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Personal music library features removed in the new May 7 2024 app version

The new “improved” app version seemed to wreck all of the features that made a personal music library on Sonos usable. Two major problems:

  1. There is no way to search your own personal music library anymore
  2. Browsing your personal music library is extremely painful if you have thousands of albums. We used to be able to zoom in by first letter. Now if you want something beginning with a “T”, you have to scroll through hundreds of screens worth from “A”.

Has anyone found a workaround for these?

I know Sonos has been optimizing for streaming services these days. But completely abandoning support for your own hosted music library was not what I expected.

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108 replies

N
Userlevel 5
Badge +10

If your speakers are of a certain vintage then your best bet for local library listening would be a return to S1. I did this and I am very pleased with the results. LLL went downhill along with logical layout of the App when S2 was introduced. I have one speaker out of nine I cannot use now - a Roam but I can connect to that as a Bluetooth speaker so a small price to pay. 

Sounds like a retrograde step but trust me it is anything but. S1 has made my system useable again and has put the fun back in using Sonos.

Even if they fix the App I won't be upgrading. I am now exactly where I want to be.

busy trying to edit the queue
T
Userlevel 2

New version of the app removed library functioning completely. So I sideloaded the old version. Now I can't index my music library because the app tells me it has to update to do that. But the update doesn't allow that functionality.

Sonos help page says use the Windows app as a workaround. Bit presumptuous that I have a windows system, Sonos.

Unacceptable. 

Question on this - the Windows desktop controller now doesn’t allow music library functions (indexing etc); so when you mention Windows app, is there a Windows Store app they’re referring to?

The Windows Sonos app downloaded from the Microsoft App Store does allow music library functions (which then makes them accessible on the iOS app).  See my earlier post that explains this.  To recap, to overcome the error when trying to add a music folder to index, use the computer IP address instead of the netbios name of the computer.  After that everything works exactly as it did before.  It has been working fine again for me since I made that change and posted about it.

C
Userlevel 1

This would all be somewhat forgivable were it not for the fact that they did this to us all when they discontinued support for the older products.  It was not until everyone noted their complete and utter discontent that they agreed to continue to provide updates to S1.

 

Like so many here I think that it’s ridiculous that I should have to fire up my laptop or go downstairs to my desktop should I decide to listen to some of my own music while in bed!  What makes this even worse for me is that they did this only months after I paid thousands to update all of my Sonoses!  Now I’ve got everyone in the house complaining to me that they can no longer access their music because of my update!!!
 

I’m not impressed and even feel betrayed by Sonos.  It’s not as it they produce the cheapest (or perhaps even the best sounding) product out there.
 

For Sonos, this was an especially foolish move when one considers that products like Wiim Amp offer the same kind of functionality as Sonos for less money! 
 

I suggest that we all show our discontent by urging everyone we know to avoid Sonos products, including the new headphones that they would like us all to buy, until they put it right.

.

Chris 

 

R

There is not a Windows Store app.  They are referring to the “Sonos Controller for PC”, a downloadable file from Sonos.  Sounds like you might already have it?  When it was recently updated, it broke the music library functions (indexing, etc.).  However, as I described on my first post on this thread: 

Their support technician was able help make some changes in my network settings to get Sonos Controller for PC to see and use the music library as it worked before.  They state that these changes will come in a future upgrade, but if you cannot wait until then you can ask them to assist. 

S
Userlevel 3
Badge +2

New version of the app removed library functioning completely. So I sideloaded the old version. Now I can't index my music library because the app tells me it has to update to do that. But the update doesn't allow that functionality.

Sonos help page says use the Windows app as a workaround. Bit presumptuous that I have a windows system, Sonos.

Unacceptable. 

Question on this - the Windows desktop controller now doesn’t allow music library functions (indexing etc); so when you mention Windows app, is there a Windows Store app they’re referring to?

I've never used the Windows Store for anything ever. The app I mean is simply the same one I've always used. It updated but didn't remove any functionality and it still looks the same. So I don't know. 

S

The new “improved” app version seemed to wreck all of the features that made a personal music library on Sonos usable. Two major problems:

  1. There is no way to search your own personal music library anymore
  2. Browsing your personal music library is extremely painful if you have thousands of albums. We used to be able to zoom in by first letter. Now if you want something beginning with a “T”, you have to scroll through hundreds of screens worth from “A”.

Has anyone found a workaround for these?

I know Sonos has been optimizing for streaming services these days. But completely abandoning support for your own hosted music library was not what I expected.

This has also put me off Sonos, I think they will loose loads of customers if they don’t fix this fast!

C
Badge

Can any one help please.

i have just upgraded?my Sonos app. I have lost my music library on all my Apple devices! There is no facility to add my music files to the Sonos app. Does any one know of a fix or an app for Apple devices to allow me to listen to my own music? I am not technical sp it would need to be fairly idiot proof. I do not have access to any other devices, android or windows.

Thanks

S
Userlevel 4
Badge +2

Can any one help please.

i have just upgraded?my Sonos app. I have lost my music library on all my Apple devices! There is no facility to add my music files to the Sonos app. Does any one know of a fix or an app for Apple devices to allow me to listen to my own music? I am not technical sp it would need to be fairly idiot proof. I do not have access to any other devices, android or windows.

Thanks

If it helps, the CEO of Sonos says that the customer base will just have to adapt to this downgraded upgrade. So, have you tried adapting? You can email him for clarification if you'd like.

M
Userlevel 1
Badge +1

Still can’t believe what the inbreds have done, so glad I still have 10 of my speakers on the S1 App - works a dream 🙏


P.S. The S1 app is still available on all app stores 😉

S
Userlevel 4
Badge +2

Still can’t believe what the inbreds have done, so glad I still have 10 of my speakers on the S1 App - works a dream 🙏


P.S. The S1 app is still available on all app stores 😉

Yeah. My play 5 from 2004 still works. I imagine our short-term future will see Sonos stuff being like cars. The classic models are loved and cherished but the newer stuff is just junk built to die fast and be replaced by more junk Built To Die fast.

 

The definition of frat boy progress.

A

Gah!! I just spent an hour of my Saturday trying to add my music library on NAS only to fail. What has Sonos done? They are my speakers, not theirs. 

S
Userlevel 1

Another pissed customer here. The latest Sonos app on my iPhone can’t find my music library on my NAS drive anymore. I bought the system because of this feature and now it is gone. I should have my money back.

P

Allegedly, Sonos say that this will be fixed with an update in June. However, my question remains, why would Sonos knowingly put out this latest update with this huge dysfunctional issue, of not being able to access a computer’s iTunes music library? My suspicion is that they were/are testing the waters for the app to be exclusively geared towards streaming services. It all seems to be a bit insidious. I hope I’m wrong!! I have over 3k of music that I am currently locked out of on my numerous Sonos devices.

jgatie

Allegedly, Sonos say that this will be fixed with an update in June. However, my question remains, why would Sonos knowingly put out this latest update with this huge dysfunctional issue, of not being able to access a computer’s iTunes music library? My suspicion is that they were/are testing the waters for the app to be exclusively geared towards streaming services. It all seems to be a bit insidious. I hope I’m wrong!! I have over 3k of music that I am currently locked out of on my numerous Sonos devices.

 

Besides their own Sonos Radio, Sonos makes no income from streaming services.  Don’t suspect conspiracy when the answer is right in front of your face.  This release was rushed because they needed to push out the new headphones and Roam 2 in time for the end of the fiscal year.  That’s a far more reasonable (but still stupid) motive than Sonos wanting to push people towards streaming services it makes no money from. 

E
Userlevel 3
Badge +2

Allegedly, Sonos say that this will be fixed with an update in June. However, my question remains, why would Sonos knowingly put out this latest update with this huge dysfunctional issue, of not being able to access a computer’s iTunes music library? My suspicion is that they were/are testing the waters for the app to be exclusively geared towards streaming services. It all seems to be a bit insidious. I hope I’m wrong!! I have over 3k of music that I am currently locked out of on my numerous Sonos devices.

 

Besides their own Sonos Radio, Sonos makes no income from streaming services.  Don’t suspect conspiracy when the answer is right in front of your face.  This release was rushed because they needed to push out the new headphones and Roam 2 in time for the end of the fiscal year.  That’s a far more reasonable (but still stupid) motive than Sonos wanting to push people towards streaming services it makes no money from. 

That’s true, but Sonos probably also made the conscious decision not to direct resources towards an increasingly small segment of the market (NAS users) and to instead focus those resources where the growth potential is (streaming users).

jgatie

That’s true, but Sonos probably also made the conscious decision not to direct resources towards an increasingly small segment of the market (NAS users) and to instead focus those resources where the growth potential is (streaming users).

 

Not even that.  Sonos caved to the few, but loud, posters in the long standing threads preaching doom and gloom over the use of SMB v1, despite there never being a documented case of any Sonos device being hacked due to SMB v1.  That’s 95% of the users who lost access to their local libraries.  The other 5% is probably the network errors we see every update due to wonky router allocation tables.  

 

F
Userlevel 2

The new “improved” app version seemed to wreck all of the features that made a personal music library on Sonos usable. Two major problems:

  1. There is no way to search your own personal music library anymore
  2. Browsing your personal music library is extremely painful if you have thousands of albums. We used to be able to zoom in by first letter. Now if you want something beginning with a “T”, you have to scroll through hundreds of screens worth from “A”.

Has anyone found a workaround for these?

I know Sonos has been optimizing for streaming services these days. But completely abandoning support for your own hosted music library was not what I expected.

  They say they will have this personal library function back up by mid-June. Why would this take 6 weeks? It is entirely possible they are working through the programming and legal process of encrypting our music files to a Sonos only format network wide like iTunes did. The encryption program will likely be installed to run independent of the Sonos App and have a “corrective” program that will upload and reinstall the encryption if it is disabled. This way they can hold our music for ransom or even ruin/delete our music libraries. Sonos has demonstrated they are both capable and willing to take ownership of our systems and to force us to use kiddie-play marketing streaming services. You might as well grow a man bun and use a pair of cheap wired ear buds.

  While my Sonos system in its current state in not useable, I have taken the opportunity to tidy up my audio files and move them to a Linux machine and a cold (i.e. unplugged) drive. I will use a laptop that has never run Sonos to download any more music. This way, Sonos can encrypt all they like and never have access to my master library files. In the meantime, I am searching for a Linux based alternative like Kubi.

S

I did manage to find a workaround to get back access to my music library. My NAS is a WD MyCoud, already running Plex so I can stream to my home cinema amp. After the Sonos update which removed the music library function I just added Plex as a service in the Sonos app (it's in the list of streaming services) and have got full access back that way, it is a bit slow to respond, but at least it works 😁

 

L

Yes, nice that SONOS provided ZERO alert that my giant apple-music curated AIFF CD library would no longer be available to load for my SONOS music library after updating the app, etc. I got a cryptic DIY to reconstitute the connection from their chat, but it didn’t work, as I am not a code writer, etc. 

Currently, I use airplay to listen to my CD library. Somewhat kludgy, but I’m not paying for any music services when I have 1000+ albums I love/like, all ripped for CD-quality playback… in a perfect playback world.

A

Terrible that an auto-upgrade would downgrade core features.

This was premeditated, no amount of posturing could say it wasn’t.

If they want people to have a streaming function priority and remove a music library feature then rename the old/new app and release them separately. Better than pissing off (a million) uncountable users..

L

I absolutely concur, Andyrooheavens; you make a good case. However, assuming Sonos will not return to the former features, I still want to access my music library. Since I have a Mac in the food chain, I can get the job done versus wishing and waiting for Sonos, who no longer live up to their music-access claims from when I purchased four rooms-worth of speakers. So much for the march of technology.

S

Just been on the app and at the bottom is 'Sources' with my music library accessible again, so they must have dropped an update with it reinstated...🎉

 

C

As someone who doesn't use streaming services and only plays music I own (I know, such a dinosaur!) I CAN'T BELIEVE that what is essentially a hardware company is so bent on forcing their speaker system customers over to a particular software set in order to listen to music. Not only had the Music Library search function been disappeared already, but now I can't even shuffle all songs in my Music Library from the app! Additionally, you can't remove the streaming services from the app home screen, AND when I placed my Music Library at the top of the screen, it disappears and you have to scroll up to see it! Outrageous "updates" that discourage Sonos owners from listening TO THEIR OWN MUSIC. I am utterly incensed. Is there any hope that Sonos will fix this?

I share your feelings.

V
Userlevel 1

I invested in a Sonos system… I have a multi room/multi speaker system that primarily plays from my NAS supported personal library.   I did so because it was simpler and easier than running wiring from an AV amp system.  Without notice, Sonos have removed the one feature that caused me to buy in… and it was done in a manner that is almost impossible to roll back from.

As of now (Jun 7) I have no Music Library connection from the app.

Claims of full recovery by mid June give them a week;  it should be noted that we have been without this service for a month now.  Failing that, it is time to sell off the Sonos and move to Bose or someone else who actually cares about their customer base.

Oh and Sonos, If I do have to do this, then I will be pursuing the cost of replacement speakers in Small Claims court as your removal of service without notice is a breach of warranty.

A

I use my personal music library in a NAS and not the music services available in market. After the new update of the app.

  • I can only edit , add my personal library in the web-app
  • create a playlist painfully using the web-app (Sonos favourites)
  • cannot set the sleep timer when playing the favourites (the usual three dots menu on the right bottom greyed out)

can anyone help?

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