as the issue is NOT with the Amazon device - same issue.

So quite funny to mark it as a solution instead of working on the real solution (eg rewrite the faulty code)

[xcession]

My problems resolved themselves a year ago after I twiddled basically every knob at my disposal so I never really knew which specific change had the desired effect. The problem re-occurred 2 days ago, roughly in line with the spike in reports here and the spike in terrible google reviews of the alexa app.

This time I was very focused and I resolved the problem in a few hours. My steps were: 

1. I rebooted every single network-routing device between the internet and my Echo: 1 router, 1 switch and a AP.
2. I then rebooted the Echo.
3. I then set DNS in my router to 8.8.8.8/8.8.4.4.
4. I disabled IPv6 in my router
5. I disable all of my router's attack protections (not recommended but I'm not exactly doing air traffic control here!)
6. I rebooted everything again, in the same order as before.

This resolved it.

My hypothesis is that

1. One or more of my hardware devices received a software update which put back in place a number of settings I disabled at random last time I solved this.
2. I accidentally tripped my house electrics 24hrs before I discovered my Echo wasn't playing Spotify, and I think the power cycle was the opportunity/trigger for whichever hardware it was, to update

[Goodhx123]

This is. Not fixed.

Telling people to take down security and go public is a joke. Fix this