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Can you use volume controls without unlocking my Pixel phone

  • June 24, 2022
  • 11 replies
  • 792 views
L

I'm unable to control the volume of my Sonos Move without unlocking my Pixel phone and opening the Sonos app. This can't possibly be right? I've updated the settings per the help article and restarted everything but it's still not working.

When you're listening to music you should just be able to pick up your phone and adjust the volume. Needing to unlock it and navigate to the Sonos app to change the volume is madness!  

This is my first time owning a Sonos product (I've been 100% Bose up to this point). Bose allows me to do this. Surely this is a bug? If not this thing is going back.

Best answer by melvimbe

I had tried that already. You can't control the volume when the phone is locked or if you are in any app except the Sonos app. You have to either open the app or use the pull down notification which requires an additional tap to get to the volume control.

I'm sending this thing back. That is a serious usability flaw in my mind. Bose allows total control from a locked device. I can even move to the next song from the lock screen. When someone walks in the room and asks me a question I should be able to pick up my phone and turn down the volume from the buttons on the side of my phone. Having to unlock and navigate to a special control is ridiculous.

It's too bad. The sound is decent. 

 

It must be a limitation on your phone. I can control the volume when my iPhone is locked.

 

Yea, it could be whatever version of android phone you could be using.  It could also be that Sonos app isn’t running in the backgroud, or some other app has the focus and control of your hard volume buttons.  If you still have Bose app running for example, that could be taking the focus.

“Hey Sonos” (SVC) isn’t an option as OP’s profile says they are using GA, and Google won’t allow their assistant to be on the same device with other voice services.  GA would work, but if using voice control isn’t an option, then I imagine walking over to the speaker and pressing the hard buttons isn’t either.

Assuming you aren’t trying to control volume while in bluetooth mode.

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11 replies

G

Follow the instructions in these two articles:

https://support.sonos.com/s/article/3690

https://support.sonos.com/s/article/3062

"Receive with simplicity everything that happens to you." - Rashi
L
  • Lollyc
  • Author
  • Contributor I
  • June 26, 2022

I had tried that already. You can't control the volume when the phone is locked or if you are in any app except the Sonos app. You have to either open the app or use the pull down notification which requires an additional tap to get to the volume control.

I'm sending this thing back. That is a serious usability flaw in my mind. Bose allows total control from a locked device. I can even move to the next song from the lock screen. When someone walks in the room and asks me a question I should be able to pick up my phone and turn down the volume from the buttons on the side of my phone. Having to unlock and navigate to a special control is ridiculous.

It's too bad. The sound is decent. 

 

skullc
Forum|alt.badge.img+13
  • skullc
  • Prodigy III
  • June 26, 2022

Hey sonos volume 5 or mute volume don't need a device 

Network= livewire cpe pro 3 +eero 6 pro wireless
L
  • Lollyc
  • Author
  • Contributor I
  • June 26, 2022

What do you mean? If I'm talking to someone I don't want to have to interrupt that person to tell my device to turn down. I should be able to do it from my phones side buttons.  

skullc
Forum|alt.badge.img+13
  • skullc
  • Prodigy III
  • June 26, 2022

OK enjoy your bose speaker the move is not good for you 

Network= livewire cpe pro 3 +eero 6 pro wireless
L
  • Lollyc
  • Author
  • Contributor I
  • June 28, 2022

Thanks, Jack As. 

G

I had tried that already. You can't control the volume when the phone is locked or if you are in any app except the Sonos app. You have to either open the app or use the pull down notification which requires an additional tap to get to the volume control.

I'm sending this thing back. That is a serious usability flaw in my mind. Bose allows total control from a locked device. I can even move to the next song from the lock screen. When someone walks in the room and asks me a question I should be able to pick up my phone and turn down the volume from the buttons on the side of my phone. Having to unlock and navigate to a special control is ridiculous.

It's too bad. The sound is decent. 

 

It must be a limitation on your phone. I can control the volume when my iPhone is locked.

"Receive with simplicity everything that happens to you." - Rashi
Airgetlam
melvimbe
  • melvimbe
  • Answer
  • June 28, 2022

I had tried that already. You can't control the volume when the phone is locked or if you are in any app except the Sonos app. You have to either open the app or use the pull down notification which requires an additional tap to get to the volume control.

I'm sending this thing back. That is a serious usability flaw in my mind. Bose allows total control from a locked device. I can even move to the next song from the lock screen. When someone walks in the room and asks me a question I should be able to pick up my phone and turn down the volume from the buttons on the side of my phone. Having to unlock and navigate to a special control is ridiculous.

It's too bad. The sound is decent. 

 

It must be a limitation on your phone. I can control the volume when my iPhone is locked.

 

Yea, it could be whatever version of android phone you could be using.  It could also be that Sonos app isn’t running in the backgroud, or some other app has the focus and control of your hard volume buttons.  If you still have Bose app running for example, that could be taking the focus.

“Hey Sonos” (SVC) isn’t an option as OP’s profile says they are using GA, and Google won’t allow their assistant to be on the same device with other voice services.  GA would work, but if using voice control isn’t an option, then I imagine walking over to the speaker and pressing the hard buttons isn’t either.

Assuming you aren’t trying to control volume while in bluetooth mode.

Danny
Airgetlam
O
Forum|alt.badge.img+4
  • Outburst
  • Enthusiast II
  • June 28, 2022

Didn’t have Google to remove this function among other due to the lawsuit Sonos is having against them? I think they wanted to fix it in Android 12L but it hasn’t happened yet. 

melvimbe
  • melvimbe
  • June 28, 2022

Didn’t have Google to remove this function among other due to the lawsuit Sonos is having against them? I think they wanted to fix it in Android 12L but it hasn’t happened yet. 

 

No.  Sonos has a a patent for code that allows for changing the volume of multiple speakers/room at the same time.  Google copied the code for use with it’s own multiroom audio system, and instead of paying a license fee to Sonos or coding the feature a different way, they just removed the feature.

Google’s removing of the feature would have no effect here, since it’s controlling Sonos  volume, not google’s audio system, and it’s one speaker, not multiple.

Danny
Airgetlam
O
Forum|alt.badge.img+4
  • Outburst
  • Enthusiast II
  • June 28, 2022

Ah ok, I wasn’t sure if Sonos devices were also affected by this, I’m not an Android user myself.

It’s also definitely not only affecting groups but also single speakers. Google had to remove the function for group volume control and for volume control via the hardware buttons (regardless of being a single or grouped speaker),

melvimbe
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