Retired Sonos Staff

New to Sonos or Alexa? How to set up

Forum|Forum|9 years ago
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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Show previous replies

jgatie

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

As stated countless times, the microphones in the Play:5 are not a far field array and therefore are not suitable for voice control. Sorry, but your wish is impossible, you will have to buy new hardware, whether an Echo device or the SONOS ONE.

Ryan SAuthor

Retired Sonos Staff

"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?

That's correct.

Mark good posts by pressing the like button, and select the best answer on questions you've asked to help others find solutions.

D

dean76

Trending Lyricist I

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

I purchased Dot with Alexa/SONOS integration in mind. at approx £35 each- black Friday, can't go wrong.
Not sure where your rant is going.

S

Skelton

Prodigy I

Why the enthousiasm? Stil having to use an echo to use Alexa in the first place bedides tge Sonos One.

mcage, something is wrong with your keyboard I think. You have to get the voice data into Alexa this isn't magic.

So the only bennefit is being able to play music with voice control.. Who cares!

Judging from the news coverage, a fair amount of people, but maybe it's not for you!

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.

Technology is not magic. The equipment in the Play 5 does not have the ability to do what the Echo devices does. This has been said before.

That would be a real ok wow thanks moment. All other enthousiadts are just fanboy cries

I've always been skeptical of enthousiadts myself, but I don't know that I'd call possessing a rational understanding of the technology fanboy-ism.

Mr Zuiko

Lyricist I

Great video for the setup. Very well done! Five minutes total and it works as advertised and expected. Multiple rooms - different tunes - piece of cake. Controlling from Echo Dot.

If you (like me) rename some speakers so they are easier to pronounce, be sure to have Alexa rediscover them! (See video if you need to review that step.)

No disappointment over what is not controlled by Alexa - very happy and pleased with what it CAN do! And the cost for the upgrade cannot be beat! I would have paid twice that amount! Three times! 😃

Mr Zuiko

jgatie

3 x $0 = $0! Me too! 😉

J

Jay M

Avid Contributor I

Is there any plan to allow the Alexa to play my own music library on the Sonos systems?

M

mactavish

Contributor I

Hi - I'm getting a white screen on the Alexa app when i enable the skill, doesn't take me to the sign on for linking the account. Anybody know why ?

I am in canada and using an Alexa that was registered with my UK amazon account, could this be why ?

jgatie

Is there any plan to allow the Alexa to play my own music library on the Sonos systems?

They state they would love to, and they are working towards it and more. For now, did you see that you can initiate play of the non-Alexa sources from the Sonos app, then use voice commands to pause, play, skip, control volume, etc.?

Ryan SAuthor

Retired Sonos Staff

Hi - I'm getting a white screen on the Alexa app when i enable the skill, doesn't take me to the sign on for linking the account. Anybody know why ?

I am in canada and using an Alexa that was registered with my UK amazon account, could this be why ?

That's why. Alexa isn't available in Canada. It's only in the US, UK, and Germany right now.

Mark good posts by pressing the like button, and select the best answer on questions you've asked to help others find solutions.

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