Alexa is a voice AI that plays music on Spotify, Apple Music, Deezer, Amazon Music, and even radio. In addition, Alexa uses Alexa-enabled devices to play music across all these apps.
You might then wonder if you can also play music from YouTube with Alexa, seeing as the owner of YouTube is Google, a competitor of Amazon.
This article will explain if you can use Alexa to play music from YouTube like other apps or not.
It is possible to use Alexa to play music from YouTube. However, playing music from YouTube is not as direct as other apps where you can play music using Alexa-enabled devices. The difference between using Alexa to play music from YouTube and other music apps like Spotify is that you have to connect an Alexa-enabled speaker to Bluetooth.
Does Alexa Play Music from YouTube?
Alexa can play music from YouTube, but not directly. So it isn’t as direct as other apps like Amazon Music, where you tell Alexa to play music.
To play music from YouTube with Alexa, you need to connect your Bluetooth device to Alexa or an Alexa-enabled device like Echo. This process will allow you to use Alexa on YouTube.
On other music services, like Amazon Music, you can play music directly with Alexa from YouTube if you have an Alexa-enabled device. You do not need Bluetooth to connect to Alexa.
You can’t use voice commands to access YouTube to play music since Amazon doesn’t support YouTube.
However, have no fear because you can still listen to your favorite songs on YouTube.
There are ways you can trick Alexa into playing music from YouTube, and it will do it. You follow the tricks shown to you in this article.
How to Play YouTube Music on Alexa?
There are two tricks I’ll be showing you today: how you can play YouTube music on Alexa, as you can’t directly play music from it.
Here are the two ways for you to play YouTube music on Alexa
- Using the Amazon Echo device.
- Using the Amazon Echo Show device.
#1. Using the Amazon Echo Device
With Amazon Echo, you can play music on YouTube with Amazon via Bluetooth.
Follow these steps to play music on YouTube with Alexa.
- Download the Alexa app.
- Using Bluetooth, connect your device to Echo.
Download Alexa App
The first thing you have to do to play music from YouTube using Alexa is to download the Alexa application itself so you can get started.
Depending on which phone you are using, you can download the Alexa app. For example, you can download the Alexa app with these simple steps if you are an Android user.
- Visit Google Play Store.
- Search for Amazon Alexa.
- Then install it.
You can download the Alexa app by following these steps for an iPhone user.
- First, visit Apple App Store.
- Next, search for Amazon Alexa.
- Then download
- Using Bluetooth, Connect Your Device to Echo
- When you order your Echo for the first time, Amazon automatically links it to the email address you used to place the order.
After downloading the Alexa app, open it and do these;
- Sign in to Alexa with your Amazon login credentials
- Scroll down and click on the device menu.
- Select the echo device you use.
- Click on the settings icon at the top right corner.
- Select Bluetooth devices under “wireless.”
- Then click on pair a new device.
- Open your phone’s Bluetooth and connect it to Echo.
- Go to YouTube Music on your phone.
- Finally, start listening to music on Echo.
Also, note that you can use the Alexa web app instead of the mobile app with Bluetooth to connect to your Echo device.
Visit the web app, sign in to your Amazon account, follow the prompt and connect to your Echo device to play music on YouTube.
#2. Using Amazon Echo Show
To play music from YouTube using Alexa with the Amazon Echo Show, follow the steps below:
- Use “show” instead of “open,” as using “open” won’t work. When you use “show,” it takes you to the web to search for YouTube.
- Select the app you’ll use for browsing. If you have a default app, then it will open with the default app.
- On getting to YouTube’s sign-in page, input your login credentials.
- Search for a song and start playing with Alexa.
What Music Services Work With Alexa?
Today, many different options exist for listening to music with Alexa. Alexa lets you stream the latest and greatest artists with your voice.
Alexa can be great for those who want access to all their favorite tunes without plugging anything in.
Using Alexa for some music services can be free, while you need to pay for others. Also, you need to pay for some of them to upgrade and enjoy the limited benefits in the free versions.
However, for you to play music via these music services, you must have an account with them.
The table below shows music services that work with Alexa.
| Music Services | Description |
|---|---|
| Deezer | It is available in limited regions. You can use Deezer’s free month trial or a paid one with Echo. |
| Amazon Music | You can play music on Amazon music with Alexa. It has a free month trial and paid version. |
| Vevo | You can play music with Alexa on Vevo at no cost. |
| Gimme | This music service is free; you can play music on it via Alexa. |
| TuneIn | With TuneIn, you can use Alexa to listen to the radio. It has both paid and free versions. |
| Spotify | With Echo, you can use Spotify premium, but with Spotify free version, you have limited services. |
| Pandora. | You can enjoy Alexa on Pandora with a free, plus, and premium account. Available only in the United States. |
| Tidal | With Echo, you get access to the library in Tidal. You also get a month’s free trial with Tidal. |
| Global Player | It is a free audio service you can use with Alexa. You can stream music and listen to the radio. |
| SiriusXM | You can use Alexa with this music service; it has both the free and paid version. |
| Apple Music | With this music service, you get a free month’s trial. But, unfortunately, it isn’t available in all countries. |
| JioSaavn | It is free, and you can use Alexa to play music on this music service. |
Is There a YouTube Skill for Alexa?
There is a YouTube skill available for Alexa. However, if you do not want to use the available Alexa-YouTube skill, you can build a custom skill yourself.
Amazon, the owner of Alexa, does not have a skill for YouTube as it isn’t allowed on Alexa. Although there is a YouTube skill available for Alexa that Amazon doesn’t own.
The name of the YouTube skill created for Alexa is called Alexa-YouTube. The installation process of Alexa-YouTube isn’t easy, but it works well once you finish it.
Find below the process required to add Alexa-YouTube to your Echo to enable you to use this skill.
- Visit Amazon sign-in page.
- Register as a developer on Amazon.
- After registration, log in as a developer on Amazon.
- Select “Alexa kit.”
- Then, select “Create Skills.”
- Name the skill and choose a default language.
- Click on “Custom model.”
- Choose “Provision of Your Own.”
- Make a name for a skill invocation. Then, use only two words to describe what the skill is.
- Choose JSON Editor from the left-hand menu.
- Clear everything written in the text box.
- Open the code from GitHub in a new tab. It’s the code in English.
- Please copy the code from GitHub and paste it into the text box for the JSON editor.
- Press “Save Model.”
- On the left-side menu, select interfaces.
- Enable “Video app” and “Audio app.”
- Click on “save interfaces.”
- On the left-side menu, click on “endpoint.”
- Choose AWS Lambda ARN.
- Enter your region code for the default region.
- Press “Save endpoints.”
- On the left-hand side at the bottom, click on “Permissions.”
- Turn on “Lists Write” and “Lists Read.”
- On the left menu, click menu.
- Review the skill builder checklist. Ensure all the requirements turn green for it to be complete.
- Click on the “Test” button at the top of the page.
- You’ll see this test is disabled. Change it from “Off” to “Development.”
After following these steps, Alexa is set up on YouTube using the Alexa-YouTube skill. You can now say, “Alexa, ask YouTube to play music.”
Conclusion
Among the many music service apps that Alexa has access to and uses to play music in your home, YouTube isn’t one of them.
As a result, Alexa can’t play your favorite song directly from YouTube. Using Alexa to play music on YouTube requires you to go the extra mile.
Follow the instructions in the article to get started with Alexa on YouTube.