Explains how to get the echo function regardless of destination
Amazon Alexa is more ubiquitous than ever, and is now available in around 50 countries and in many languages around the world.
After initially being supported in the US, Canada, the UK, India, Japan and Germany, Alexa can work from Saudi Arabia to Lithuania and many obvious places in between.
However, simply logging in to your Amazon account and ordering an Echo Dot or Amazon Echo Smart Speaker is not easy.
Below we will explain how to actually get Alexa if you live internationally. This explains the features you can access and potential workarounds if there are issues.
How to purchase an international echo device
If you need Alexa, the first thing you will need is an Alexa-enabled device. If you live in the US or Europe, there are many options to choose from, but if you live in South America or parts of Africa, it’s not exactly the same story.
Your options are a little more limited. Only certain international versions of the various echo smart speakers are available to purchase.
The good news is that it used to be an old echo and echodot speaker that had become an international flavour, but that’s no longer the case.
For example, if you go to the Amazon US Store, you can pick up the latest 4th generation Echo, 5th generation Echo Dot, Echo Pop, the latest 3rd generation Echo Show 5 or the international version of the previous (second) Echo Show 8.
Like Amazon US, Amazon UK or Amazon DE also sells international versions of these.
Below we will discuss the features of these international versions, but there are also some other factors to consider.
Power sources vary by product and have natural requirements for voltage, wattage, frequency, and multiway switching support. The same goes for Wi-Fi, but if you’re logged on to buy an echo device, I hope it will cover it.
Since you order from either the US, UK or Germany (generally speaking, people in Europe must order from Amazon de, and all others from the US), be aware of customs and import taxes.
Thankfully, if you live in a territory that is part of the Amazon Global program, these will be estimated and collected as deposits upon checkout. However, if not, you are responsible for paying the fee upon delivery.
Supported Features
Perhaps before you buy it, you’ll want to know exactly what the international version of Echo can do. As we said above, you are not simply recognized for the same functionality as the US or UK features.
The following are the features that Amazon Flatout State is not available in the international version of Echo: Shopping, local traffic, business search, skills from Alexa skill store, location-specific news and information, Audible, Spotify, Iheartradio, Pandora, SiriusXM.
Meanwhile, there is another feature band that Amazon describes as “generally supported.” So, although there is no guarantee, you should be able to receive features like Tunein, Amazon Music Unlimited (35 supportive countries), Smart Home, Timers, Calendars, Alarms, News, Shopping Lists, and Weather.
The good news is that Amazon listings for international devices provide a country-by-country breakdown of supported features. This is convenient.
But the complications sadly don’t end there. If you want to set up smart home routines and other advanced features, you can do so using the Alexa app on your smartphone. problem? Access to the Alexa app is very limited. You can check availability on your local app store, but you may need to visit alexa.amazon.com (or explore the workaround below).
Again, the Amazon Product List indicates whether the app is available on your iPhone or Android in your country.
Oh, while Alexa can now speak English, French, Italian, German, Japanese, Portuguese (Brazilian), and Spanish, we should mention it. Alexa accent adjustments are available in the international versions only in English, German and Spanish, but you can still tweak them.
What if my country is not supported?
Of course, one solution is simply to wait for it to get full support for your country. Amazon is, after all, rapidly expanding its reach of Alexa.
But if you’re impatient, or if you’re here because Alexa isn’t playing the ball properly in your country, there are a few things to try. For example, if you live in South Africa or Israel and have restrictions on downloading the Amazon Alexa app, you should experiment with changing your location.
If you are using iOS, that means you will change your billing information via your Apple ID (but be aware that if you have a subscription such as Apple Music, this has complications). If you are using Android, it’s a similar process.
This confuses Weather Services and more, but you can also change the location of the device within the web version of the Alexa app. I’ll just go (Settings)>(Device)>(General) Edit the time zone and address.
Which country does Alexa work in?
Officially, Alexa is supported in the following countries:
- China
- India
- US
- Indonesia
- Pakistan
- Brazil
- Nigeria
- Bangladesh
- Russia
- Mexico
- Japan
- Ethiopia
- Philippines
- Egypt
- Vietnam
- Doctor of Congo
- turkey
- Iran
- Germany
- Thailand
- England
- France
- Italy
- South Africa
- Tanzania
- Myanmar
- Kenya
- South Korea
- Columbia
- Spain
- Uganda
- Argentina
- Algeria
- Sudan
- Ukraine
- Iraq
- Afghanistan
- Poland
- Canada
- Morocco
- Saudi Arabia
- Peru
- Uzbekistan
- Malaysia
- Venezuela
- Yemen
- Ghana
- Mozambique
- Nepal
- Angola
