Question

Is Sonos killing local libraries with these new software updates?


Userlevel 4
Badge +2

Just updated the iOS app and I don’t see any way to search or access my local library on my computer. 
 

I know this was the case when Sonos updated the search feature in the S2 app, but now it seems like there’s no “classic search” option. 
 

What’s the deal?


38 replies

Userlevel 7
Badge +21

There’s no local search on the iOS app either. Also no way of getting to artists quickly other than page scrolling. So if you have a big library you may not be listening to zz much. 
 

Sonos playlists have also gone😳

Why make things worse and reduce functionality. Clearly the customers no longer matters, it’s all about streaming and subscription services. Sad

There’s no local search on the iOS app either. Also no way of getting to artists quickly other than page scrolling. So if you have a big library you may not be listening to zz much. 
 

Sonos playlists have also gone😳

Why make things worse and reduce functionality. Clearly the customers no longer matters, it’s all about streaming and subscription services. Sad

Sonos playlists are still there .. they’re embedded in the section called “Sonos Favorites”, which probably should be titled “Sonos Favourites” for the UK market, but not worth ‘splitting hairs’ over such a minor spelling issue.

Userlevel 7
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Thanks, but can’t see a way of adding any songs to playlists. 

 

I don’t mind the look and feel but iit feels very Beta. 

Userlevel 4
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Yeah, just noticed the Music Library row under Sources. 
 

But like you said, the only way to navigate it is to scroll forever, wait for it to load, scroll more, wait, repeat until you make it to Van Halen. No one is going to do that. 

 

Sonos, this is a laughably poor implementation for Music Library users. Not being able to search your Music Library makes this feature completely unusable. 

Thanks, but can’t see a way of adding any songs to playlists. 

No I don’t see that option either, but I would think there are some features still to be implemented and the App just perhaps has core functionality at the moment, maybe Sonos are keeping things simple just to get it initially rolled out ‘worldwide’.

I think (er…hope) more features will appear later, as presumably a fair bit of the functionality is now server-side, rather than perhaps running on the client device.

Userlevel 2

all my playlists are gone and I’m unable to create new ones. Shocking update.

Userlevel 6
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@HarryBW Luckily I have an iPad that I haven’t updated from the last version. The Sonos Playlists are still there, you just can’t access them from the abortion that is the new app.

Userlevel 2

wayneo123 I still have the old app on iMac but even there playlists are no longer to be found.

Userlevel 6
Badge +3

That’s weird, I can see them in the old app and play them to. I can also access them via an app I have built ie:

I will be using this going forward rather that the appalling sonos app.

Userlevel 6
Badge +5

I have my library on a NAS and have installed Plex along side. It is able to catalogue the same files in situ. Two big benefits:

  • Sonos has a Plex plug-in so I can now play my local music as well as have it included in searches
  • The Plex app works just fine playing to Sonos (if you have a Plex Pass) and has all the features that are currently missing from the Sonos app.

Worth trying as we have no idea how long it will take Sonos to get basic capabilities like library search and play-next working again.

Userlevel 5
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Running Plex on the NAS is actually the best workaround so far, thanks for this answer. 

Userlevel 4
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Running Plex on the NAS is actually the best workaround so far, thanks for this answer. 

 

Except you have to run Plex. No thanks :-( 

 

Running Plex on the NAS is actually the best workaround so far, thanks for this answer. 

 

Except you have to run Plex. No thanks :-( 

There’s nothing wrong with running Plex on a local NAS box.. I’ve used that for a few years now. It works well for me.

Userlevel 5
Badge +1

There’s nothing wrong with running Plex on a local NAS box.. I’ve used that for a few years now. It works well for me.

Understandably this adds quite a lot of overhead and remote connections for a feature that worked well before locally. But this appears to be the best alternative currently, since it does not seem we will get local library search before several months, if ever.

Userlevel 4
Badge +2

Running Plex on the NAS is actually the best workaround so far, thanks for this answer. 

 

Except you have to run Plex. No thanks :-( 

There’s nothing wrong with running Plex on a local NAS box.. I’ve used that for a few years now. It works well for me.


I don’t like Plex, for many reasons. I migrated from it to Jellyfin a couple of years ago.  But regardless, I shouldn’t need to run either of them just to get back basic functionality that Sonos have deigned to remove from the app:( 

Userlevel 1

Primarily I use my sonos to listen to my local music library.  Now I can’t even search for music in my library!!!!  Big boo from me.  I’m generally not one to complain, but I’ve been a vocal advocate of sonos to friends for years, and the removal of a local search feature is causing me to look for an alternative speaker system.  Really angry right now.

Userlevel 1
Badge +3

I’m Sonos user since 2007, that means 17 years (!). With a lot of devices now and in the past. And I was fine with the S1 and S2 change, etc.

But the last decisions, including esp. the new app is so Incomprehensible bad, that I really can imagine, how you and your colleague ever came to the conclusion, that all this are good ideas for the future of Sonos.

For me one of the main parts are local music on NAS. The only way in 2007 and the foundation of Sonos.

So whoever came to the idea, to hide the local music in the app and completely remove the possibility to search in local music, really don’t have the Sonos DNA in their mind it is offending a lot and esp. the most faithful and loyal Sonos users.

I have still a lot of devices in S1-ring and was going to change them and replace several of them (old amps, and players) to switch completely to S2. Do you really thing that I will only buy one single new device with such Sonos strategy and App moves? Never ever!

Unhappy at the state of the search.  I am a local music user and the app is becoming impossible to use fluently.  It's an embarrassment.  I have held off buying gear for some time and will continue to hold off.

Userlevel 6
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I have been forced to buy the sonoPhone app so I have a working app on my phone (iOS so I can’t downgrade). I have switched off auto app updates on my ipad and also switched off firmware updates on my hardware.

Will slowly migrate away from sonos as they clearly cannot be trusted to provide a level of service that aligns with the premium costs of their hardware.

Userlevel 1

I have just updated my Sonos app & now my Imported Playlists (from iTunes) are not showing up -  If I can’t do that anymore, bye bye Sonos, will never use you again. 

Userlevel 1
Badge +3

No I don’t see that option either, but I would think there are some features still to be implemented and the App just perhaps has core functionality at the moment, maybe Sonos are keeping things simple just to get it initially rolled out ‘worldwide’.

I think (er…hope) more features will appear later, as presumably a fair bit of the functionality is now server-side, rather than perhaps running on the client device.


Isn’t that what beta testing is for though? Surely they shouldn’t replace a functioning app with a semi-functioning update with half the normal options missing? 

I can’t find any way at all to access my local library on the Android version of the Sonos app; even under Sonos Favorites it shows my imported local playlists as greyed out so can’t be accessed, and when I search for an artist that I know I have locally it only brings up options for streaming services. 

This is a terrible decision! It completely changes your Sonos system if I can suddenly no longer access the music and playlists I have been painstakingly collecting and creating for years! 

Thankfully I can still currently access my local collection and playlists as before in the Windows Desktop app, but how long before they update (cripple!) that as well?

Shocking move by Sonos. I’ve been invested in Sonos for well over 10 years, but this could be the end for me if they don’t correct this very bad mistake. 


Isn’t that what beta testing is for though? Surely they shouldn’t replace a functioning app with a semi-functioning update with half the normal options missing? 

I can’t find any way at all to access my local library on the Android version of the Sonos app; even under Sonos Favorites it shows my imported local playlists as greyed out so can’t be accessed, and when I search for an artist that I know I have locally it only brings up options for streaming services. 
 

Just to maybe assist @Emanef, your local library should there in the new Android controller App - it’s listed under the section called “Your Sources” on the main screen. If not, then check that the library is shared using the SMB protocol v2, or higher.

Userlevel 1
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There is no “Your sources” on the main screen for me; it is just “Recently Played”, “Your Services” and the incorrectly spelt “Sonos Favorites”, and a search & browse bar at the bottom, that is literally it, just three sections plus search/browse (which only searches or browses streaming services). 

My music library is on a network share on my Synology NAS with SMB set to minimum SMB2, maximum SMB2 (setting it to SMB3 max seems to cause issues with Sonos accessing the shares)

I don’t think SMB is the issue - as I mentioned, I can see it all through my Sonos desktop app on Windows and they play fine. It’s like this on both my Google Pixel 8 Pro and my older Samsung Galaxy S6 tab. 

Update: I have checked on my wife’s oldish iPad and the iOS app does have the Your Sources as you say, so maybe it’s the Android one it’s missing from? 

There is no “Your sources” on the main screen for me; it is just “Recently Played”, “Your Services” and the incorrectly spelt “Sonos Favorites”, and a search & browse bar at the bottom, that is literally it, just three sections plus search/browse (which only searches or browses streaming services). 

My music library is on a network share on my Synology NAS with SMB set to minimum SMB2, maximum SMB2 (setting it to SMB3 max seems to cause issues with Sonos accessing the shares)

I don’t think SMB is the issue - as I mentioned, I can see it all through my Sonos desktop app on Windows and they play fine. It’s like this on both my Google Pixel 8 Pro and my older Samsung Galaxy S6 tab. 

Update: I have checked on my wife’s oldish iPad and the iOS app does have the Your Sources as you say, so maybe it’s the Android one it’s missing from? 

I have the ‘Your Sources’ area and the Music Library on my `Android tablet, so it’s probably not that either🤔? See screenshot.

Have you perhaps tried signing out/in on the App and have you given the App permission to access the LAN? It sounds like the authority to access the local network is perhaps the issue here.🤞

Hope you can sort it.👍

Userlevel 7
Badge +14

There is no “Your sources” on the main screen for me; it is just “Recently Played”, “Your Services” and the incorrectly spelt “Sonos Favorites”, and a search & browse bar at the bottom, that is literally it, just three sections plus search/browse (which only searches or browses streaming services). 

My music library is on a network share on my Synology NAS with SMB set to minimum SMB2, maximum SMB2 (setting it to SMB3 max seems to cause issues with Sonos accessing the shares)

I don’t think SMB is the issue - as I mentioned, I can see it all through my Sonos desktop app on Windows and they play fine. It’s like this on both my Google Pixel 8 Pro and my older Samsung Galaxy S6 tab. 

Update: I have checked on my wife’s oldish iPad and the iOS app does have the Your Sources as you say, so maybe it’s the Android one it’s missing from? 

I have the ‘Your Sources’ area and the Music Library on my `Android tablet, so it’s probably not that either🤔? See screenshot.

Have you perhaps tried signing out/in on the App and have you given the App permission to access the LAN? It sounds like the authority to access the local network is perhaps the issue here.🤞

Hope you can sort it.👍

I’m seeing my local library link appearing and disappearing. 
The app needs LAN access to talk to the speakers so if you can see the Sonos devices it shouldn’t be a permission issue AFAICT. 

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