Best answer by jgatie
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Groups and Alexa commands
Hi guys. I have a playbar and two Alexa enabled Sonos ones setup as a surround system in the lounge. I now also have another Alexa enabled One in the kitchen. When I’m playing music in the lounge I can ask Alexa to play in the kitchen, but it stops playing in the lounge. How do I get it to play in the kitchen as well as the lounge? Meaning play everywhere instead of transferring from one to the other
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You can use the Sonos app to group them together after they are already playing.
You can also create an Alexa Group. To do this:
Using the Alexa app, you can go into the Devices tab (last one on the right) and select the + at the top to make an Alexa group. Just assign it a name, an *Alexa-enabled device, and then the other smart home devices that are part of the group, including Sonos speakers. Once the group is made, tap on it from the main Devices page to set your Sonos speakers in it to be Preferred Speakers.
Please note, microphone enabled Sonos speakers can only be in one Alexa Group at one time for now, but the non-microphone enabled ones can be in multiple groups.
So in your case, you can make a group (call it something distinctive, like "Lounge and Kitchen"). Then use the process above to select the little speakers icons labelled Lounge and Kitchen. Then, at the bottom of the page, tap Preferred Speakers, and again select Lounge and Kitchen. Save.
Now, when you say "Alexa, play XXXX in Lounge and Kitchen" it will play in both. You can set up similar groups like "Upstairs", "Downstairs", etc.
*Note: It is not necessary to select an Alexa enabled device. This is only necessary if you want the device to always default to the group of speakers, without having to say "Alexa play XXXX in (room name)". Setting the Alexa enabled device eliminate the need for "room name".
See this link for a big discussion on Alexa Groups:
https://en.community.sonos.com/announcements-228985/sonos-now-playing-with-alexa-groups-6817588
You can also create an Alexa Group. To do this:
Using the Alexa app, you can go into the Devices tab (last one on the right) and select the + at the top to make an Alexa group. Just assign it a name, an *Alexa-enabled device, and then the other smart home devices that are part of the group, including Sonos speakers. Once the group is made, tap on it from the main Devices page to set your Sonos speakers in it to be Preferred Speakers.
Please note, microphone enabled Sonos speakers can only be in one Alexa Group at one time for now, but the non-microphone enabled ones can be in multiple groups.
So in your case, you can make a group (call it something distinctive, like "Lounge and Kitchen"). Then use the process above to select the little speakers icons labelled Lounge and Kitchen. Then, at the bottom of the page, tap Preferred Speakers, and again select Lounge and Kitchen. Save.
Now, when you say "Alexa, play XXXX in Lounge and Kitchen" it will play in both. You can set up similar groups like "Upstairs", "Downstairs", etc.
*Note: It is not necessary to select an Alexa enabled device. This is only necessary if you want the device to always default to the group of speakers, without having to say "Alexa play XXXX in (room name)". Setting the Alexa enabled device eliminate the need for "room name".
See this link for a big discussion on Alexa Groups:
https://en.community.sonos.com/announcements-228985/sonos-now-playing-with-alexa-groups-6817588
Also, here is another pretty extensive thread discussing Alexa Groups. Forum member UKMedia tries to sum it up in a simple way:
https://en.community.sonos.com/amazon-alexa-and-sonos-229102/an-overview-and-explanation-of-the-new-support-for-alexa-grouping-6817788
https://en.community.sonos.com/amazon-alexa-and-sonos-229102/an-overview-and-explanation-of-the-new-support-for-alexa-grouping-6817788
Hi. I’m still struggling with this, not sure it’ll actually do what I want it to do. Let me try and explain what I’ve done so far, apologies if it’s a bit wordy.
I have playbar and two sonos ones linked as a surround system in the lounge. I have a sonos one in the kitchen. As far as I can see the Sonos Skill on Alexa allows me to say ‘play xx on lounge’ and it plays on lounge only. Say ‘play xx on kitchen’ and it plays in the kitchen only. I say ‘play this song in the kitchen and stops playing in the lounge and plays in the kitchen (and vice versa). So what I then want to be able to do is if something is already playing in the lounge I want to ask Alexa to play that song in the kitchen as well as the lounge. All speakers on.
I’ve used the Alexa app to create a group called ‘everywhere’, added all my speakers and made all the Sonos Speakers preferred speakers. So when a song is playing on lounge surround I say ‘play this song everywhere’ in the hope that it will then play in the kitchen as well (all speakers in the group playing together). Alexa says ‘playing xx on everywhere’ but the kitchen speaker still doesn’t come on. Alternatively if music is on in kitchen and I say ‘play this song everywhere’ it still only plays in kitchen and not in lounge.
I think I’m doing everything right but unsure as to why it isn’t working. The hope is to add more speakers over time and to be able to control with my voice but it seems the only way I can get a song to play on everything is through the Sonos App which renders Alexa useless!
Apologies again but it’s driving me bonkers. We bought the kitchen speaker with this in mind. Please help 🙂
I have playbar and two sonos ones linked as a surround system in the lounge. I have a sonos one in the kitchen. As far as I can see the Sonos Skill on Alexa allows me to say ‘play xx on lounge’ and it plays on lounge only. Say ‘play xx on kitchen’ and it plays in the kitchen only. I say ‘play this song in the kitchen and stops playing in the lounge and plays in the kitchen (and vice versa). So what I then want to be able to do is if something is already playing in the lounge I want to ask Alexa to play that song in the kitchen as well as the lounge. All speakers on.
I’ve used the Alexa app to create a group called ‘everywhere’, added all my speakers and made all the Sonos Speakers preferred speakers. So when a song is playing on lounge surround I say ‘play this song everywhere’ in the hope that it will then play in the kitchen as well (all speakers in the group playing together). Alexa says ‘playing xx on everywhere’ but the kitchen speaker still doesn’t come on. Alternatively if music is on in kitchen and I say ‘play this song everywhere’ it still only plays in kitchen and not in lounge.
I think I’m doing everything right but unsure as to why it isn’t working. The hope is to add more speakers over time and to be able to control with my voice but it seems the only way I can get a song to play on everything is through the Sonos App which renders Alexa useless!
Apologies again but it’s driving me bonkers. We bought the kitchen speaker with this in mind. Please help 🙂
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There are two ways to achieve this:
Via an Alexa Group with a 'Controlling Device' - your Sonos One and your other speakers set as Preferred Speakers. The command 'Alexa, Play, Soft Jazz' to that Sonos One will output to all speakers set in the Preferred Speakers setting.
Or via an Alexa Group without a Controlling Device (Let's call this Downstairs) - Just set the Sonos speakers that you want to group as Preferred Speakers only. The command 'Alexa, Play Soft Jazz on Downstairs' will group those speakers together.
Via an Alexa Group with a 'Controlling Device' - your Sonos One and your other speakers set as Preferred Speakers. The command 'Alexa, Play, Soft Jazz' to that Sonos One will output to all speakers set in the Preferred Speakers setting.
Or via an Alexa Group without a Controlling Device (Let's call this Downstairs) - Just set the Sonos speakers that you want to group as Preferred Speakers only. The command 'Alexa, Play Soft Jazz on Downstairs' will group those speakers together.
So if I have grouped correctly, and I have something playing in the lounge, how do I get it to play on the other speaker? As I said, I’ve grouped all sonos ones together (lounge and kitchen) made them all preferred speakers and called the group ‘everywhere’. But when I’m listening to a song in the lounge and I also want it to play in the kitchen, what command do I use? When I say ‘play this song everywhere’ alexa acknowledges but doesn’t activate the other speaker.
Also, you mentioned controlling device. I take it that these are the Alexa controlled devices that you add in to the group? I have added all 3 of my sonos ones in to the group and made them all preferred. Is that correct?
Also, you mentioned controlling device. I take it that these are the Alexa controlled devices that you add in to the group? I have added all 3 of my sonos ones in to the group and made them all preferred. Is that correct?
I'm not sure "play this song everywhere" is functional yet. I've been messing around with groups for a while now and although starting a new stream/queue on a group works just fine, I've not found a way to include a group to an existing stream/queue.
Userlevel 7
+20
I'm not sure why but Grouping wasn't working, so I Disabled then Enabled the Sonos skill in the Alexa App and all back working again.
Ahh that’s what I thought. I’m looking at the way I’ve set it up and it should be working but I guess Alexa isn’t clever enough yet. It’s no bother, it’s not something that I need to happen daily. A minor annoyance but doesn’t spoil the experience one bit. Hopefully ‘play this everywhere’ will happen soon. Thanks for all your help 🙂
Disable Sonos Skill? I’ll give that a go when I get home from work. Thanks guys
Sonos skills and groups clashing somehow maybe???
Userlevel 7
+20
I've found that some Alexa updates break the linking of the Alexa and Sonos accounts, a Disable followed by Enable fix this.
I tried disabling and re enabling the sonos skill in Alexa last night and again tried to make a group called everywhere with all sonos ones included. Still can’t figure out why they won’t all switch on when asked 😞
Userlevel 7
+20
Hi
Can you just confirm if you are including your speakers in the Group or Preferred Speakers? Also what command are you using?
Hi there. As above - playbar and 2 sonos ones set up as lounge surround. 1 sonos one in the kitchen
Alexa will swap between these two (sonos) groups via the Alexa Sonos skill by saying ‘play this song in the kitchen’ or ‘play this song in the lounge’ depending where I am.
I’ve made an alexa group called ‘everywhere’, have added all three sonos ones and made them all preferred.
With a song playing in lounge (or kitchen) I say ‘play this song everywhere. Alexa acknowledges and says ‘playing this song on everywhere’. But the other speaker doesn’t activate, just carry’s on playing in whichever room it was already playing in.
I’ve tried making some speakers preferred and not others but no matter what I do it won’t work. I’ve tried the command ‘play on all speakers’ but no good. I’ve tried making a kitchen group and a lounge group and using the command ‘play this in the lounge and the kitchen’ but that isn’t recognised.
I just want to be able to play whatever song happens to be playing on any one of my speakers on the rest of them with a voice command. As I said, I’d like to add more speakers upstairs over time and this feature would be perfect (ie, playing a song in the lounge - ‘Alexa, play this song everywhere’ - song plays on all speakers). I hope this all makes sense. I know it isn’t the end of the world if this isn’t supported but surely it would be a good thing to be able to do?
Alexa will swap between these two (sonos) groups via the Alexa Sonos skill by saying ‘play this song in the kitchen’ or ‘play this song in the lounge’ depending where I am.
I’ve made an alexa group called ‘everywhere’, have added all three sonos ones and made them all preferred.
With a song playing in lounge (or kitchen) I say ‘play this song everywhere. Alexa acknowledges and says ‘playing this song on everywhere’. But the other speaker doesn’t activate, just carry’s on playing in whichever room it was already playing in.
I’ve tried making some speakers preferred and not others but no matter what I do it won’t work. I’ve tried the command ‘play on all speakers’ but no good. I’ve tried making a kitchen group and a lounge group and using the command ‘play this in the lounge and the kitchen’ but that isn’t recognised.
I just want to be able to play whatever song happens to be playing on any one of my speakers on the rest of them with a voice command. As I said, I’d like to add more speakers upstairs over time and this feature would be perfect (ie, playing a song in the lounge - ‘Alexa, play this song everywhere’ - song plays on all speakers). I hope this all makes sense. I know it isn’t the end of the world if this isn’t supported but surely it would be a good thing to be able to do?
Userlevel 7
+20
Hi
If these are set-up as Preferred Speakers with the Sonos One as the Alexa Controlling device, you don't need to mention the Group name in the command. As per Scenario One in this post:
https://en.community.sonos.com/amazon-alexa-and-sonos-229102/an-overview-and-explanation-of-the-new-support-for-alexa-grouping-6817788/index1.html#post16298346
Can you try 'Alexa, Play Piano Chill Playlist' and see what happens?
Commands like 'Play this song everywhere' isn't a correct command and Alexa is interpreting I suspect.
If these are set-up as Preferred Speakers with the Sonos One as the Alexa Controlling device, you don't need to mention the Group name in the command. As per Scenario One in this post:
https://en.community.sonos.com/amazon-alexa-and-sonos-229102/an-overview-and-explanation-of-the-new-support-for-alexa-grouping-6817788/index1.html#post16298346
Can you try 'Alexa, Play Piano Chill Playlist' and see what happens?
Commands like 'Play this song everywhere' isn't a correct command and Alexa is interpreting I suspect.
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