Your old Fire television Stick is covertly a wise speaker– here’s how to turn it into one without linking to a TELEVISION

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Released Sep 12, 2026, 8:43 PM EDT

Andy is a senior author and previous Mac editor at HTG. He has more than 20 years experience as a customer tech reporter, and has actually covered whatever from the old Palm Pilots to the initial iPhone and Android gadgets, to the most recent gizmos.
He has actually composed and modified for UK-based print publications like PDA Essentials and Android Magazineand online at websites consisting of MUOAndroid Tips and Hacksbroadband.co.ukand EnvatoHe wants all things mobile and has actually been an eager Mac lover given that 2005.

If you’ve got an old Fire Stick that you no longer requirement to view television with, it does not need to end up being e-waste. With its integrated Alexa performance, you can detach it from your television and utilize it as a wise speaker. It’s not rather an Amazon Echo, however it can make remarkably great usage of the hardware that you currently own.

Wait, a Fire Stick is likewise a clever speaker?

It has some constraints, however yes

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    </source></picture><small>Credit: Andy Betts/ How-To Geek</small></figure>

To establish your Fire Stick as a clever speaker, you require a couple of things. You require a Fire Stick with an Alexa voice remote, which most launched given that 2016 have.

<p>Next, you require a Bluetooth speaker to link to it. Without a television linked over HDMI, you require another method to hear its audio. You'll need to plug your stick into a television while you're setting it up. You can detach it as soon as that's done. There's the Alexa app, which you can set up on your mobile phone. This tail end is optional. You do not require it, however it will assist you get more out of your makeshift clever speaker.</p>    <p>What all of that gets you is something similar to an Amazon Echo. To be clear, it's not rather the exact same. There are some crucial distinctions, however it works remarkably well. The primary difference is that the microphone is kept in the remote instead of the speaker itself, so you require to push it whenever you wish to ask Alexa to do something.</p>    <p>It's not hands-free, then, which is a hassle, however it includes the included personal privacy advantage that the microphone isn't listening all the time.</p>    Your "smart speaker" in usage

When you’ve got it established, you can utilize it like a standard Alexa gadget. I might get it to inform me the weather report, set alarms, develop lists, and I had the ability to link it to Spotify so that it might play music. It had the ability to find my Spotify playlists really efficiently. That’s about the degree of my wise speaker requirements.

<p>If you require more, it can deal with things like clever home controls and the other normal Alexa demands. I discovered asking it concerns was a bit hit-and-miss given that it would often state it wasn't sure how to react.</p>    <p>And another peculiarity is that the system typically presumes that you're utilizing a screen. There were a couple of celebrations when I didn't get much of a reaction, and I understood that it was really revealing something on the screen-- or would have been if there was a screen connected. I likewise rapidly discovered that many issues might be browsed previous by pushing the Home button on the remote, which returns you to the Fire television home screen (even if you can't see it).</p>    <p>On the whole, it works remarkably well. It most likely isn't a replacement for a full-on wise speaker if that's what you desire. If you simply desire something sat in the corner that can fill up music or write down tips when you require them, it does the task.</p>    How to establish a Fire Television Stick as a wise speaker

Alexa, reveal me the directions

Establishing your Fire television Stick to utilize as a wise speaker is quite simple. The initial step is to link it to your television so that you can see what’s going on. If you have not utilized it for a while, make sure it’s linked to Wi-Fi and the remote is paired and all of that.

<p>Go to <strong>Settings&gt;&gt; Remotes &amp; Bluetooth Devices&gt;&gt; Other Bluetooth Devices&gt;&gt; Add Bluetooth Devices</strong>Make certain your Bluetooth speaker is switched on and put it into combining mode if you require to, and it ought to then be found. Follow any on-screen directions to match it.</p>    <p>With that done, provide it a fast test to ensure that the audio is coming through the Bluetooth speaker. You might do this by filling up a film or something. If it's working, you can detach the HDMI cable television and leave the Stick connected just to the power supply. The Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connections will stay in location. Keep the remote someplace available since you require it whenever you wish to utilize Alexa.</p>    

I likewise set up the Alexa app on my phone. This is optional, however it let me connect it to my Spotify account and handle my lists and alarms. It likewise opens controls for clever home devices and many other things you can do, like developing regimens or playing fundamental video games.

Should it change your Amazon Echo?

As constantly, it depends …

Utilizing a Fire Stick as a wise speaker will not provide you a complete replacement for an Amazon Echo. An Echo is developed particularly for that job, and having the ability to state “Alexa” to wake it up is definitely much easier. The entire experience is most likely to be cleaner.

For casual usage, it’s completely convenient. Personally, I’ve never ever owned an Amazon Echo, so I’m not too fussed about the absence of hands-free gain access to or any possible missing out on performance. As something that rests on my rack and plays music on hint, it’s terrific.

<p>The method I see it, it's perfect for a garage or workplace, or anywhere else you require periodic usage. If you've got a gadget lying around and a Bluetooth speaker, it's definitely worth setting it up as a wise speaker to see how well it works for you. I would not suggest purchasing a Fire television Stick simply for this, however it is a great method to repurpose old tech.</p>    <br>Find out more