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michael319
Avid Contributor I
April 10, 2018
Answered

Sonos won't play when i ask alexa to play?

  • April 10, 2018
  • 39 replies
  • 2082 views
I have music playing on my sonos via the sonos app. But sometimes when i ask alexa to play it will say hmm. you''ll have to enable the skill, but yet if i then go into the actual sonos app and press play it works.

why does alexa not always play and pause when i ask it, even if music is showing as paused on the app?
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Best answer by Jeff S
I have music playing on my sonos via the sonos app. But sometimes when i ask alexa to play it will say hmm. you''ll have to enable the skill, but yet if i then go into the actual sonos app and press play it works.

why does alexa not always play and pause when i ask it, even if music is showing as paused on the app?

Hi michael319,

Thanks for sending in the diagnostic report. I think it would be best to have our phone team take a look at this issue live. Please give us a call and we'll hep get things working. You can find our phone number here.

39 replies

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michael319Author
Avid Contributor I
April 12, 2018
one thing i notice in the alexa app in the setting the Sonos speakers are labeled as 2nd Sonos One, 3rd Sonos one, 4th Sonos one.

should they be renamed to match the name of living room, bedroom? or can i leave them. i'm not sure how to tell which is which..

edit they can't be renamed because i already have living room, bedroom and office under settings as well and those are for the lights.

This is showing correctly. There will be two entries for each Sonos One device - one for the Alexa component and one for the Sonos hardware.okay I updated my Sonos address.

Also I just asked Alexa to play and it said same message about enabling Sonos. But when I said "play in the office" it worked.

Never had to mention specifics before. Hmm
UKMedia
UKMedia
April 12, 2018
one thing i notice in the alexa app in the setting the Sonos speakers are labeled as 2nd Sonos One, 3rd Sonos one, 4th Sonos one.

should they be renamed to match the name of living room, bedroom? or can i leave them. i'm not sure how to tell which is which..

edit they can't be renamed because i already have living room, bedroom and office under settings as well and those are for the lights.

This is showing correctly. There will be two entries for each Sonos One device - one for the Alexa component and one for the Sonos hardware.okay I updated my Sonos address.

Also I just asked Alexa to play and it said same message about enabling Sonos. But when I said "play in the office" it worked.

Never had to mention specifics before. Hmm

Was this command on an Echo device or a Sonos One?
Remember: Sometimes Red Wine helps :)
michael319Author
Avid Contributor I
April 12, 2018
one thing i notice in the alexa app in the setting the Sonos speakers are labeled as 2nd Sonos One, 3rd Sonos one, 4th Sonos one.

should they be renamed to match the name of living room, bedroom? or can i leave them. i'm not sure how to tell which is which..

edit they can't be renamed because i already have living room, bedroom and office under settings as well and those are for the lights.

This is showing correctly. There will be two entries for each Sonos One device - one for the Alexa component and one for the Sonos hardware.okay I updated my Sonos address.

Also I just asked Alexa to play and it said same message about enabling Sonos. But when I said "play in the office" it worked.

Never had to mention specifics before. Hmm

Was this command on an Echo device or a Sonos One?

I only have Sonos. No echo devices since Alexa was built into these speakers. I didn't buy a separate echo.
UKMedia
UKMedia
April 12, 2018
That's strange, this does happen sometimes when initiated via an Echo device but not normally on a Sonos One.
Remember: Sometimes Red Wine helps :)
michael319Author
Avid Contributor I
April 12, 2018
That's strange, this does happen sometimes when initiated via an Echo device but not normally on a Sonos One. yes it's new to me too. Maybe something updated on Alexa and this is the new norm.
I think it has to do with music being inactive.

Anything show on diagnostics
UKMedia
UKMedia
April 12, 2018
Only Sonos staff can investigate.
Remember: Sometimes Red Wine helps :)
michael319Author
Avid Contributor I
April 12, 2018
Only Sonos staff can investigate. anyway to alert them to this?
UKMedia
UKMedia
April 12, 2018
Done 🙂
Remember: Sometimes Red Wine helps :)
    michael319Author
    Avid Contributor I
    April 12, 2018
    would deleting the actual device from the smart home tab in amazon alexa and adding it back help?
    UKMedia
    UKMedia
    April 12, 2018
    Yes you could try that but I thought you had tried section 3 of the steps I've listed in the Answer to this post:

    https://en.community.sonos.com/amazon-alexa-and-sonos-229102/alexa-says-she-is-playing-on-kitchen-but-no-sound-comes-out-6800126
    Remember: Sometimes Red Wine helps :)
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