Amazon’s AI-powered Alexa+ is now live across the United States, but it does not behave the same way on every Echo device, and the steps to actually turn it on are easy to miss. This guide covers exactly how to set up Alexa+, which Echo and Fire TV devices support it, how much it costs, and what changes once it is running on your speaker or smart display.
Every requirement and step below comes straight from Amazon’s own Alexa+ setup and compatibility pages, so you can get it running today instead of hunting through settings menus that keep changing.
Quick Answer
Alexa+ is free for Amazon Prime members and costs $19.99 a month for everyone else. To turn it on, say “Alexa, upgrade to Alexa+” to a supported Echo device, or sign in at alexa.com and opt in through your account. Once activated, it works automatically across every compatible device in your Amazon Household. Devices Amazon has not updated yet simply keep running classic Alexa.
Before You Start
- An Amazon account, ideally with an active Prime membership
- A supported Echo, Echo Show, or Fire TV device (see the list below)
- The Alexa app installed and signed in, or a browser at alexa.com
- A stable Wi-Fi connection for your smart speaker or display
- About 5 minutes. No backup or data loss is involved in switching to Alexa+
What is Alexa+, and how is it different from classic Alexa?
Alexa+ is Amazon’s generative AI version of Alexa. Amazon describes it as a more capable, more conversational, more personalized assistant that keeps context across multiple days, handles multi-step requests such as adding a school schedule to a shared family calendar, and can book reservations or order services without you spelling out every step. Classic Alexa still exists alongside it. Any Echo device that cannot run Alexa+ keeps using the original assistant instead of losing voice control altogether.
The cost is simple to remember. Amazon Prime members get Alexa+ at no extra charge, and one subscription covers every device in the same Amazon Household. Without Prime, Alexa+ costs $19.99 a month.
Which Echo and Fire TV devices support Alexa+
Amazon has rolled Alexa+ out to what it calls the overwhelming majority of Echo devices, including its newest speakers and smart displays. Confirmed compatible devices include the Echo Show 8 (4th generation), Fire TV Stick 4K Select, Fire TV Cube (3rd generation), and both the Fire TV Stick 4K Max and 4K Plus (2nd generation), alongside most other current-generation Echo speakers and Show displays.
A small number of older devices are left out because their hardware cannot run the newer AI models. Amazon has confirmed Alexa+ does not work on:
- Echo Dot (1st generation)
- Echo (1st generation)
- Echo Plus (1st generation)
- Echo Show (1st and 2nd generation)
- Echo Spot (1st generation)
- Echo Buds
- Echo Auto
- Other older “Alexa Built-in” third-party devices
Most of these launched between 2014 and 2018. If you own one, nothing breaks. It keeps working exactly as it always has on classic Alexa, and Amazon says it plans to expand Alexa+ to more devices over time.
How to set up Alexa+ on your Echo
1. Check that your device is on the compatible list
Compare your Echo, Echo Show, or Fire TV model against the compatibility list above. Most speakers and displays sold in the last few years qualify. If your device is not listed, you can skip straight to the classic Alexa experience, since Alexa+ will not appear as an option for it yet.
2. Confirm your Amazon Prime status
Open the Amazon app or amazon.com and check your membership under Account > Prime Membership. Prime members get Alexa+ included at no extra cost, and it covers every compatible device in your household. If you are not a Prime member, you can still use Alexa+ for $19.99 a month.
3. Turn on Alexa+ by voice or through the app
There are two ways to activate it:
- By voice: Say “Alexa, upgrade to Alexa+” to any supported Echo device.
- By app or browser: Open the Alexa app, or sign in at alexa.com, and opt in to Alexa+ when prompted. Amazon’s own Activate and Set Up Alexa+ support page walks through this same flow if a device needs extra help.
After you opt in, Amazon sends a confirmation, and Alexa+ activates across every compatible device already linked to your account. You do not need to download a separate app.
4. Set up voice profiles for your household
Alexa+ works best when it recognizes who is speaking, since it personalizes calendars, reminders, and shopping for each person. In the Alexa app, go to More > Your Profile > Voice ID to add household members. Parents can also set up child profiles with their own voice recognition, which unlocks Alexa+ Kids and its extra content-moderation safeguards for younger family members.
5. Test a multi-step request to confirm it is active
Try something classic Alexa could not do well, such as: “Alexa, look at my calendar this week and tell me which evenings are free.” A useful, context-aware answer confirms Alexa+ is running. If you get the older, more limited response style instead, double-check that your device appears in the compatibility list and that activation finished on your account.
Is Alexa+ available in the UAE?
Not yet. As of this writing, Alexa+ is available in English only in the United States, and Amazon recently extended a Hindi/Urdu-language version to India in September 2026. Amazon has not announced a UAE release date. If you are in the UAE, your Echo devices will keep running classic Alexa until Amazon expands availability, and we will update this guide once that changes.
What changes about your privacy when you turn on Alexa+
Alexa+ is designed to remember more about you than classic Alexa did, including conversations that span several days and personal context such as calendars, contacts, and shopping history, so it can act on requests without you repeating instructions every time. Before turning it on, it is worth reviewing your Alexa privacy settings in the Alexa app, particularly voice recording retention and whether you want Alexa+ pulling from linked services such as Amazon Photos and Prime Video.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Alexa+ really free?
Yes, for Amazon Prime members. Alexa+ is included in a Prime membership at no extra charge and covers every compatible device in your Amazon Household. Without Prime, it costs $19.99 a month.
Which Echo devices don’t support Alexa+?
Older hardware from 2014 to 2018 is left out, including the 1st generation Echo, Echo Dot, Echo Plus, Echo Spot, and the 1st and 2nd generation Echo Show, along with Echo Buds and Echo Auto. These devices keep working normally on classic Alexa.
Can I switch back to classic Alexa?
Amazon has not published a simple on-off toggle for most users. In practice, any device that supports Alexa+ uses it automatically, while unsupported devices continue running classic Alexa on their own without any setup needed from you.
Is Alexa+ available in the UAE or outside the US?
Alexa+ currently runs in English in the United States, with a Hindi/Urdu-language version added in India in September 2026. Amazon has not announced availability in the UAE or most other countries yet.
Does Alexa+ replace the Alexa app?
No. You still use the same Alexa app and the same Echo hardware. Alexa+ is an upgrade to the assistant’s intelligence and conversation ability, not a separate app you need to download.
Will Alexa+ come to more devices later?
Amazon has said it plans to expand Alexa+ to additional devices over time, so a model that is unsupported today is not necessarily excluded forever.
Final Advice
If you have a Prime membership and a supported Echo, there is little reason not to try Alexa+. It costs nothing extra, activation takes about a minute by voice, and you can keep using your device exactly as before if it does not click with you. The only real prerequisite is checking your specific device against Amazon’s compatibility list first, since that single step avoids most of the confusion people run into when Alexa+ does not seem to be turning on.
Leave a Comment