Alexa keeps asking to enable the Skill

  • 18 April 2019
  • 7 replies
  • 10505 views

So I've recently got a Sonos One. Set it up, works fine with the Sonos App, all I want really.

Figured I'd give the whole Alexa thing a shot anyway. So I went through the setup. Logged in with Sonos, logged in with Amazon, installed the app. linked the accounts, enabled the skill, all dandy.

- The Skill is enabled in Alexa.
- The Sonos shows up in the list of devices.
- Alexa answers questions on the Sonos (weather, news, etc.) just fine.

However, if I ask Alexa to play any music, radio, whatever, it just keeps telling me to enable the Skill in the App, which I have. I've read various topic on "fixes" with various resets, deletions and all sorts of faffing about.

The question is: Is there a way to get this to work without dancing around a fire and sacrificing a chicken?

Edit: Yes, I did ask Alexa to find new devices. (And again after deisabling and enabling the Skill once more) It just tells me it couldn't find any new devices. So does the app when trying to discover. Which actually makes sense, since the App shows the Speaker as connected and online.

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7 replies

Userlevel 7
Badge +22
What are you asking it to do when it says enable skill. And what skill does it say?
Doesn't matter what I tell it to do. Play something on Amazon Music, Spotify, TuneIn. Added the room name, added the device name, doesn't make a difference.

It just keeps telling me to enable the "Sonos One Second Generation" Skill.
It just keeps telling me to enable the "Sonos One Second Generation" Skill.
I'm having trouble finding a "Sonos One Second Generation" skill. Are you sure that is the error message being given? The skill you should be looking for and using is the "Sonos" skill. If the problem seems to only be related to music playback on Alexa, I'd probably take a look at your Alexa music service settings on alexa.amazon.com. However, the Sonos skill would need to be enabled for any other Alexa command to work on Sonos (time, weather, etc.).

That said, it may be helpful to re-set Alexa on Sonos. Check out this helpful article that walks through setting up Alexa on Sonos. We also have a help and tips page specifically for Alexa and Sonos.

If you are still running into trouble, I'd recommend getting in contact with our support team. If you are able to give them a call, they may be able to set up a remote session and walk through the entire setup process along with you.
I realize that. It's a German Alexa, that might be why. And yes, I looked for that skill but only found the regular Sonos one, which is active and linked. And as I said, regular voice commands are working just fine, only when I tell it to actually play any music, be it radio or otherwise, it tells me to activate this mysterious "Sonos One second Edition" skill, which doesn't exist, or doesn't seem to exist.

On a sidenote: Good god the UI/UX for the whole setup and linkage process is hot garbage...glad I didn't actually spend the 200+ Euros for this thing.
Userlevel 5
Badge +13

Sonos and Alexa work together using a single Amazon account. If you have a second Sonos system in another location, you’ll need to use a second Amazon account if you’d like to use Alexa. An Amazon account can only be used on one Sonos system at a time.


Help and tips for Amazon Alexa on Sonos
I only have one Amazon account and only the one Sonos, so yes, I checked all that.
I just set mine up a few days ago. If I recall correctly, I had to make a change in the Sonos app. See Settings / Room Settings / (my new speaker) / Voice Services in the Sonos App. Good luck!