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How to solve the Error 913 (Music Library) on a Mac

There is a reported bug fix coming mid-June 2024. If you can’t wait until then…

(I did this running Sonoma 14.4.1) And thanks to folks in a separate thread on the details - just tried to put them all in one place.

I made a video of the process if you prefer that way: https://youtu.be/kjhKhDuvgDY


Part 1 - Set up the share (System Settings/Preferences)

  1. Open System Settings (in earlier MacOS it’s called System Preferences).
    • Click on the apple in top left of your screen to find that option.
  2. Choose General
  3. Select **Sharing**.
  4. Enable **File Sharing**
  5. Click the "i" symbol
  6. Click the "+" symbol.
  7. Add a shared folder by choosing the folder where your music is stored and selecting Open
    • The name of the folder here will be the ShareName that you’ll use in Part 3.
  8. Under ‘users’, confirm that the list includes an ‘everyone’ option, and that you set ‘everyone’ to *Read Only* at a minimum (or “Read & Write”)
  9. Ensure the customer's account is set to **Read & Write**
    • I’m not 100% sure ‘customer’s account’, but I took it to mean the account I login with on the computer.
  10. Click the Options button
  11. Ensure that both SMB and the customer's account below are checked and choose Done. 

Part 2 - Find your computer’s name

  1. At the bottom (or sometimes top in earlier versions of macOS) of the Sharing page, you’ll see Local hostname. Everything before the .local is the hostname. Copy that down - that will be your MacName that you’ll need in Part 3.

 

Part 3 - Add the share to Sonos

  1. Open the Sonos app on your mac.
  2. Choose Manage > Music Library Settings
  3. Choose the + for your music folders.
  4. Instead of ‘another folder or drive’, choose Networked Device
  5. Type the network path name when prompted, and press Next. The format will be \\MacName\ShareName
    • Remember the ShareName and MacName you captured earlier? This is where you’ll use them. Make sure the \ are the right ones (not /, but \).
  6. Enter the Mac username and password. The password is the same as when you login opening your laptop.
    • If you’re not sure about the username, you can find it this way:
      • Open an app called ‘Terminal’ on your macbook. (Go into Launchpad and type ‘term’ and it’ll show up)
      • Type whoami and press enter. 
      • The result that shows is your username. (e.g. Perhaps my computer shows my login name as Salami Slices but my username technically is different (salamislices)). Copy and paste that into the username that Sonos is asking for.
  1. If that doesn’t work, someone had mentioned trying the following:
    • From System Settings, on left side, choose ‘users and groups’
    • Click on the ‘i’ next to Guest User
    • Enable “Allow guest users to connect to shared folders” and choose OK.
    • Now, from Sonos app, when get prompted for username and password, leave them blank and just choose enter.
      • The idea is it would treat it as a guest and since gave access to guests, will work.

 

227 replies

Ken_Griffiths

@krez56

Make sure you have updated the App by going to the Mobile device Apo Store and seeing if the Sonos App shows as being up-to-date.

Then…
In the Sonos App select "Settings (gear icon top right of screen)/System” goto "Manage” (above your system products) and select Music Library in the list below ‘About Your System’, ‘Alarms’ etc. I believe it should be in that list, probably just above ‘Network’. At least that’s where I think it is - let me know if you find it?

Yes - found it. Thanks! But my only option is the fake NAS that I have been using, so I need to keep exporting and renaming playlists when I change one. I was hoping to go back to the before-May app ability where I just had to hit Update Music Library to get the playlists updated.

There should be a ‘scan’ option - to get the index updated?

K
Userlevel 2
Badge +3

@krez56

Make sure you have updated the App by going to the Mobile device Apo Store and seeing if the Sonos App shows as being up-to-date.

Then…
In the Sonos App select "Settings (gear icon top right of screen)/System” goto "Manage” (above your system products) and select Music Library in the list below ‘About Your System’, ‘Alarms’ etc. I believe it should be in that list, probably just above ‘Network’. At least that’s where I think it is - let me know if you find it?

Yes - found it. Thanks! But my only option is the fake NAS that I have been using, so I need to keep exporting and renaming playlists when I change one. I was hoping to go back to the before-May app ability where I just had to hit Update Music Library to get the playlists updated.

There should be a ‘scan’ option - to get the index updated?

There is, but that will only access the exported xml file - not the Music Playlists that I update but don’t export. I’d test it, but being able to actually use imported playlists won't work until at least the end of the month update. The previous S2 app auto-updated any playlists when the library was scanned - no Apple Music Library export necessary. But that was back when it was possible to add that library without creating a fake NAS. Sigh.

Apple Music Library user
Ken_Griffiths

There should be a ‘scan’ option - to get the index updated?

There is, but that will only access the exported xml file - not the Music Playlists that I update but don’t export. I’d test it, but being able to actually use imported playlists won't work until at least the end of the month update. The previous S2 app auto-updated any playlists when the library was scanned - no Apple Music Library export necessary. But that was back when it was possible to add that library without creating a fake NAS. Sigh.

I’m slightly confused - you were initially referring to Apple playlists held in the library.xml file that are viewable in the MSP service in the Sonos App. If those are altered, in iTunes etc. then you need to export the changed library.xml file and re-index to see the changes in the Sonos App, or are you now referring to Sonos saved playlists that you create and save in the Sonos App? If it’s the latter, the playlists cannot be edited at the moment, as that is a feature not in the App at the moment. Playlist editing is coming soon however as mentioned in this Sonos Support link…

https://support.sonos.com/en-us/article/the-new-sonos-app-and-future-feature-updates

K
Userlevel 2
Badge +3

There should be a ‘scan’ option - to get the index updated?

There is, but that will only access the exported xml file - not the Music Playlists that I update but don’t export. I’d test it, but being able to actually use imported playlists won't work until at least the end of the month update. The previous S2 app auto-updated any playlists when the library was scanned - no Apple Music Library export necessary. But that was back when it was possible to add that library without creating a fake NAS. Sigh.

I’m slightly confused - you were initially referring to Apple playlists held in the library.xml file that are viewable in the MSP service in the Sonos App. If those are altered, in iTunes etc. then you need to export the changed library.xml file and re-index to see the changes in the Sonos App, or are you now referring to Sonos saved playlists that you create and save in the Sonos App? If it’s the latter, the playlists cannot be edited at the moment, as that is a feature not in the App at the moment. Playlist editing is coming soon however as mentioned in this Sonos Support link…

https://support.sonos.com/en-us/article/the-new-sonos-app-and-future-feature-updates

Sorry for the confusion. Back in the good old days, my music library was added via the “add music library” desktop option. I set the library to scan daily, and any changes I made to my Apple Music library were applied with the next scan.

That disappeared with the new app, and I was eventually able to get my music back by following the steps to set it up as a fake NAS. I got my playlists back by exporting them from Apple Music (Export Library), renaming the xml file as ITunes Music Library, and moving it to a folder named iTunes that I added directly to my music files. Lather, rinse, and repeat every time I added a song or made any other changes. Then rescan my music library in Sonos.

I was hoping that the addition of local library support would return me to those simpler days, but it appears that is not going to happen. At this point, the best I can hope for is being able to access my imported playlists again.

Apple Music Library user
Ken_Griffiths

I’m slightly confused - you were initially referring to Apple playlists held in the library.xml file that are viewable in the MSP service in the Sonos App. If those are altered, in iTunes etc. then you need to export the changed library.xml file and re-index to see the changes in the Sonos App, or are you now referring to Sonos saved playlists that you create and save in the Sonos App? If it’s the latter, the playlists cannot be edited at the moment, as that is a feature not in the App at the moment. Playlist editing is coming soon however as mentioned in this Sonos Support link…

https://support.sonos.com/en-us/article/the-new-sonos-app-and-future-feature-updates

Sorry for the confusion. Back in the good old days, my music library was added via the “add music library” desktop option. I set the library to scan daily, and any changes I made to my Apple Music library were applied with the next scan.

That disappeared with the new app, and I was eventually able to get my music back by following the steps to set it up as a fake NAS. I got my playlists back by exporting them from Apple Music (Export Library), renaming the xml file as ITunes Music Library, and moving it to a folder named iTunes that I added directly to my music files. Lather, rinse, and repeat every time I added a song or made any other changes. Then rescan my music library in Sonos.

I was hoping that the addition of local library support would return me to those simpler days, but it appears that is not going to happen. At this point, the best I can hope for is being able to access my imported playlists again.

Okay I now understand, but according to this Sonos Support link here… 

https://support.sonos.com/en-us/article/itunes-playlists-missing-from-sonos-library-on-usb-drive

… what you’re saying should be working now in the Sonos App. If it isn’t working for you, then I would perhaps report it to Sonos support for them to investigate further. As I mentioned earlier I don’t use the library.xml file for my playlists as I find it a little restrictive, but by all accounts the .xml playlists should be working for you.

rosswells127
Userlevel 7
Badge +8

@Ken_Griffiths @krez56 

Just FYI. Firmware 16.3 has a problem with imported playlists via the XML file. According to @Corry P Sonos are aware of it and will hopefully be providing a fix. See below thread.

Ross.

 

 

C
Userlevel 1

... simply renaming the file extension...

Sorry, I didn't mean I did so. Of course, the .m3u file was created by the export function of the Apple Music application.

A new Sonos App. is coming ? I’ll wait …. and see.

Have a good day.

K
Userlevel 2
Badge +3

... simply renaming the file extension...

Sorry, I didn't mean I did so. Of course, the .m3u file was created by the export function of the Apple Music application.

A new Sonos App. is coming ? I’ll wait …. and see.

Have a good day.

Yeah, tried that myself. No go.

Apple Music Library user
K
Userlevel 2
Badge +3

Okay I now understand, but according to this Sonos Support link here… 

https://support.sonos.com/en-us/article/itunes-playlists-missing-from-sonos-library-on-usb-drive

… what you’re saying should be working now in the Sonos App. If it isn’t working for you, then I would perhaps report it to Sonos support for them to investigate further. As I mentioned earlier I don’t use the library.xml file for my playlists as I find it a little restrictive, but by all accounts the .xml playlists should be working for you.

“Note that you will need to repeat the steps each time you update your Sonos music library.” That is the part I was really hoping would no longer be necessary. Back in the pre-update days, there was no need to keep repeating those steps every time I updated my library.

My Music Library remains on my internal HD. It is set up as a NAS in Sonos only because that is the only way I can get the new app to recognize it.

Hoping that the unable to browse playlist issue is resolved soon, and not continuously delayed.

Thank you for trying.

Apple Music Library user
C
Userlevel 1

Hi,

after some attempts, .m3u playlists from Apple Music application are fully recognised.

But …

_ I have to export them one by one, I haven't managed to get a global export that works

_ so, I will have to update my playlists in .m3u every time something is new in my music library

_ the import “My music file” function in Sonos Mac application has become non-functional and useless

It's not completely satisfactory and a bit disappointing.

Have a nice day

D
Userlevel 1
Badge

Help!

 

Prior to the July 22nd Sonos Software update, i was able to access my local music library on my MacBook via the NAS workaround that was outlined here.  Not ideal, but at least I could stream my music from my MacBook (but not my iPhone).  I was also able to see my playlists (again, from my MacBook, not from my iPhone).

 

After the July 22nd update I tried the old method of connecting my Music Library to Sonos (using Manage > Music Library Settings to point Sonos at my music directory on my MacBook)...since I understood that supposedly the new release had fixed this issue...but again I got the 913 error (so much for their claim that they were fixing this problem)

 

What’s worse, the July 22nd update seems to have broken the NAS work-around.  I have tried to use the NAS workaround to access my Music Library.  Sonos tells me it is indexing my music...but then I get an error telling me the music library is no longer available...the device where the music is stored may not be powered on (it is) or the path may have changed (is has not).  I seem to recall I had this error a few times before but then it went away and I was able to successfully use the NAS workaround to access my music.

 

Any suggestions...other than throwing away my Sonos gear, which I am getting close to doing?

 

thanks!

G
Userlevel 4
Badge +3

Yay!  Just performed a SONOS update and now my library is functional again!  This is finally some great news!

G
Badge +2

Yay!  Just performed a SONOS update and now my library is functional again!  This is finally some great news!

Gm - If applicable, did your Imported Playlists also transition as they were before? Thanks.

W

There is a reported bug fix coming mid-June 2024. If you can’t wait until then…

(I did this running Sonoma 14.4.1) And thanks to folks in a separate thread on the details - just tried to put them all in one place.

I made a video of the process if you prefer that way: https://youtu.be/kjhKhDuvgDY


Part 1 - Set up the share (System Settings/Preferences)

  1. Open System Settings (in earlier MacOS it’s called System Preferences).
    • Click on the apple in top left of your screen to find that option.
  2. Choose General
  3. Select **Sharing**.
  4. Enable **File Sharing**
  5. Click the "i" symbol
  6. Click the "+" symbol.
  7. Add a shared folder by choosing the folder where your music is stored and selecting Open
    • The name of the folder here will be the ShareName that you’ll use in Part 3.
  8. Under ‘users’, confirm that the list includes an ‘everyone’ option, and that you set ‘everyone’ to *Read Only* at a minimum (or “Read & Write”)
  9. Ensure the customer's account is set to **Read & Write**
    • I’m not 100% sure ‘customer’s account’, but I took it to mean the account I login with on the computer.
  10. Click the Options button
  11. Ensure that both SMB and the customer's account below are checked and choose Done. 

Part 2 - Find your computer’s name

  1. At the bottom (or sometimes top in earlier versions of macOS) of the Sharing page, you’ll see Local hostname. Everything before the .local is the hostname. Copy that down - that will be your MacName that you’ll need in Part 3.

 

Part 3 - Add the share to Sonos

  1. Open the Sonos app on your mac.
  2. Choose Manage > Music Library Settings
  3. Choose the + for your music folders.
  4. Instead of ‘another folder or drive’, choose Networked Device
  5. Type the network path name when prompted, and press Next. The format will be \\MacName\ShareName
    • Remember the ShareName and MacName you captured earlier? This is where you’ll use them. Make sure the \ are the right ones (not /, but \).
  6. Enter the Mac username and password. The password is the same as when you login opening your laptop.
    • If you’re not sure about the username, you can find it this way:
      • Open an app called ‘Terminal’ on your macbook. (Go into Launchpad and type ‘term’ and it’ll show up)
      • Type whoami and press enter. 
      • The result that shows is your username. (e.g. Perhaps my computer shows my login name as Salami Slices but my username technically is different (salamislices)). Copy and paste that into the username that Sonos is asking for.
  1. If that doesn’t work, someone had mentioned trying the following:
    • From System Settings, on left side, choose ‘users and groups’
    • Click on the ‘i’ next to Guest User
    • Enable “Allow guest users to connect to shared folders” and choose OK.
    • Now, from Sonos app, when get prompted for username and password, leave them blank and just choose enter.
      • The idea is it would treat it as a guest and since gave access to guests, will work.

 

I’d like to thank you. I am not a tekkie person and had to watch your video a few times, and made a few attempts but after months of not having any music library this was the perfect fix.  its so nice to have a fully function Sonos system again, just so scared now when receiving updates incase I go back to square one.  But forever grateful to you.

 

 

T

Genius! Thank you so much for this.

An added tip: Having looked up my Mac User Name with ‘whoami’ (“chrisodell$”) I tried this three times unsuccessfully, but when I changed my User Name to the one I usually use to log in (“Chris Odell”), it worked!

It took a while to index my library, but everything is now there. The only oddity is under “Imported Playlists”, where I get a load of Playlists with titles of 30-odd characters with interspersed hyphens. I will see if this corrects itself overnight, and report back tomorrow.

But thanks again ‘salami slices’

(I have saved a copy of your instructions and link to YouTube so I can repeat the process after the next Sonos ‘update’)

T

Well, my weird playlists are still there, and are not playable, but I can live with that.

Thanks again for the fix.

K
Userlevel 2
Badge +3

If you are using OSX Music or iTunes, try exporting your music library as an xml file. Rename it ITunes Music Library.xml and put it in a new folder named iTunes. Put that directly into your music folder and update your music library in Sonos.

 

Apple Music Library user
U
Userlevel 1
Badge

I’m at my wit’s end. I’ve tried everything suggested here and in other threads, and the new app is still a mess, leaving me unable to use the speakers as intended.

 

I shared my music folder and was eventually able to add my music library (using the networked device work-around). But none of my Apple Music playlists show up under Imported Playlists. Anyone have any other suggestions?

 

Is there a reasonable chance that Sonos will yet fix this? Or are they “done” with this particular issue?

 

Mac running Sonoma 14.5 (23F79). Sonos desktop app 16.3, build 80155014

Android phone running Android 14, build AP2A.240705.004, Sonos phone app 80.05.07 release 20240726.6f910fe

 

Edited to add: I’ve tried the suggestion above, multiple times now. I’ve even tried putting the xml file in multiple different places and have re-indexed the music library each time. No go.

O

 

Thanks for all this help, it seems that I may have gotten this all to work as expected again for my circumstances, fingers crossed, hope this makes someone else’s day like it just did mine!

  • MacOS Sonoma 14.6 recently updated on Mac Studio
  • Sonos Controller for Mac (desktop) 16.3 / S2 / Build 80155014 (latest version I believe)
  • Music app (not iTunes) for our playlists and all music files

 

I had to get the permissions right in the MacOS first as described here:

https://support.sonos.com/en-us/article/share-your-macos-music-folder-with-sonos

  • Importantly - the path to your directory was not quite clearly described in that link above (it’s not just “\\Hostname\Folder Name\”), what worked for me is the full extended path--I don’t know the precise OS terms for each of these parts but the full path seems to work. Some screenshots below to help clarify. I think this would be a generic description
    • \\<Local Hostname>\<Computer Name>\Users\<user account>\Music
  • So my specific path all added up to be:
    • \\Astra.local\Astra HD\Users\alexisben\Music

So when adding the music library in Sonos, as described here:

https://support.sonos.com/en-us/article/add-your-music-library-to-sonos

  • Under “Add your music library in the Sonos app / Sonos apps for macOS or Windows”
  • Used the Networked device (ex. NAS drive) option, not “My Music Folder” or “Another folder...”
    • Entered my specific full path…
      • \\Astra.local\Astra HD\Users\alexisben\Music
  • Enter the login credentials that I use to log into this computer

It took awhile for it to index everything, my music folders showed up first, and the playlists took about an hour (we have about 6,000 songs/600 albums/30 playlists with a few thousand songs total in all of the playlists, just for an example of scale). But it all worked and all of those updates also now show up on my iPhone so it looks like I have full control again both on the desktop and my phone… fingers crossed they don’t re-update everything and break this!

 

MacOS System Settings / General / Sharing / File Sharing (info button)

 

This is where I saw my specific Local Hostname, circled in red at bottom:

MacOS System Settings / General / Sharing

 

I navigated to my Music folder in the MacOS finder, this is the full path shown there (this is at the bottom of a finder window when you have “Show Path Bar” selected from the Finder / View menu)

 

Good luck all y’all!!

 

D
Userlevel 1
Badge

I am extremely frustrated to report that this workaround is no longer working for me. When I attempted to update the Sonos music library to reflect changes to my Music playlists, it failed each time. I attempted to re-add the file share following the same steps as before, and at first it appears as if it’s going to work:

 

However, at the end of the lengthy updating/indexing process, I consistently get this error:

‘//derochir2020mac/Music’ is no longer available. The device where the music files are stored may not be powered on, or the path may have changed.
Go to Settings / System / Music Library > Music Library Setup to check the path.

 

I have the latest version of the Sonos Mac Controller version 16.3 (build 80155014) running on Sonoma 14.6.1 (23G93).

I can’t figure out what has changed. The solution has worked for the last few months and not this.

Is anyone else running into this new challenge?

 

D
Userlevel 1
Badge

Yes...I am having the same issue, which I posted above  I have found threads here and here that seem to reference the same issue...but I am not seeing any solutions anywhere unfortunately.

A

I went through the settings change on here assisted by the Sonos Chat and it worked. It says its updating the music but lets see if it works.

I am really dissapointed I have had to do this if i am honest. It should be automotic and part of the app.

 

M
Userlevel 3
Badge

There is a reported bug fix coming mid-June 2024. If you can’t wait until then…

(I did this running Sonoma 14.4.1) And thanks to folks in a separate thread on the details - just tried to put them all in one place.

I made a video of the process if you prefer that way: https://youtu.be/kjhKhDuvgDY


Part 1 - Set up the share (System Settings/Preferences)

  1. Open System Settings (in earlier MacOS it’s called System Preferences).
    • Click on the apple in top left of your screen to find that option.
  2. Choose General
  3. Select **Sharing**.
  4. Enable **File Sharing**
  5. Click the "i" symbol
  6. Click the "+" symbol.
  7. Add a shared folder by choosing the folder where your music is stored and selecting Open
    • The name of the folder here will be the ShareName that you’ll use in Part 3.
  8. Under ‘users’, confirm that the list includes an ‘everyone’ option, and that you set ‘everyone’ to *Read Only* at a minimum (or “Read & Write”)
  9. Ensure the customer's account is set to **Read & Write**
    • I’m not 100% sure ‘customer’s account’, but I took it to mean the account I login with on the computer.
  10. Click the Options button
  11. Ensure that both SMB and the customer's account below are checked and choose Done. 

Part 2 - Find your computer’s name

  1. At the bottom (or sometimes top in earlier versions of macOS) of the Sharing page, you’ll see Local hostname. Everything before the .local is the hostname. Copy that down - that will be your MacName that you’ll need in Part 3.

 

Part 3 - Add the share to Sonos

  1. Open the Sonos app on your mac.
  2. Choose Manage > Music Library Settings
  3. Choose the + for your music folders.
  4. Instead of ‘another folder or drive’, choose Networked Device
  5. Type the network path name when prompted, and press Next. The format will be \\MacName\ShareName
    • Remember the ShareName and MacName you captured earlier? This is where you’ll use them. Make sure the \ are the right ones (not /, but \).
  6. Enter the Mac username and password. The password is the same as when you login opening your laptop.
    • If you’re not sure about the username, you can find it this way:
      • Open an app called ‘Terminal’ on your macbook. (Go into Launchpad and type ‘term’ and it’ll show up)
      • Type whoami and press enter. 
      • The result that shows is your username. (e.g. Perhaps my computer shows my login name as Salami Slices but my username technically is different (salamislices)). Copy and paste that into the username that Sonos is asking for.
  1. If that doesn’t work, someone had mentioned trying the following:
    • From System Settings, on left side, choose ‘users and groups’
    • Click on the ‘i’ next to Guest User
    • Enable “Allow guest users to connect to shared folders” and choose OK.
    • Now, from Sonos app, when get prompted for username and password, leave them blank and just choose enter.
      • The idea is it would treat it as a guest and since gave access to guests, will work.

 

Unfortunately, this work around no longer works after the latest update. I am now receiving a playlist import error at the very best (no matter what I try), which leaves the whole Music Library folder in the Sonos controller empty. And all this after having spent hours last time to add my Music Library in Sonoma before, and having spent hours with Sonos support to find another workaround for my TV sound connection, as one of their updates also broke the optical cable support. You figure….. Any ideas?

Ken_Griffiths

Unfortunately, this work around no longer works after the latest update. I am now receiving a playlist import error at the very best (no matter what I try), which leaves the whole Music Library folder in the Sonos controller empty. And all this after having spent hours last time to add my Music Library in Sonoma before, and having spent hours with Sonos support to find another workaround for my TV sound connection, as one of their updates also broke the optical cable support. You figure….. Any ideas?

You mention a ‘playlist’ error - have you tried excluding the playlists to see if that might fix things, or try a different shared folder with just a few tracks in it, just as a test, to see if that may work for you, in case there’s something in the library itself that’s causing a problem?

S
Badge

Hi again, everyone. 

I’m now getting a “unable to add...1002” error.  Has anyone worked through this recently?

Thanks in advance,

Joe

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