Unable to link Alexa account - "app needs an update"

[mrbrdo]

The problem

I am trying to use Alexa via the Smart Home skill as described here: https://www.home-assistant.io/integrations/alexa.smart_home/

I just followed the instructions today, I haven't tried it before. After trying to add the skill in the Alexa mobile app, it prompts me to log in, and then I get:

Unable to link accounts. Your Alexa app needs an update.
There's a problem with the installed version of your Alexa app.

Please re-install or update the Alexa app to link your accounts.

I've tried multiple times, and I always get this error. I tried Googling it, but I've found no results at all for this error (even unrelated to HA). Is it possible that HA is using an outdated way to authenticate with Alexa? Maybe they recently updated it? The Android app I am using is the latest version and I even tried reinstalling it.

The URL it redirects to is: https://XXX.duckdns.org:1234/auth/authorize?client_id=https%3A%2F%2Fpitangui.amazon.com%2F&response_type=code&scope=smart_home&redirect_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fpitangui.amazon.com%2Fapi%2Fskill%2Flink%2FMXXXXX&state=AmaseyXXXXXXXX%3D And the error is displayed at: https://pitangui.amazon.com/api/v1/accountLink/establish?code=8eXXX&state=AmaseyXXXXXXXX%3D&vendor_id=M1XXX

What version of Home Assistant Core has the issue?

core-2024.4.3

What was the last working version of Home Assistant Core?

No response

What type of installation are you running?

Home Assistant OS

Integration causing the issue

Alexa

Link to integration documentation on our website

https://www.home-assistant.io/integrations/alexa.smart_home/

Diagnostics information

No response

Example YAML snippet

No response

Anything in the logs that might be useful for us?

No response

Additional information

No response

[home-assistant[bot]]

Hey there @home-assistant/cloud, @ochlocracy, @jbouwh, mind taking a look at this issue as it has been labeled with an integration (alexa) you are listed as a code owner for? Thanks!

Code owner commands

Code owners of `alexa` can trigger bot actions by commenting: - `@home-assistant close` Closes the issue. - `@home-assistant rename Awesome new title` Renames the issue. - `@home-assistant reopen` Reopen the issue. - `@home-assistant unassign alexa` Removes the current integration label and assignees on the issue, add the integration domain after the command. - `@home-assistant add-label needs-more-information` Add a label (needs-more-information, problem in dependency, problem in custom component) to the issue. - `@home-assistant remove-label needs-more-information` Remove a label (needs-more-information, problem in dependency, problem in custom component) on the issue.

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[jbouwh]

Not sure what your problem is, I suggest you use the Home Assistant community. It does not seam there is an issue with Home Assistant or the Alexa integration for Home Assistant. If you out the docs need an update, please feel free to help updating the docs.

[jbouwh]

Found this: https://developer.amazon.com/en-US/docs/alexa/account-linking/requirements-account-linking.html Is says you mus use port 443, may be that is your issue.

[mrbrdo]

@jbouwh I will check about the port. The HA Alexa docs do mention that you can use a custom port in some parts of the docs, though (It is also possible to use a different port by appending :1443 or a similar port number).

Also on your link, I see:

Note that you can't use https://letsencrypt.org/, even though it's on the certificate list.

The HA docs explicitly suggest using the DuckDNS addon which uses Letsencrypt. Now I'm not sure what's right.

[jbouwh]

@jbouwh I will check about the port. The HA Alexa docs do mention that you can use a custom port in some parts of the docs, though (It is also possible to use a different port by appending :1443 or a similar port number).

Also on your link, I see:

Note that you can't use https://letsencrypt.org/, even though it's on the certificate list.

The HA docs explicitly suggest using the DuckDNS addon which uses Letsencrypt. Now I'm not sure what's right.

Right, it might be, that has changed, and we need to update the docs on that. If you need to serve multiple sites, you could use haproxy to to get there.

May be this helps: https://jbsoft.nl/site/home-assistant-haproxy-letsencrypttransip/

[jbouwh]

I opened a PR to update the documentation.

[jbouwh]

Docs were updated, closing.

[mrbrdo]

@jbouwh so I tried switching to the 443 https port, but the issue remains the same. I'm using a Letsencrypt certificate. It seems the port wasn't the (main) issue. Any idea?

[bemble]

@jbouwh so I tried switching to the 443 https port, but the issue remains the same. I'm using a Letsencrypt certificate. It seems the port wasn't the (main) issue. Any idea?

Hi, this is an Amazon Alexa issue. I contacted them, and here is the answer:

Our engineering team confirmed that this is expected since we recently launched a new security gate to ensure only customers with valid Alexa App can perform account linking. When a customer installs their Alexa App during installation the Universal/App Links may not be configured correctly. This is a known issue in iOS and Android and is not specific to Alexa. Our account linking flow depends on Universal/App links in order to be a secure flow. For that reason we have made a change to fail all linking attempts where the customer has an Alexa App with broken deeplinks. We are working on a better customer experience to reduce the friction. As workaround, in the meantime, if you are seeing this error you need to delete the app and re-install the Alexa App. It doesn't matter if there is no new update, that is the only way to fix the issue since Universal/App Links will be fixed during re-install.

Nothing we can really do here.

[mrbrdo]

@bemble I've already tried to reinstall Alexa. I did it once again right now, with also deleting app data before uninstallation, but it still fails with the same error.

Also, I switched to using Cloudflare so the URL is on port 443, and is using a SSL certificate that is trusted by Amazon (cert is issued by Google Trust Services LLC).

So that rules all of those out. I'm stumped at this point. Is there any logs I could check to at least get some clue as to what is going on? PS: It seems someone else has a similar issue, posted 1 day ago: https://community.home-assistant.io/t/help-acounts-couldnt-be-linked-your-alexa-app-needs-an-update/720291

[triddle64]

@bemble I've already tried to reinstall Alexa. I did it once again right now, with also deleting app data before uninstallation, but it still fails with the same error.

Also, I switched to using Cloudflare so the URL is on port 443, and is using a SSL certificate that is trusted by Amazon (cert is issued by Google Trust Services LLC).

So that rules all of those out. I'm stumped at this point. Is there any logs I could check to at least get some clue as to what is going on? PS: It seems someone else has a similar issue, posted 1 day ago: https://community.home-assistant.io/t/help-acounts-couldnt-be-linked-your-alexa-app-needs-an-update/720291

I'm having the same problem too, as @mrbrdo found and metioned below. I also have followed amazons advice, to uninstall and reinstall the alexa app, hoping amazons Statement

For that reason we have made a change to fail all linking attempts where the customer has an Alexa App with broken deeplinks ... As workaround, in the meantime, if you are seeing this error you need to delete the app and re-install the Alexa App. It doesn't matter if there is no new update, that is the only way to fix the issue since Universal/App Links will be fixed during re-install.

ends in resolving the problem. But it didn't!! Different to @mrbrdo I didn't delete the app data before uninstalling. But: You can also try to activate the "home assistant" skill by using amazons web sites, so an "Alexa App with broken deeplinks" should not matter. But this didn't work either, althogh the error message differs.

I'm a complete newbe with HA and the belonging alexa skills. But doesn't that mean, that no one in the world will be able to account link skills with authorization required at the moment?? If so, even switching to duckdns or cloudflare would suffer the same problem. Am I right?

[mrbrdo]

@triddle64 Which amazon website did you use to try to activate the skill? I want to try this too, even if it didn't work. This way we can rule out completely the Alexa phone app.

@jbouwh due to this information I suggest to reopen the issue, until we can find if it's really not caused by HA.

[triddle64]

I browsed trough amazaons world and saw it by coincidence. But found it in my browser history. It's on the normal amazon web site when being logged in. So hopefully the following Link works for you https://www.amazon.de/Home-Assistant/dp/B0772J1QKB.

[triddle64]

As I just tested that link from my comment here, it only works by copying the shown Link text (not the underlying URL) in my Browsers adress field. I think, it is needed o have an logged in tab already. Otherweise I hope you find the way to the site by using your account and the shown path "Alexa Skills -> Kategorien -> Smart Home" and searching with the skill name "Home Assistant". I'm currently trying to reproduce my way to it, but somethings on the site don't work, don't know why.

Also found "How to Enable Alexa Skills: 3 Different Ways" https://www.makeuseof.com/how-to-enable-alexa-skills/. The third way describd there has a link to a amazon site, showing a tree of categories at the left whith "Category -> Alexa Skills -> Smart home" in it. Unfortunetly it shows an error for me, if I click it.

Hope you find the site shown in my last post.

[triddle64]

Again the Link above only works by copying it as text. Seems I am too much of a newbe even in acting here onthe github site :o(((

[mrbrdo]

@triddle64 ok but that is the "official" Home Assistant skill for the HA Cloud. I wanted to activate the development skill I made in AWS, as per https://www.home-assistant.io/integrations/alexa.smart_home/ You followed these instructions too, no? That "Home Assistant" app is not related to this.

[triddle64]

Ok got it (I think). Go to amazon.de/skills and type home assistant in the search field on the top of the site (where "Alexa Skills" is already selected as category). In my case the skill "Home Assistant" is the second result

[triddle64]

@triddle64 ok but that is the "official" Home Assistant skill for the HA Cloud. I wanted to activate the development skill I made in AWS, as per https://www.home-assistant.io/integrations/alexa.smart_home/ You followed these instructions too, no? That "Home Assistant" app is not related to this.

You're right. In my issue I reported the accounting problem was in reference to the Home Assistant" skill. But the Post from @bemble concerning the Amazon Alexa issue would mean, this is the case for all skills that require authentification. Doesn't that include the development skill also?

[triddle64]

You followed these instructions too, no?

No, I didn't yet and would expect it to fail too? Should I try?

[triddle64]

... tell me, if you succeed activating the development skill you made in AWS

[jbouwh]

I suggest to start a discussion at the Home Assistant Community instead of using this closed topic.

[mrbrdo]

@jbouwh I still believe this may be a bug with HA and not Alexa. Does account linking work for you with the latest version of HA? (with de-linking and re-linking)

[mrbrdo]

Update: I've created my own simple Alexa skill app with oauth for the account linking. Unfortunately it fails with the same error. So it seems the problem is with Alexa, and the Alexa app.

[triddle64]

Thx for your update. I'm thinking of using Google instead of Alexa.

[adrienrichmond]

Hey, i have this error for me..

[ListenToAJ]

My solution to this was to open the Cync skill in my browser on my PC, no issues linking accounts on there and after some more fiddling got everything connected again, good luck.

[the-oracle-joy]

Hi, I've had this issue for the last 3 days and I've found a fix, so I've created an account on here specifically to share.

I was using Android 11 on my phone and was getting the same error messages as above. I didn't have any notified pending system updates for my phone, but I went into my phones settings > biometrics & security > security update, and it stated downloading a security/software update.

My phone now shows as Android 12. I uninstalled Alexa App, then reinstalled and tried linking again, and it worked!

The post above about the Alexa App updating something security based got me thinking, and helped me fix the issue. So I wanted to share my fix. Hope it works for others 😊

[adrienrichmond]

My solution to this was to open the Cync skill in my browser on my PC, no issues linking accounts on there and after some more fiddling got everything connected again, good luck.

Hey, how to open it from the PC? Thx!

[jeffcostantino]

I have this same issue with Nabu Casa handling the SSL cert and I get the same error. Enabling the Home Assistant skill in the Alexa app brings me to the NC login screen, I put in my creds and it gives the error above and I cannot proceed. I have tried to remove and reinstall the app but it has not helped.

Edit: I was trying my iPhone, I had to grab my Android phone and it worked fine on the first try. Something must have changed on the iOS version of the Alexa app.

[ListenToAJ]

My solution to this was to open the Cync skill in my browser on my PC, no issues linking accounts on there and after some more fiddling got everything connected again, good luck.

Hey, how to open it from the PC? Thx!

If you search “Alexa Skills” on google, you can find an Amazon page for it, search the skill you want in the search bar and link your accounts in your web browser, hope it helps :)

[themartorana]

If you search “Alexa Skills” on google, you can find an Amazon page for it, search the skill you want in the search bar and link your accounts in your web browser, hope it helps :)

Using this method, I am given "Unable to link accounts. Please go to the skills section of the Alexa app to link your account." But using an Android device linked my account properly and I'm up and running.

[jeffcostantino]

Good to know, I thought they killed all desktop access to the app. Thanks! Sent from my iPhone

On Apr 28, 2024, at 7:56 PM, AJ Simao @.***> wrote:



My solution to this was to open the Cync skill in my browser on my PC, no issues linking accounts on there and after some more fiddling got everything connected again, good luck.

Hey, how to open it from the PC? Thx!

If you search “Alexa Skills” on google, you can find an Amazon page for it, search the skill you want in the search bar and link your accounts in your web browser, hope it helps :)

— Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHubhttps://github.com/home-assistant/core/issues/115863#issuecomment-2081772557, or unsubscribehttps://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AMKFYA7NYIQYPKE4UZHE76LY7WSFDAVCNFSM6AAAAABGP44QMOVHI2DSMVQWIX3LMV43OSLTON2WKQ3PNVWWK3TUHMZDAOBRG43TENJVG4. You are receiving this because you commented.Message ID: @.***>

[danlniel]

Okay, so I also encountered this problem recently and tried reinstalling it with the old version (2-2-462157-0). It works perfectly fine, and you can still manage your scenes here, and the UX is better.

[mrbrdo]

I opened a ticket with Amazon, and found a solution for me. I had to find the app settings in Android settings (under Apps), and "Turn on 'Open Supported Link' if turned off.". In my case it was "Ask every time", but I changed it to "Always open", and now it works. Or maybe they also changed something in my account.

[triddle64]

YEAH, this worked for me too, after I alread thought about switching to Google Nest. Thank you very much

[Rsulbaran]

~Hola yo solucione el problema con mi aplicación OZOM 2.0 que estaba con el error y para solucionar solo hay que copiar la URL que da el error y pergarla en el navegador chrome con el mismo celular y entrar a esa URL y listo allí se activa la skill con Alexa~

Translated from Spanish: Hello, I solved the problem with my OZOM 2.0 application that had the error and to solve it you just have to copy the URL that gives the error and paste it in the Chrome browser with the same cell phone and enter that URL and that's it there the skill is activated with Alexa

[markusjt]

I opened a ticket with Amazon, and found a solution for me. I had to find the app settings in Android settings (under Apps), and "Turn on 'Open Supported Link' if turned off.". In my case it was "Ask every time", but I changed it to "Always open", and now it works. Or maybe they also changed something in my account.

Finally a working solution, thank you! Haven't been able to link LG ThinQ for weeks and this immediately made it work.

Full path to the right setting for me was: Settings → Apps → Apps → Amazon Alexa → Open by default → Open supported links in this app → Always allow

[Crescendo-BLYAT]

This issue isn't specific to HA. Linking to SmartThings also throws the very same error no matter what.

The issue above WORKS PERFECTLY! Thanks....

[janjacobs66]

Thank you @markusjt, that worked for me as well on smartthings

[joeu1998]

Any advice for getting this working on iOS app if one does not have any android devices? :( I used to have this skill, got rid of it as part of trying to troubleshoot some issues with HA, and now getting the same error as OP when trying to re-add the skill within the iOS Alexa app.

[Stephonomon]

Got it to work on IOS. Add the skill from your browser.

https://www.amazon.com/Home-Assistant/dp/B0772J1QKB

[ashfran]

Got it to work on IOS. Add the skill from your browser.

https://www.amazon.com/Home-Assistant/dp/B0772J1QKB

Thank you! That worked for me on iPhone. Clicked on link from here (listed above) and the rest was history…