Skip to main content
Question

How to control multiple controllers

  • December 25, 2017
  • 8 replies
  • 1199 views

  • Contributor I
  • 4 replies
If I am playing music on Sonos from the controller on my Mac, how can I stop the music also playing on the Sonos app on my iPhone? I don’t want to run down the battery on my iPhone is I’m using my Mac to play music.
This topic has been closed for further comments. You can use the search bar to find a similar topic, or create a new one by clicking Create Topic at the top of the page.

8 replies

Airgetlam
  • 44768 replies
  • December 25, 2017
Think of the controller as a remote control. It tells the speaker where to go and get the music device. Once it's playing, there's no reason for any controller to be "on". In fact, you could start music playing on your phone's controller, and then leave home, and as long as the music wasn't stored on your phone it would keep playing as you drove away.

And conversely, since each controller is a remote, any of them can control the system, so you can start a stream from one device, and stop if from another.

chicks
  • 3275 replies
  • December 25, 2017
Huh? The Sonos app is just a remote control. It doesn't play music on your phone. Every copy of the Sonos app can control the music playing on your Sonos speakers.

  • Author
  • Contributor I
  • 4 replies
  • December 25, 2017
As you can see I’m a novice. I don’t understand your answer. I am sitting at my Mac now. I selected the music on my MAC and hit the play button on my mac and the music is playing, but if I hit the off button on my iPhone, the music turns off.

  • Author
  • Contributor I
  • 4 replies
  • December 25, 2017
To clarify when I say I hit the off button on my iPhone I mean the off button on the Sonos app. And I am playing the music through the Sonos, not my iPhone or Mac.

chicks
  • 3275 replies
  • December 25, 2017
Yes, it's working as designed. The Sonos app is just a remote control.

  • Author
  • Contributor I
  • 4 replies
  • December 25, 2017
Thank you, I think I get it now.

chicks
  • 3275 replies
  • December 25, 2017
Sonos speakers pull directly from the source, just like your TV does. The stream doesn't go through your phone (unless you're playing local files). The app works just like the remote for your TV, and won't use battery power when not in the foreground. Will use far less power than a music app that pulls directly to your phone, too.

  • Author
  • Contributor I
  • 4 replies
  • December 25, 2017
Thank you again.