Alexa Echo Dots are great devices to have in your room or office. They sit pretty on your desk and can do a lot of things, from playing music to telling you if it’s raining outside.
When I got my first Echo Dot, I put it on my office desk and was pretty obsessed with it. Soon I realized I would need one for my bedroom and living room.
But I wasn’t sure how many echo dots one can have under one account. Turned out there is no limit.
How many Echo Dots can you have on one account?
You can have as many Echo Dots, Echos, or other Alexa devices under one account. Amazon doesn’t put an upper limit on how many devices you can connect to your account.
In fact, with more than one Echo device in your house, you can do things that are not possible with just one device.
For example, you can continue listening to your favourite track throughout your house by playing it on all Alexa devices simultaneously.
My favourite use of multiple Alexa devices is that you can drop-in on your kids Alexa and tell them that dinner ready. Its like having an intercom throughout your house only better.
How to set up multiple echo devices on same account?
If you already have an Alexa Echo Dot or any other Alexa device setup in your home, setting up a 2nd or 3rd device is pretty easy.
Since you already have your Alexa app downloaded on your phone and connected to your Amazon account, all you have to do is follow the below instructions:
- Open you Alexa app and go to Devices menu at the bottom.
- On the top right corner, tap on the (+) sign and select Add Device.
- On the next screen, tap on Amazon Echo under All Devices group.
- Next, select what kind of Echo device you want to add.
Now, follow the on-screen instructions to add your 2nd or subsequent Echo device. It is pretty much the same process you followed to add your first device.
Can 2 Echo Dots work independently?
Two or more Echo Dots added under the same Amazon account will work independently. They can play different music in different rooms at the same time and will work as individual units.
If two Echo Dots are placed close to each other and you give a command, the nearest one will listen to the command while the one further away will ignore it.
However, you can also sync them to do things together. For example, you can play the same music through out your house on all speakers at the same time.
For this, you have to set up a Multi Room Music group (instructions below)
Can two Echo Dots listen to separate music in different rooms?
You can play separate music on two different Echo Dots placed in different rooms if your music subscription supports it.
For example, you have two Echo Dots set up in two different rooms. You can play Amazon Music on one and play Pandora on another. But you cannot play Amazon Music on both devices at the same time.
The limitation comes from the Music service and not from the Echo Dots. Depending on your subscription level, your music company might not allow multiple streams at the same time.
Amazon music offer different levels of subscription that comes with limitations. You can only stream on one device if you are on the Free or Prime subscription.
But if you have Amazon Music Unlimited Family, you can stream on six devices at a time.
Similar restrictions might also have on other music streaming services. In short, Alexa can play different music in different rooms but your music streaming service has to support multi devices.
Can multiple people use same echo device?
This one is really interesting. If you have just one Echo device in your house, you can configure multiple profiles for every member of your Family and they can switch to their own profile to get a more personalised Alexa experience.
To add additional user profiles, follow the instructions below:
- Open the Alexa app on your phone and tap More at the bottom
- Tap on Settings.
- Tap on Your Profile & Family. You will see your own profile listed here.
- Tap on the (+) button in front of Add someone else.
- Tap the Enter their name option.
- Add the new profile name and Enter.
- Alexa will ask if this is an Adult or Kid profile. Make your selection an Add.
Once the new profile is added, the new user can ask Alexa to learn their voice for better experience. To do this, he/she should say, “Alexa, learn my voice.” and follow the instructions afterwards
Important: For the new users to use the same Echo device under new profile, he or she should sign up in their own Alexa app using the same Amazon ID that is used to configure the device.
Group multiple Echo devices for music
One of the many benefits of having more than one Echo device in your house is that you can play Music on them simultaneously throughout your house.
This is particularly useful if you are having guest or having a small party and want to play music across the house in sync.
To do this, you will have to create a speaker group and add all the Echo devices in your house that you want to play music on. Follow the below instructions to do this:
- Open the Alexa app on your phone and tap on Devices.
- On the top right corner, tap on (+) icon and choose Combine Speakers
- There are three ways to combine different speakers. Select the Multi-room music option.
- Alexa will find all the Speakers registered under your account and are on the same Wifi network.
- Select all the speakers you want to play music on and name it something descriptive. I have named my speaker group “Everywhere”
Now, you can say, “Alexa, play music Everywhere” and Alexa will play the same track on all speakers simultaneously.
Some interesting uses of multiple Echo devices
With Alexa Echo devices, we can definitely say that more is better. With more than devices, you can do a few extra things that you otherwise won’t be able to do.
Some of the interesting users cases of multiple Echo devices are below.
1. Announce dinner is ready on all devices
I live in a two-storey house with a furnished basement (so practically three storey). My family members are usually in their own rooms and when dinner is set on the table, I had to call everyone on their phone to come have dinner.
With Alexa in each room, I can simple make an announcement by using the drop-in feature in Alexa.
For this, you will have to setup drop in permission on all devices and allow your dinner table device to drop-in on all of them.
Once this is setup, you can simply say, “Alexa, drop in on all devices” and Alexa will open up a channel to all devices and you can ask everyone to come for dinner because its Pizza night.
2. Play party music
Have you been to any large hotel chain and saw them playing the same music in the hallway and lounge on all floors? You can now do the same in your own house.
By setting up Multi room music using more than one Alexa devices, you can play the same song throughout your house.
You can even start a song in your living room, pause it and continue it in your bedroom.
3. Setup home theater
If you own a Fire TV, you can pair it up with your Alexa devices to create a home theater experience in your living room.
4. Setup Stereo pair
Stereo pair is pretty much like the multi room music but with this feature, you can pair two speakers than are in the same room to act as a Stereo pair with Left & Right units.
You can add a supported subwoofer if you want but even without it, the stereo pair can create a great stereo listening experience in your room.