Skip to main content

Mobile app cant find a song but the PC app can.

  • February 7, 2026
  • 17 replies
  • 95 views

Forum|alt.badge.img+1

My iPhone app will not locate a song I know is in my library.  I can go to it via artist or album. But this involves knowing what track is on which album. The PC app goes straight to the song. I’ve tried reindexing from my phone but no joy. Any ideas gratefully received. 

17 replies

controlav
Forum|alt.badge.img+24
  • Lead Maestro
  • February 7, 2026

How exactly are you trying to find it?


Forum|alt.badge.img+1
  • Author
  • Trending Lyricist I
  • February 7, 2026

Using the search box. Type the song title. Says no results for that song. 


controlav
Forum|alt.badge.img+24
  • Lead Maestro
  • February 8, 2026

Using the search box. Type the song title. Says no results for that song. 

Ok, so which song? Or is this for ALL songs?

Can you show the results the Desktop app produces for the exact same search?


Forum|alt.badge.img+6
  • Prodigy I
  • February 8, 2026

Many posts/threads in this forum about local library indexing amd searching issues.

Fundamentally the phone apps seem shot compared to the desktop apps. They omit results/fail to return hits where the desktop apps return consistent and expected results.

Yours is probably just another example of this... we can only hope the issues will eventually be addressed.


Forum|alt.badge.img+6
  • Prodigy I
  • February 8, 2026

Just for information, search issues would seem to be specifically with the new apps on the new (well since May 2024) cloud based architecture.

Search from local clients (PC/Mac, phonos ect.) is unaltered and continues to work correctly and as expected.


Smilja
  • February 8, 2026

Just for information, search issues would seem to be specifically with the new apps on the new (well since May 2024) cloud based architecture.

 

Local library files are not uploaded into the cloud, therefore the files’ path (not the files itself) is still stored redundantly on each Sonos unit. Ergo, the search still happens within the local network.


Forum|alt.badge.img+6
  • Prodigy I
  • February 8, 2026

Just for information, search issues would seem to be specifically with the new apps on the new (well since May 2024) cloud based architecture.

 

Local library files are not uploaded into the cloud, therefore the files’ path (not the files itself) is still stored redundantly on each Sonos unit. Ergo, the search still happens within the local network.

I didn't suggest files or indeed any other information was uploaded to the cloud, I do not have that knowledge either way.

Just noting that clients operating under the new, cloud based, architecture (the phone apps) have search issues where purely local clients (computer and Phonos apps) do not... 


MoPac
Forum|alt.badge.img+18
  • Headliner III
  • February 8, 2026

 Just searched for a track in the newly updated Sonos app.  Worked just fine for my local library.  Wonder if it’s a tagging issue.  Don’t know if the search looks for the tag info or the actual file.


Forum|alt.badge.img+6
  • Prodigy I
  • February 8, 2026

@MoPac The issues are not totally uniform across all artists/tracks ect. or indeed consistent across indexing runs. Although tagging can be an issue and may be a cause it is not necessarily the problem.

The issue is in the way search is implemented across the two distinct architectures, working in one and not the other.


Forum|alt.badge.img+1
  • Author
  • Trending Lyricist I
  • February 8, 2026

Search on the app for iPhone is fine for the majority of my local library tracks. just a few so far I have trouble for. And yet as I say I can locate them going in via the album. 
The app for PC doesn't have any issues. 

I had  assumed is was the same index 


Forum|alt.badge.img+6
  • Prodigy I
  • February 8, 2026

@Rainbows End 2 Me too, what you said exactly... I also have a few errant artists as well, I'm on Android.

The Phonos app (Android & PC, both local) also works OK on 'problematic' entries too. Not found any album issues... yet!

I too assume they use the same index but... 🤷🏼‍♂️


Smilja
  • February 8, 2026

Just for information, search issues would seem to be specifically with the new apps on the new (well since May 2024) cloud based architecture.

 

Local library files are not uploaded into the cloud, therefore the files’ path (not the files itself) is still stored redundantly on each Sonos unit. Ergo, the search still happens within the local network.

I didn't suggest files or indeed any other information was uploaded to the cloud, I do not have that knowledge either way.

Just noting that clients operating under the new, cloud based, architecture (the phone apps) have search issues where purely local clients (computer and Phonos apps) do not... 

 

Not comprehensive. Nick Millington & Tom Conrad explained the (upgraded) underlying iOS / Android packets en detail on Reddit. Feel free to conduct a search.


MoPac
Forum|alt.badge.img+18
  • Headliner III
  • February 8, 2026

 Could someone in this thread give me an example of a song that fails to be found.  Maybe I have it maybe I don’t.  Just want to duplicate the issue here.  I really don’t search for tracks as a rule, but maybe I would like to be reliably able to from the IOS app at times.


Forum|alt.badge.img+6
  • Prodigy I
  • February 8, 2026

For me it changes across indexes and so seems independent of tagging (song metadata). Currently though artist Roger Waters is giving me issues. Previously, relatively recently, he has been fine and Toyah was causing problems. She is fine at the moment though…

@Smilja Can you link please, there is a LOT on reddit. Ploughing through it all for an explanation that I am not convinced will solve or allow me to fix anything is too time consuming for the potential reward... 🤓


  • Lyricist II
  • February 8, 2026

My iPhone app will not locate a song I know is in my library.  I can go to it via artist or album. But this involves knowing what track is on which album. The PC app goes straight to the song. I’ve tried reindexing from my phone but no joy. Any ideas gratefully received. 

There are already plenty of threads here about problems with local library indexing and search. At a basic level, the mobile apps just do not perform as well as the desktop apps. They often miss results or fail to return matches that the desktop versions find reliably. This sounds like another case of the same issue. Hopefully it is something that gets properly fixed in the future.


MoPac
Forum|alt.badge.img+18
  • Headliner III
  • February 8, 2026

User117655:

 I only have Roger Waters: Amused to Death.  Was able to successfully search for tracks from that album.  Love the Q-Sound on that album.


Smilja
  • February 8, 2026

@Smilja Can you link please, there is a LOT on reddit. Ploughing through it all for an explanation that I am not convinced will solve or allow me to fix anything is too time consuming for the potential reward... 🤓

 

Search for Nick Millington & Tom Conrad (“Office hours”).