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Recent update now breaking groups with Alexa

  • 11 December 2018
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After an update to the Sonos software this weekend, the Alexa integration is "broken" in that now, starting music using voice commands breaks apart groups of speakers. Are there new commands, or is there a way to roll back the software version to one that actually worked? If this is the "new normal," then I will need to discuss returning all of the Sonos products I own and looking into a new Alexa compatible system.
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Best answer by Ryan S 13 December 2018, 23:33

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55 replies

Userlevel 7
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Thanks for the suggestion on device naming. I've been thinking I need something more structured for a while given the proliferation of IoT devices I have so perhaps I will change the names and try your method - and then update the WeMo rules....and the Hive Actions....and the IFTTT recipes. Sigh.
...and some red wine! 🙂
Userlevel 2
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Thanks for the suggestion on device naming. I've been thinking I need something more structured for a while given the proliferation of IoT devices I have so perhaps I will change the names and try your method - and then update the WeMo rules....and the Hive Actions....and the IFTTT recipes. Sigh.
Userlevel 7
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Hello @UKMedia. Unfortunately, in this case, I adopted the whole IoT scene rather early on so in my 'lounge' I currently have:

Sonos Beam (connected to a smart TV...)
Sonos ZP80
2 x Hive active lights
1 x WeMo smart plug.

Ideally I'd like to call them all 'lounge' but that results in some, ahem, confusion. Thus having to create yet another group for 'the lounge' requires some imagination - and effort when trying to remember what was called what!

However we have probably reached an impasse at this point. I'll consider the procedure you linked to but I remain of the firm view that the 'old' way of Alexa controlling Sonos speakers is far and away better than the new version and I would vote for a return - change isn't always good!


I understand 100% your issue, The method I used to get around this is to name devices by the naming standard 'Room Name + Device Type'. e.g. Kitchen Sonos, Kitchen Echo Dot, etc This leaves Group names with the more simple name. e.g. Lounge, Kitchen. I also adopted the standard naming of '[Room Name] + Main Lights' and '[Room Name] + Background Lights' - where 'Main' are the wall switches (I use LightWaveRF} and 'Background' are Smart Plugs.

With regard to the change, I'm not 100% sure but I think Amazon was driving this and Sonos ensured they were compliant.
Userlevel 2
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Hello @UKMedia. Unfortunately, in this case, I adopted the whole IoT scene rather early on so in my 'lounge' I currently have:

Sonos Beam (connected to a smart TV...)
Sonos ZP80
2 x Hive active lights
1 x WeMo smart plug.

Ideally I'd like to call them all 'lounge' but that results in some, ahem, confusion. Thus having to create yet another group for 'the lounge' requires some imagination - and effort when trying to remember what was called what!

However we have probably reached an impasse at this point. I'll consider the procedure you linked to but I remain of the firm view that the 'old' way of Alexa controlling Sonos speakers is far and away better than the new version and I would vote for a return - change isn't always good!
Userlevel 7
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@UKMedia,

I've looked at the instructions you linked to and, frankly, too bl**dy complicated.

Old method: Go into Sonos app, click on room, click on Group, tick rooms, done.

Scenario One: I need a 'controlling device'; then I need to create an Alexa group (so if I want different groups for different listening needs I need to create a whole host of Alexa groups) and then come up with yet more 'unique' names for the Alexa group?

Sorry, but voice conrtrol was meant to make things easier.

Please can I have the old, simple, effective way of creating a Sonos group and then an Alexa command about any speaker in that group applies to the whole group. Simples.


I just call the Alexa Group the name of the room the Alexa device is located in - hardly confusing... 🙂
Userlevel 2
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@UKMedia,

I've looked at the instructions you linked to and, frankly, too bl**dy complicated.

Old method: Go into Sonos app, click on room, click on Group, tick rooms, done.

Scenario One: I need a 'controlling device'; then I need to create an Alexa group (so if I want different groups for different listening needs I need to create a whole host of Alexa groups) and then come up with yet more 'unique' names for the Alexa group?

Sorry, but voice conrtrol was meant to make things easier.

Please can I have the old, simple, effective way of creating a Sonos group and then an Alexa command about any speaker in that group applies to the whole group. Simples.
Userlevel 7
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Hi UKTreoFan

So I have set-up my Sonos Alexa Groups as per Scenario One in my 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

I can initiate music via Alexa and use the command 'Alexa, Stop' and it will stop in all Rooms , without dropping any Rooms. If I use the Command 'Alexa, stop [Room Name]' then that Room is removed from the Sonos Group and the rest of the Sonos Group continues to play. Is this different behavior to your set-up?
Userlevel 2
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Er, sorry Lyricist III I thought I was replying to the original message, didn't mean to send it to you, please ignore and I'll try to post it to the right person!
Userlevel 2
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I have used Alexa with Sonos since it was available in Beta (signed up for the beta programme so that I could). I group rooms according to my listening needs and what is happening in the household. If we have multiple speakers playing and the phone rings we want to stop all of the speakers as a group. We group speakers so that in the morning we have music playing in the bedroom and it's also on downstairs.

The change to the Alexa skill that causes a room you give an instruction to be removed from the group that I have set up is a complete frickin' disaster. If the phone rings we now have to tell 2 - 3 - 4 speakers to stop. Etc Etc Etc Etc

I am now spending more time than ever in the Sonos app re-grouping speakers. It's quicker (!!!!) to go into the Sonos app to stop a group then it is to use Alexa voice control to stop the speakers in a group one by one.

This really is one of the worst changes to the integration of Alexa and Sonos. As giving a command to one speaker always takes it out of the group we are bl**dy close to disabling the Sonos skill on Alexa and going back to just using the app.

Seriously, when I set up a GROUP I want to be able to manipulate what it happening IN THAT GROUP and not have Alexa decide I suddenly don't want a group.

So please put this back the way it was.

PS Sorry for the swearing and capitals but this one change has undone all the benefits of being able to use voice control with my Sonos ysystem.
Has nobody else encountered the "Alexa is stuck in one room" issue?

I deleted everything and started over. All is fine until you make a group and then start a single Sonos player which brakes the group. Now it gets stuck on that single Sonos amp. Until you rediscover devices Alexa will play music on that Sonos amp only. If it’s stuck on kitchen and you tell it to play in the living room it says playing in the living room but plays in the kitchen. This is frustrating.


Have you read this article about recent changes:

https://en.community.sonos.com/announcements-228985/sonos-now-playing-with-alexa-groups-6817588

This seems to be the culprit: "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."
I have a Sonos One which I assigned to more than one group (it let me do it in the app). I'll try to remove that one - let's see if it gets stuck again.



It appears everything works as it should if the Alexa activated group has only 2 Sonos players. If there are 3 Sonos players Things go terribly wrong. Let’s say the group has 3 players A,B and C. Alexa stop music and all 3 players stop. Alexa play The Rolling Stones on player B and player B starts. Alexa stop music. Alexa play The Rolling Stones in player A. Alexa reply’s playing the stones on A but plays the Stones on B. Until the player are rediscovered the stones will always play on B if Alexa is told to play on A,B or C. Player D which was not in the original group will work fine.
Has nobody else encountered the "Alexa is stuck in one room" issue?

I deleted everything and started over. All is fine until you make a group and then start a single Sonos player which brakes the group. Now it gets stuck on that single Sonos amp. Until you rediscover devices Alexa will play music on that Sonos amp only. If it’s stuck on kitchen and you tell it to play in the living room it says playing in the living room but plays in the kitchen. This is frustrating.


Have you read this article about recent changes:

https://en.community.sonos.com/announcements-228985/sonos-now-playing-with-alexa-groups-6817588

This seems to be the culprit: "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."
I have a Sonos One which I assigned to more than one group (it let me do it in the app). I'll try to remove that one - let's see if it gets stuck again.
Userlevel 7
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Has nobody else encountered the "Alexa is stuck in one room" issue?

I deleted everything and started over. All is fine until you make a group and then start a single Sonos player which brakes the group. Now it gets stuck on that single Sonos amp. Until you rediscover devices Alexa will play music on that Sonos amp only. If it’s stuck on kitchen and you tell it to play in the living room it says playing in the living room but plays in the kitchen. This is frustrating.


Have you read this article about recent changes:

https://en.community.sonos.com/announcements-228985/sonos-now-playing-with-alexa-groups-6817588
Has nobody else encountered the "Alexa is stuck in one room" issue?

I deleted everything and started over. All is fine until you make a group and then start a single Sonos player which brakes the group. Now it gets stuck on that single Sonos amp. Until you rediscover devices Alexa will play music on that Sonos amp only. If it’s stuck on kitchen and you tell it to play in the living room it says playing in the living room but plays in the kitchen. This is frustrating.
Userlevel 2
Resetting bridge a bad idea. Your going through wrong. I think you should talk to someone onnphone to setup properly.
Of course resetting the bridge was a bad idea because it is no longer supported! There should be a way to rollback to the previous way of setting up Sonos.


Who told you the Bridge is no longer supported? It most certainly is. Just re-add it by choosing More > Settings > Add a Boost or Bridge.

The Sonos app just times out and I get the no devices found. Also the app says " press the button on your boost, it does not mention a bridge.

Userlevel 7
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Boost and bridge are interchangable
Userlevel 2
Resetting bridge a bad idea. Your going through wrong. I think you should talk to someone onnphone to setup properly.
Of course resetting the bridge was a bad idea because it is no longer supported! There should be a way to rollback to the previous way of setting up Sonos.


Who told you the Bridge is no longer supported? It most certainly is. Just re-add it by choosing More > Settings > Add a Boost or Bridge.

The Sonos app just times out and I get the no devices found. Also the app says " press the button on your boost, it does not mention a bridge.
Resetting bridge a bad idea. Your going through wrong. I think you should talk to someone onnphone to setup properly.
Of course resetting the bridge was a bad idea because it is no longer supported! There should be a way to rollback to the previous way of setting up Sonos.


Who told you the Bridge is no longer supported? It most certainly is. Just re-add it by choosing More > Settings > Add a Boost or Bridge.
Yes I have the same problem with Alexa getting stuck on one sonos Amp. Only way to fix it is discover devices.
Userlevel 2
Resetting bridge a bad idea. Your going through wrong. I think you should talk to someone onnphone to setup properly.
Of course resetting the bridge was a bad idea because it is no longer supported! There should be a way to rollback to the previous way of setting up Sonos.
Has nobody else encountered the "Alexa is stuck in one room" issue?
Userlevel 1
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Caligo wrote:
"Can you confirm that you have carried out these steps: Please open the Alexa App>Smart Home>Groups and create an Alexa Group for each Echo device, I call them the room name the Echo device is located in. Then add the Echo & Sonos devices that you want to have music on when music is initiated from each specific Echo device, and then set these Sonos devices as Preferred Speakers. Now ask Alexa for your music and it will group the Speakers in the Sonos App and output to that group."

It worked like a charm. Thank you! Alexa did not break my sonos group when using these settings.
After it got stuck on living room I removed every Sonos Device in the Alexa App and let it rediscover them again. Seems to have done the trick. So if you have "old" Sonos Devices in the Alexa App it might screw things up.
Can also confirm it's unnecessary to add an echo device to a group. Just need to set those favourites within the group.

One thing I didn't try yet: are Echo Devices working together with Sonos? That'd be the news of the day...

Edit: back at home for more tryouts. I can now reproduce the "Alexa is being stuck in one room". It now plays spotify only in the bathroom no matter which room or group I adress. This is seriously ... really annyoing as the fix includes to rediscover all Sonos devices. I got this when having an active group playing something and then ask Alexa to play something else in a different group (which didn't work). I then told Alexa to stop playing in this different group, which resulted in those speakers ungrouped from the still active zone. I stopped playback in all other rooms but the bathroom with Alexa (it unpairs them in the Sonos App). And then it got stuck.

*rant_on* this update really is below all standards known by Sonos. I get that we're really cutting edge here - but this update feels like it hasn't been tested at all. It may result in something really nice in the end - but at this moment it just outright unbearably annoying. For me alone this would be just alright as I like to test my toys anyway - but for my missus it's completely unusable at the moment. And I'm the projection of her anger for this in the same way you get my projection of anger right here. Fix this asap please and don't bug us with unfinished API-attachements.*rant_off*
I don't seem to have the requirement of putting an Echo device in the group. I have 3 groups that contain Sonos speakers only (Upstairs, Downstairs, Everywhere). There is also overlap between the groups, meaning a Sonos speaker can be a member of more than one group. Hooray! Make sure ALL the Sonos speakers in a given group are "Preferred Speakers".


I'm seeing functionality similar to what @RonJ103 is seeing. I don't have to put an echo device in every group I created. However, once I do that, I'm not allowed to save without having an echo in it.

The functionality looks like it's going to work well, but there appear to be some features that either have not been rolled out to all users yet, or are not intuitive/easy to figure out. I've set up some groups and played with it a bit. Now I'm thinking I should just leave it alone and wait till everything's done, and relatively final features are officially announced.
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Apple Music is live now on Alexa, but it's not available on Sonos through Alexa at the moment. Rest assured, our team is always interested in helping you control the music services you love with voice. Nothing to share now, but stay tuned. We'll share more as soon as there's any news.

Interested? That’s...erm...reassuring. I think.
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I don't seem to have the requirement of putting an Echo device in the group. I have 3 groups that contain Sonos speakers only (Upstairs, Downstairs, Everywhere). There is also overlap between the groups, meaning a Sonos speaker can be a member of more than one group. Hooray! Make sure ALL the Sonos speakers in a given group are "Preferred Speakers".

I can see groups being created in the Sonos app when I say something like "Play music on Upstairs" to any Echo device. Another Hooray!

I just started playing with this. Sometimes groups are not destroyed like you may expect. There is a previous post about active speakers/groups which may explain this behavior.

I also just said "Play music by ### Everywhere" to an Echo device and it did play music everywhere including the Sonos Beam that my wife and daughter were using to watch TV.

Not perfect yet, but this seems like a big step in the right direction.