You can select AUX line-in on an Echo only if that exact model supports audio input. For compatible models, Amazon staff guidance describes opening the device in the Alexa app, choosing AUX audio, then Line in, and connecting an audio source with a 3.5 mm cable. This selects line-in; available sources do not establish that AUX can be made a universal default that always resumes after a restart or interruption.
Check whether your Echo accepts AUX input
Echo models do not all use their 3.5 mm jacks the same way. Some provide audio output only; a jack that fits a cable does not prove the speaker can accept sound from an external source. Check the exact product and generation in Amazon’s Echo device identification guide before trying to switch inputs.
- Echo Dot: Amazon staff forum guidance describes Echo Dot models as not supporting line-in; their 3.5 mm jack is output-only. See the Amazon forum explanation of line-in and the Amazon forum discussion of the AUX app option.
- Selected full-size Echo models: Amazon forum guidance identifies the 4th-generation Echo’s jack as switchable between line-in and line-out. Compatibility depends on the exact model.
- Echo Input: This is a separate product for adding Alexa to an external speaker through a 3.5 mm connection or Bluetooth, not an Echo speaker whose jack is being used as an input. See Amazon’s Echo Input setup help.
Select line-in in the Alexa app
For a compatible Echo, Amazon staff guidance gives this route. App labels can differ by model or software version, so if the named control is missing, do not assume the device supports the feature.
- Open the Alexa app and select the compatible Echo device.
- Open AUX audio, then choose Line in.
- Connect the external audio source to the Echo with a 3.5 mm audio cable and turn on the source. If playback is quiet, check the source’s volume.
These steps are based on an Amazon staff response dated October 10, 2024. If AUX audio or Line in is not available, the model or its current software may not offer the control.
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Can AUX be the default after a restart or new request?
“By default” can mean selecting line-in now or having the Echo return to it automatically every time. The available setup guidance supports selecting Line in, but it does not establish that the choice persists after every restart, interruption, or new playback request. Treat it as a selectable input, not a guaranteed permanent default.
Voice control changed for some older Echo models
Ars Technica reported on October 6, 2026, that Amazon had ended voice commands for AUX input effective October 7, 2026, on the Echo Plus 2nd generation, Echo 3rd generation, Echo Studio 1st generation, and Echo 4th generation. The report reproduces Amazon’s notice that requests such as “Alexa, play from line in” and “Alexa, set aux input” would no longer work, and says an Amazon spokesperson confirmed the change. Read the Ars Technica report.
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The report concerns voice commands. The available sources do not establish whether the Alexa app’s AUX audio > Line in control remains available after the change. Check the specific device in the app rather than assuming app control was either removed or retained.
Settings that do not switch an Echo to AUX
- Default music service: Alexa’s setting for which streaming service to use is a profile preference, not an AUX input selector. Its path is More > Settings > Preferences > Music & Podcasts > Profile > Your Default Services. See Amazon’s music and podcast settings help.
- Preferred speaker in a Smart Home Group: This chooses speakers for music playback when you address the group; Amazon does not document it as an AUX input setting. See Amazon’s Smart Home Group speaker instructions.
- Echo Auto: Its AUX setup connects Echo Auto to a car stereo and requires selecting AUX as the car stereo’s source. That is different from selecting line-in on an Echo smart speaker. See Amazon’s Echo Auto auxiliary-cable instructions.
If the external sound will not play
- Confirm the exact Echo model and generation; a 3.5 mm jack may be output-only.
- On a compatible model, check whether AUX audio > Line in appears in that device’s Alexa app controls.
- Check that the source is on, the cable is connected, and the source volume is turned up.
- If you are trying a voice command on one of the four models named above, use the app only if its AUX control is present; app availability after the reported change is not established.
When choosing another route, distinguish the direction you need: sending Echo audio out to another speaker is not the same as feeding an external source into the Echo. Verify line-in support for the exact model before buying a cable or replacement device.
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