The smart home revolution makes it easy to get whatever we want with a simple voice command, thanks to devices like Amazon Echo’s Alexa.
Alexa helps you do everything from finding recipes to playing games, and as it turns out, she can be a helpful podcast assistant as well.
Can I play podcasts on Alexa? Yes, Amazon Echo can be synched with your chosen streaming service to play podcasts on-demand using Alexa.
The smart assistant can do things like play new episodes, skip to older ones, or search for new podcasts, all using your voice command.
There are a few cool things you can do using your Amazon Echo and Alexa, so we’ll show you what’s possible once you’ve set it all up. With a little know-how you can make Alexa the ideal podcast assistant, so read on to find out more.
Can Alexa Play Podcasts?
Alexa is the name of the assistant that lives inside the Amazon Echo and she makes it very easy to listen to podcasts using a simple voice command.
Before you can enjoy your podcasts through the smart speaker though, you’ll need to add the account of your chosen streaming service to the device following these steps.
- Open the Amazon Alexa app and select Settings in the More tab.
- Press the Music & Podcasts button.
- Press Link New Service and find the Apple Podcasts, Spotify or other services that you use then tap it.
- Press Link Account and continue setting up an account with your password, Touch ID, Face ID, or other.
- Test out Alexa by giving her a command to play a certain song or podcast that you know.
Alexa will need you to tell her in each command which streaming service you want to use to play podcasts, which can get bothersome if you only rely on one. If you do only have one, follow these steps to make it the default so there’s no need to specify.
- Open the Amazon Alexa app and then the settings again.
- Select Music & Podcasts then open Default Services under the Settings tab.
- Select Podcasts and then Change, choosing which of the services you would like to make your default podcast service.
If you no longer want the Amazon Echo to play podcasts from a specific service, you can easily change this in the settings once more.
- Select the Settings button from the More tab when you open the Amazon Alexa app.
- Tap on Music & Podcasts.
- Select the podcast service, like Apple Podcasts or Spotify, and press Disable skill.
What Amazon Echo Can Do With Podcasts
Using Alexa or another smart speaker to control your podcast listening makes it easier to manage, especially if you’re cooking dinner or doing something else that has your hands occupied.
Here are a few things you can do with voice commands when it comes to podcast listening:
- Ask Alexa what podcasts are popular: A Google search can help you to find some of the most popular podcasts, according to sources outside of the podcast service. Ask things like “Alexa, what are the highest rated podcasts of 2022?” to see what is trending and get some inspiration for your next listen.
- Play the latest episode of a podcast: If you want the latest release of your favorite podcast and you know the name of the series, you can say something like “Alexa, play the latest episode of Fantasy Footballers podcast”.
- Skip to the next episode of a podcast: “ Alexa, skip to the next episode of The Misfits Podcast”. If you’re listening to an episode you don’t like or have already heard, Alexa can be commanded to skip to the newer or later one, depending on which direction you want to go.
- Resume playing from where you left off: “Alexa, resume playing The Misfits podcast”. This command can be used if you previously paused a podcast and want to come back to it without having to search through your phone.
- Search for specific podcasts or perform a general search: Using the device and searching by hand, you can look for highly rated podcasts, ones in specific genres, or just browse the list of the thousands of options that Apple Podcasts and Spotify have. Otherwise, use a voice command like “Alexa, what podcasts are there about sports and celebrity gossip” to see what she comes up with.
Smart Hub Alternative for Podcasts
Amazon’s Alexa has made a name for itself as the leading smart speaker, but it’s not the only option if you’re looking for something that’s podcast friendly.
The two other big-name alternatives worth mentioning are Google Assistant and Apple’s Siri, however, there are some like KitSound Voice One and Bose Home Speaker that are earning a good reputation as well.
The best way to find a smart speaker that works for your home is to look at the features it delivers and how they match what you’re after.
The good news is, that these devices are now more affordable than ever and take mere seconds to set up with your other streaming services so you can play the latest episode of any podcast with just one command.
➡️ How To Get Podcasts On Alexa
A Smarter Way to Listen (Can I Play Podcasts on Alexa)
The pairing of Alexa with your podcast listening is one of the smartest things you can do, and it’ll make your favorite content even more enjoyable and easier to access.
Get your Amazon Echo synched up with your podcast streaming service and see how much better life can be when you do.
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