iPhone 16 Pro randomly connects to Echo Dot devices via Bluetooth

Thank you, Lawrence. As I mentioned in my post, I don’t have any Amazon apps on my phone, including Alexa. What I’m really hoping to find is a way to stop these connections from interfering with my phone.

I’ve noticed a clear correlation between the connection issues with my AirPods and the unexpected connections to the Echo Dot-BTN. Each time the problem occurs, my Bluetooth settings show the Echo Dot-BTN connected to my iPhone, and during that time my AirPods experience disruptions. Once the Echo Dot-BTN disconnects, my AirPods immediately return to working normally.

Gentlemen, thank you for sharing your perspectives. I’m familiar with general troubleshooting techniques, and through repeated observation I’ve consistently noticed a direct correlation: the issue arises each time the Echo Dot-BTN attempts to connect with my iPhone. Unfortunately, iOS does not provide an option to disable discovery mode to block these unwanted connections. I’m hoping to find a solution that avoids simply turning off Bluetooth, as that would prevent me from using my AirPods altogether.

I want to clarify that I’m not referring to microwave interference. With my background in radar systems, I’m familiar with the characteristics of that type of interference. The issue I’m describing is specifically related to Echo Dot.BTN devices attempting to connect to my iPhone via Bluetooth, as confirmed on my iPhone’s Bluetooth settings page.

When these unauthorized or unapproved Echo Dots try to connect, the signal between my iPhone and AirPods is interrupted—causing the sound to cut in and out several times for 10–30 seconds at a time. TI’ve observed this happen 37 times, each instance correlating directly with an Echo Dot.BTN showing as connected to my iPhone. For context, I have never authorized any Echo Dots, Alexa devices, or Amazon products to connect with my iPhone.

This issue only occurs when I’m walking in my neighborhood; it does not happen at home, in my yard, or at the gym. I’m confident in the accuracy of my observations and am simply defining the symptoms as I’ve experienced them. What I am seeking is not a re-examination of the symptoms but practical solutions to prevent these intrusive Echo Dot.BTN connections, so that I can enjoy uninterrupted use of my AirPods while walking.

@ChrisJ4203: When I am at home, the device "Echo-Dot.btn" does not appear in my Bluetooth list. However, when I’m walking around the neighborhood and the issue occurs, I stop and open my Bluetooth settings. At that point, "Echo-Dot.btn" shows as connected, but the information (“i”) icon is missing, which prevents me from selecting it and forgetting the device. It doesn’t show as connecting—instead, it instantly reflects as connected to my iPhone and then disappears at the same time the interference stops.

@ChrisJ4203 I’ve already tried that step and will be testing it again during my morning walk. Before posting, I searched online and found a previous thread about this same issue, but it was closed without resolution. I’ll follow up tomorrow to share whether the problem persists.

I have the Amazon app on my iPhone 16 Pro but not Amazon Music or Alexa. Bluetooth permissions for the Amazon app are toggled off, as I tightly manage those settings for security. Since I haven’t granted Bluetooth access, the app shouldn’t be causing the issue. Because this happens in multiple locations—not just one—it seems unlikely to be a single bad actor and suggests something else is going on.

Yesterday and today, I gathered additional information during my neighborhood walks. Following ChrisJ4203’s recommendations, I reset my iPhone, ensured the Settings app was closed before starting, turned off WiFi to rule out interference, and even deleted the Amazon App as Lawrence suggested. Despite these steps, I continued to experience unwanted Echo Dot connection attempts that interrupted my earbuds — 17 times over a continuous 4-mile walk (no repeated or parallel streets). Each time, I confirmed the connection by opening my Bluetooth settings, though the connections dropped too quickly to capture screenshots.

This morning, I left Bluetooth settings open for half of my walk and saw even more interruptions — 12 separate Echo Dot connections. After closing the Settings app, I still had 3 connection attempts in 30 minutes, though that portion of my route passes fewer houses, so it may not be a direct comparison.

These observations suggest either my iPhone is allowing these connections despite settings being closed, or Echo Dots are somehow forcing themselves onto the device. If the iPhone continues to run Bluetooth settings in the background, I need guidance on how to secure it without disabling Bluetooth entirely. Otherwise, more research may be needed into whether Amazon devices are forcing iPhone connections.

This is important to me because when other devices connect to a phone, they may also collect data that should remain private unless the user explicitly consents. My goal is to find a solution that prevents these unsolicited connections and ensures my iPhone remains isolated from random devices.