Amazon removes Alexa voice controls for AUX input on older Echo speakers

The change affects the Echo Studio (1st Gen), Echo Plus (2nd Gen), and Echo (3rd and 4th Gen). On those models, voice commands such as “Alexa, play from line in” or “Alexa, stop aux input” no longer work. The line-in port remains usable for audio playback, so the limitation applies to Alexa voice control rather than the physical connection.

Android Authority reported that Amazon sent emails to affected customers to notify them of the change. The affected devices are older Echo speakers that still include a 3.5 mm port. Users who rely on line-in can still select supported AUX modes in the Alexa app or use Bluetooth, according to the report.

Amazon’s Echo lineup has been moving away from the 3.5 mm jack for years. The last mainstream Echo speaker to include one was the fourth-generation Echo from 2020, and newer models have leaned increasingly on wireless connections instead. The removal of Alexa voice controls for AUX input extends that retreat to some older speakers that still have the port.

For owners of the affected speakers, the practical effect is that AUX playback can no longer be started or stopped by voice. The connection can still be used, and the Alexa app or Bluetooth can serve as alternatives, according to the report.