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Ryan S
Ryan S
Retired Sonos Staff
October 3, 2017

New to Sonos or Alexa? How to set up

  • October 3, 2017
  • 194 replies
  • 139172 views

So you have an Alexa device and Sonos players, where do you go next?

1. Make sure your Sonos and Alexa devices are all powered up and connected to the network.

If you're new to Sonos, this means Installing the Sonos app, and going through the steps for Setting up Sonos here.

If you're new to Alexa, install the Alexa app (currently only available in the US, UK, and Germany) and make sure your Alexa device(s) show up. They will be listed under Settings > Devices. Amazon has a setup guide for the Echo Dot here.

2. In the Alexa app, search for and add the Alexa Skill for Sonos.

3. Follow the on-screen prompts to authenticate your Amazon account, then your Sonos account.

4. Finally, inside your Alexa app, select discover devices under Smart Home or on the Sonos skill page.

You are now ready to try out some commands! There’s a great, comprehensive list here.

Wondering how it all works? Check out the How it works thread.

If you run into any trouble, please feel free to take a look here to start, or ask any question in the Amazon Alexa and Sonos forum.

 

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    194 replies

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    Ryan S
    Ryan SAuthor
    Retired Sonos Staff
    October 4, 2017
    I like the voice control, however, unlike willkon who posted earlier, I haven't been able to make any of my playlists play using Alexa. It correctly hears me (checked through Alexa history) and then plays an Amazon playlist with a vaguely similar name instead of one of mine. I have tried renaming my playlists but this hasn't made any difference. Any suggestions (apart from starting the playlist using the Sonos app)?

    There does seem to be a strange one where the album that is chosen may come from Amazon or from my Sonos Music Library. It doesn't seem to have any logical pattern though - sometimes it picks from the correct location (Sonos Music Library) sometimes from Amazon.

    Any ideas anyone?
    Alexa doesn't have access to your local music library. It'll always play the playlist from Amazon or another of your music services added to the Alexa app.
    Mark good posts by pressing the like button, and select the best answer on questions you've asked to help others find solutions.
      Ryan S
      Ryan SAuthor
      Retired Sonos Staff
      October 4, 2017
      @smgerken, think you can submit a diagnostic from your Sonos system and reply back with your confirmation number? Hi Ryan its 7913401. Thanks
      Looks like your Android controller isn't updated. Can you check in the Google Play store that it's up to date?
      Mark good posts by pressing the like button, and select the best answer on questions you've asked to help others find solutions.
      smgerken
      Lyricist II
      October 4, 2017
      Looks like your Android controller isn't updated. Can you check in the Google Play store that it's up to date?

      Hi Ryan

      I updated it earlier and there is no longer an update available. I presume I'm not supposed to be installing it from an email link like a beta?

      Thanks
      adam8027
      Contributor II
      October 4, 2017
      Ryan, I have a question. I noticed on one of the pages on the website it said that among the options not available quite yet is room grouping. I happen to have a Sonos system that was installed a couple years ago with speakers in various rooms throughout the house all connected through a Sonos Connect that is hard-wired to a router. This is labeled as House. Later on after the initial install I wanted to add music to rooms where speakers didn't already exist, so I added a couple of Play 3s (one in the Dining Room and one in Office) that are connected through my Wifi. They are all grouped (House, Dining Room and Office) through the Sonos app, but I'm wondering if I do an Alexa command to play music on "House" will I hear that music through Dining Room and Office as well?
      dignifiedb
      Lyricist II
      October 4, 2017
      I have Spotify Premium and has worked fine with my Sonos for years. However, when I say "Alexa, play Spotify playlist New Stuff Good Stuff in Kitchen," Alexa responds with, "I can't play from Spotify music on that device." Spotify is already the default music service for my Amazon Echo. Has anybody been able to get Spotify to work via Alexa on their Sonos speakers?
      dean76
      Trending Lyricist I
      October 4, 2017
      Oh my God, this is fan flipin' tastic thank you so much SONOS, you hit a Santa Barbra home run out the stadium.
      Perfect with a capital P here in UK, I knew SONOS would never rush and compromise, its not their style.
      Hands across the water love love love you SONOS, may God take you from strength to strength.
      thanks always to Mr John MacF. oh and Ratty!.
        Ryan S
        Ryan SAuthor
        Retired Sonos Staff
        October 4, 2017
        @smgerken, try uninstalling the app and reinstalling it. You should have the new appearance, shown here. If you're not getting it, or still having trouble, I'd suggest you give us a call on our support line.

        @Adam8027, if they're already grouped, Alexa will play to them all. Alexa just doesn't have the ability to control the room grouping function itself. You have to use the Sonos app to make or separate groups.

        @dignifiedb, Can you please disable the Sonos skill for Alexa and then re-enable it? Make sure you discover devices after. Let us know how it goes.
        Mark good posts by pressing the like button, and select the best answer on questions you've asked to help others find solutions.
          zBernie
          Avid Contributor I
          October 4, 2017
          "Alexa doesn't have access to your local music library. It'll always play the playlist from Amazon or another of your music services added to the Alexa app."

          Are you saying I won't be able to play my music collection in Sonos using Alexa voice commands? Only what is in Amazon's music service?
          dignifiedb
          Lyricist II
          October 4, 2017
          @Ryan S I tried that, but it didn't work. Then, I just stumbled across this on the Sonos website:

          "Which music services can I use with Alexa?
          Music services need to be added to both Sonos and the Alexa app. The following services are currently supported:

          Amazon Music
          Pandora
          iHeartRadio
          TuneIn Radio
          SiriusXM
          Spotify users: The ability to ask Alexa to play Spotify music on your Sonos speakers is not yet available, but is coming soon."

          I guess Spotify isn't working yet with Sonos via Alexa....sigh
          mcage
          Contributor I
          October 4, 2017
          Why the enthousiasm? Stil having to use an echo to use Alexa in the first place bedides tge Sonos One. So the only bennefit is being able to play music with voice control.. Who cares!
          I just want my Play 5 to act as an Alexa input device without additional hardware like the one. Got the Mics.. just get the f*&& used and working. That would be a real ok wow thanks moment. All other enthousiadts are just fanboy cries
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