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Amazon kills Alexa’s ability to control Echo speakers' AUX input

Ars Technica • October 6, 2026 • general

Key Points:

Amazon has disabled Alexa voice control for devices connected via the AUX port on certain older Echo smart speakers, including Echo Plus 2nd Gen, Echo 3rd Gen, Echo Studio 1st Gen, and Echo 4th Gen models.
While physical AUX inputs still function for audio playback, voice commands like “Alexa, play from line in” no longer work, and users must use the Alexa app to manage AUX input settings.
Amazon confirmed the change but did not provide a reason or disclose how many users are affected, noting that few people reportedly used voice commands for AUX-connected devices.
Users can still connect third-party devices to Echo speakers via Bluetooth, which remains the primary method for audio input on newer devices.
This removal follows a pattern of Amazon disabling features on existing devices, such as last year’s removal of the ability to block voice recordings from being sent to Amazon, raising concerns among some users about diminishing device functionality.

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