A smart home today is incomplete without Alexa. But, the key behind Alexa’s witty responses is wi-fi access. But, what if you don’t have wi-fi? In that case, the only option to use Alexa is through a Bluetooth connection. Do you know how to connect alexa to bluetooth without Wi-Fi?
First, turn on your phone’s Bluetooth. Then, enter the Alexa app and enable Bluetooth pairing. Finally, allow the pairing request, and both devices will be connected. However, to run the app smoothly, you would need brief internet access.
In this article, we’ll go through the steps of Bluetooth pairing. Hopefully, by the end of this article, you will be able to establish a Bluetooth connection without anybody’s help.
So, are you ready?
What Is Alexa And What Are Its Capabilities?
Well, Alexa is quite popular today. From telling hilarious jokes to making urgent calls, Alexa can do everything. Amazon introduced it in the market as a smart device to control other devices.
And, since then, more features have been included. Now it can control your smart home as per your instructions without you being there. Sounds pretty cool, right?
Let’s take a look at some of its core capabilities.
Entertainment
Alexa is all about fun. You can let your kids talk to it and entertain themselves while you work. Alexa can play music, and games as per their demands. And, it will also give answers to any questions they might ask.
Moreover, you can let Alexa turn on your favorite show with just a command. And, if you are feeling bored, talking to this smart device can be quite amusing. Alexa can catch jokes and reply according to that.
Quick Information
Alexa Echo Dot can provide instant answers to your queries. For example, you are cooking and forgot the spice measurement. Give a command like “Alexa, how much black pepper should I put to marinate a turkey?” Instantly, you get an answer. Alexa uses Google as the primary source for collecting information.
Not just recipes, whether you want to know calories in a food, beauty tips, or anything random, Alexa has got you covered.
News Update
Don’t want to miss the latest news while getting ready for work? Turn on Alexa and you are all set. You can choose the news portals you love and enlist them in the setting. That way, Alexa will only play the news from those specific channels or sources. You can also receive a weather report and the breaking news update.
Controls Your Smart Home
This is perhaps the most useful feature you get. Alexa Echo Dot is designed to control your home appliances. All you have to do is give commands, like “Alexa, set the temperature to 29,” or “Alexa turn on the lights.” What’s more interesting is that you can enjoy your vacation without worrying about home.
If you suddenly remember you didn’t turn off the TV before leaving, just do it now. You can command “turn off the TV” on your phone’s microphone. And, Alexa will execute it right away. But you have to enable this feature before attempting it in real life.
How To Connect Alexa To Bluetooth Without Wi-Fi?
To keep it straight, it is not possible to enjoy the features of Alexa Echo Dot without internet access. But if you want to use it only as a Bluetooth speaker to stream podcasts or videos, you can do it through Bluetooth pairing. But, there’s a catch.
You need the internet at least for a few minutes to restore the pairing between your phone and Amazon’s Alexa.
Nonetheless, we have described the easiest and quickest method to pair your device’s Bluetooth with Alexa. Check it out.
Step 1: Turn On Your Alexa Echo Dot
It’s pretty basic. To turn on the Alexa Echo dot, plug it into a power outlet near you. Use the manufacturer’s recommended cables for that. As soon as you do that, you will notice “blue” light emitting from the unit. Wait, till the light fades away. Now, it is ready to accept commands.
Step 2: Enable Bluetooth On Your Phone
You might already know how to do this. You can just tap on the “Bluetooth” icon next to wi-fi on your phone.
But, there’s a more manual way to do it. Let’s take a look at that too.
- First, open the settings > tap on “wireless & networks.”
- There you should see a “Bluetooth” option. Toggle the button beside it to turn it on.
- And, there you go. You have active Bluetooth on your phone now.
Step 3: Install & Launch The Alexa App
Now, you have to launch the official “Amazon Alexa” app. We believe you already have that application on your device if you are using “Alexa” for a while.
Nonetheless, you would need a “mobile hotspot” or wi-fi connection to use the application.
Sadly, there’s no other option. You would need data just for a few minutes. If you are traveling outside without access to wi-fi,
We would suggest asking for a mobile hotspot or buying a small data package.
Step 4: Pair The Bluetooth
Once you have managed to make the Alexa app run, follow the instruction below to pair it with your device.
- Enter the app and tap on the icon resembling “home.” It should be at the bottom.
- Now, you are in the device section. Click “all devices.”
From there, you can choose the exact Echo Dot you want to connect to.
- Next, select “Bluetooth devices.”
- If it’s your first time pairing the phone with the Echo Dot, select “pair a new device.”
- Alexa will now search for nearby Bluetooth sources. Once your device shows up on the list, click on it.
- Next, a notification with a pairing request will appear. Of course, you have to select ‘pair.”
A bluetooth icon will appear right next to your device name. That’s it. Your phone is now connected to Alexa. The wi-fi is no longer needed. You can turn it off and enjoy Alexa as a Bluetooth speaker.
Why You Might Want To Connect Alexa To Bluetooth Without Wi-Fi?
Alexa devices offer very limited services without wi-fi. But it can still be used as a speaker or device controller. For example, when you are traveling, the internet might be inaccessible. In that case, you can pair the Alexa Echo Dot with your phone’s Bluetooth and enjoy music, audio, podcasts, etc.
But, be clear that only the files you have saved on your mobile phone can be played through the speaker. If you want to play anything else, Alexa would require access to Google. And, that needs wi-fi or mobile hotspot.
One other thing you can enjoy through Bluetooth is controlling devices. Yes, some home appliances might work on Bluetooth as well. You can connect with those appliances and give commands as usual. But unfortunately not every smart home appliance would have that feature.
Tips For Getting The Most Out Of Your Bluetooth-Connected Alexa Device
Since you have been patient, we will give you three tips to enhance the efficiency of your Alexa device. Have a look.
Save Videos To Watch Later
Save podcasts, or videos you want to watch later on your device. This will allow you to play those files through Bluetooth connection.
Enable Bluetooth Pairing For Other Devices
Not all, but some of your smart home items might work on bluetooth too. If you spend some time enabling the “bluetooth pairing,” you can control those tools through Alexa.
Consider Mobile Hotspot
If you are going out on a trip and want to use Alexa, you will need a mobile hotspot. So,make sure you can arrange that for a few minutes. If not, try to use a public wi-fi zone. After the pairing is over, you won’t need the internet.
FAQ’s
We are almost at the bottom of this article. We think it’s time to answer some of your most asked questions. Shall we?
What Can Alexa Do Without The Internet?
Alexa is pretty similar to your phone when it comes to internet connectivity. Both of them lose a lot of features. All Alexa can do without wi-fi is act as a Bluetooth speaker.
That way you can play already saved audios. Another thing it can do without wi-fi is ring Alarms or give you reminders. But make sure that those alarms are previously set. Unfortunately, you can’t add new alarms without wi-fi.
How do I Put Alexa In Bluetooth Mode?
To put Alexa in Bluetooth mode, first, turn on Bluetooth on your android device. Next, go to the Alexa app > choose “device.” Now, select “all devices” > tap on “Bluetooth.” Allow the pairing request. That’s it. Alexa is now in Bluetooth mode and can act as a speaker.
Can Alexa Work On Mobile Data?
Yes, Alexa can work on mobile data only. It doesn’t matter how you are providing the internet. Just, enable the mobile hotspot and go to the Alexa app. Here, you have to find the “wi-fi and network” category.
Just select the device’s hotspot name from the list and turn on the connection as usual. As you can see, the procedure is nothing different from adding a real wi-fi network in the Alexa app.
Conclusion
Alexa Echo Dot is a smart tool to help you live a more comfortable life. It is becoming more and more polished and fast by each day. But, the problem is, all of those amazing features are limited to internet access. If you can’t provide internet, Alexa becomes quite inefficient. That’s frustrating, right?
In this article, we have described how to pair Bluetooth with your phone. That way, at least you can still enjoy some features like Bluetooth speakers. It’s not that bad if you have a huge collection of saved audio on our phone. You should give this method a try, the next time you go out or lose wi-fi.