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Desktop App

  • September 13, 2025
  • 14 replies
  • 161 views

The desktop app sucks all of the sudden.  Please fix this and revert to local controls.  Theres no benefit to me to be cloud connected to Sonos servers in order to use the software for the devices i purchased.  No one asked for this and frankly, its unacceptable.

14 replies

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  • Senior Virtuoso
  • September 13, 2025

The desktop app sucks all of the sudden.  Please fix this and revert to local controls.  Theres no benefit to me to be cloud connected to Sonos servers in order to use the software for the devices i purchased.  No one asked for this and frankly, its unacceptable.

As this is a user community, there’s not much we can do for you. 
 

But, Sonos staff do act as moderators, and can pass ideas up the chain. It would be helpful for them to know how it “sucks all of a sudden”. 


Airgetlam
  • September 13, 2025

Given that the desktop app hasn’t received any updates in years, being in maintenance mode, and only receiving bug fixes, it does seem odd that it would start having issues ‘all of a sudden’. My Mac desktop app continues to work without issue, although I’m not using it much these days. I don’t use the windows desktop app, nor the web app, so I can’t speak to their issues…but troubles ‘all of a sudden’ suggest a local network concern, and not necessarily an issue with the app…


AjTrek1
  • September 14, 2025

Would you care to describe your issue? You didn’t provide any useful information. 


  • Lyricist III
  • September 14, 2025

my desktop app stopped showing any devices… even though I’ve rebooted the router and the devices, still they don’t show up in the desktop app - keeps saying something needs an update or needs to be registered only to circle back with no updates needed but still devices don’t work/show up in the app… my mobile app still shows them but still need the desktop app to work!


Airgetlam
  • September 14, 2025

That certainly sounds frustrating. I’d guess, without any real information, that you have some sort of mesh network, and your desktop is connected to a different ‘node’ than your phone. But rather than guessing, I would recommend that you submit a system diagnostic within 10 minutes of recreating this problem, and call Sonos Support to discuss it. Don’t post the resulting diagnostic number here, they get sensitive about GDPR.

There may be information included in the diagnostic that will help Sonos pinpoint the issue and help you find a solution.

When you speak directly to the Support staff, they have tools at their disposal that will allow them to give you advice specific to your network and Sonos system.

 


Mr. T
  • September 14, 2025

my desktop app stopped showing any devices… even though I’ve rebooted the router and the devices, still they don’t show up in the desktop app - keeps saying something needs an update or needs to be registered only to circle back with no updates needed but still devices don’t work/show up in the app… my mobile app still shows them but still need the desktop app to work!

Fully remove and reinstall the desktop app.


controlav
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  • Lead Maestro
  • September 14, 2025

You provided little detail, but the main reasons for this are:

Windows: your network connection must be marked Private.

Mac: check the “local network” permission for the app, it often gets lost after updates. If it shows as enabled, toggle it off then on again.

Either: switch to my Sonos app (see profile), it gives actual error messages for these special cases.


AjTrek1
  • September 14, 2025

Why are you people who are complaining providing very little to no detail. Just doesn’t make sense. 🤔

Anyway make sure that UPnP is enabled in the Sonos App on your device. Give it a try….just follow the pictures. If it’s already enabled then take the advice of others:

  • Check your Network. and/or
  • Call Sonos Tech Support

It’s Sunday here in the US...so I'm going back to watching football. 😂

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  • Lyricist III
  • September 15, 2025

Update: 

I’ve uninstalled the Sonos desktop app and re-installed - still same behavior:  open the app and I can see all the speakers for about a second but it quickly flashes away to the update screen - even though everything has already had updates installed.  here’s picture of initial screen I see… but then 

it goes quickly to this screen and I cannot get out of it:

totally weird right?!!

Network is the same as it was last week, nothing is public, laptop and other PC are on the same network as my iPhone… 

I’ll find time tomorrow to contact Sonos support and submit diagnostics from my app.  


AjTrek1
  • September 15, 2025

@joostvh 

Thanks for providing the update with details. I suggest you read my post above and verify the settings I suggested. Also make sure the Sonos app has proper permissions in your network security settings.


  • Lyricist III
  • September 15, 2025

AJ - I already rechecked all permissions and settings; however still no joy in managing the connected speakers via my computer.  I even went so far as to delete all references in registry for the sonos software before re-installing.  

 

Maybe it’ll start working in a few days


Airgetlam
  • September 16, 2025

What do you mean by ‘managing’ in your post? Grouping and playback are supported on the older apps, but they pulled system management from those apps years ago. 


  • Lyricist III
  • September 16, 2025

managing - using the sonos app to group/speakers and play music to them.  


Airgetlam
  • September 16, 2025

Huh. I tested my Mac app today, since there was an OS update. Still working for my Macs.