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Question

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

O
Badge

Yikes!  I bought my first Sonos product in 2007 (one that included a dedicated remote (the CR100) complete with an iPod Gen1 style scroll wheel).  I’ve probably been responsible for 20 audiophiles making the switch to Sonos.  I endured the painful S1 to S2 move (and am grateful that Sonos then allowed for some measure of transition and my niece is using the Sonos products on S1 that I didn’t brick to get an upgrade credit). For those of us who take pride in our music collection -- I listen to vinyl through Sonos and have books and books of CDs that I converted to MP3 -- this kind of undoes something central in our connection to music. Like telling an art collector they need to replace their artwork with hi-resolution screens of their artwork. 

I’ve managed to salvage my ability to use Sonos (for now) by going through Plex, but it is more clunky and feels like another separation barrier between me and the music I spent time collecting and curating. My hopes that music management would get better and better with time have been dashed -- before I succumb to a music subscription service replete with algorithms that will spoon feed me what I’d like to hear next I’m going to take some time, dust off my Sony discman, put on some headphones, and feel that connection again.  On the bright side, when I’m too old to put a record on a turntable perhaps I’ll appreciate the algorithm taking my tastes and slowly reprogramming me to appreciate whatever homogenized sounds the artificial intelligence has produced and determined constitutes “good music,” or there could be an apocalypse.           

A

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...🎉

 

What device are you using?f I don’t have a Sources section…

S

My NAS is a WD MyCoud Mirror, Sonos app is on my Google Pixel 7 phone.

The 'Sources' section appears a few seconds after I open the Sonos app, I guess when it sees the NAS on my WiFi? I didn't do anything to get the 'Your Sources' section to appear, it just popped up 2-3 weeks after the initial app update so just assumed Sonos had fixed/updated it....   I'm not a techy expert so can't really help much beyond that...

V
Userlevel 1

Update as of June 15th.  I was quite frustrated with the apparent lack of progress ...   I went to my window’s PC and noticed that there was an application update.   I updated that then I noticed the NAS (I have a Synology Play) wasn’t listed… I reconnected the NAS then updated the Music Library then it showed up on my Android App as a source.

Summary of steps that worked for me:

  1. Update the windows app on the  PC.
  2. Reconnect the NAS
  3. Update Music Library
  4. After this… it appears on the app.

Overall, this is working.  I don’t love the new app UI then again that has never been a Sonos strength…  I am not  a fan on the focus on streaming services as the source for Sonos material… I have Spotify but dislike its auto selection of new music after my selection ends… I have the family plan but more for the car and my kid than when I am home where I prefer my music on the NAS. 

I work in the software industry and don’t understand the decision process where an update is approved for release that has 25%-50% of core functionality removed… especially with no communication plan… I wasn’t a big fan of obsoleting hardware as occurred between S1 and S2 but at least there was a robust communication plan with consequences outlined… this was a bolt from the blue and irreversible in any real sense.

It should be noted that I still have yet to receive an email from Sonos indicating this disruption and mentioning a timeline for restoration… I had to find that by searching online.  In the past 6 weeks though as this service has been broken; ironically I have received numerous “ads” urging me to buy new products… headphones, sound bars etc. which was never going to happen until this problem was resolved.

I need Sonos to publish an after action  review / post mortem on this software release decision and the likelihood of recurrence or to be honest, I will be evolving away from Sonos with every new speaker system I purchase going forward… I was quite far down the rabbit hole last week and was about to buy into the Bose system this weekend as a Father’s Day present to myself...Unless Sonos re-establish trust, the move to another platform is inevitable as individual speakers expire… though maybe in a longer time-frame.

B

Yes, looks like folder feature is removed now forever. For me it renders Sonos speakers useless. My bill to them for all the struggle over the years for the messy app updates and multiple removed features is to walk away from this brand - untrustworthy and money grabbing brand.

I

I still cannot access the Music Library on my iMac in the new Sonos App. When trying to manage access, all I get is ‘Sonos was unable to add the music folder. Unable to add the shared folder “//IANSIMAC/IPOD to your Music Library (913). I thought this was going to be sorted ‘Mid-June’. What is the latest please?

A

I still cannot access the Music Library on my iMac in the new Sonos App. When trying to manage access, all I get is ‘Sonos was unable to add the music folder. Unable to add the shared folder “//IANSIMAC/IPOD to your Music Library (913). I thought this was going to be sorted ‘Mid-June’. What is the latest please?

I have the same issue (but on a Windows device).

 

press250
Userlevel 7
Badge +14

Hi @Apolloslyre and @Ian_73 and others. A little context: some years back, Sonos added their own proprietary music library mechanism, building it right into the Windows and Mac desktop apps.

  • Good news: that mechanism (called “http sharing”) was super easy to use and required zero knowledge of setting up ‘conventional’ file sharing using the tools built into Windows and MacOS.
  • Bad news: http sharing klunky and insecure.
  • Really bad news: Sonos pulled the plug on http sharing unceremoniously last month. Yet they left the appearance of super easy music library setup in the desktop apps.
  • More bad news: rather than popping up a kinda-sorta helpful message along the lines of “Hi there, sorry, we don’t support this any more, click here to read all about the solution” someone decided “Error 913” was all you were gonna get.
  • SUMMARY: there is NO local library setup mechanism built into the Windows/Mac desktop apps.

Early last month (a few days before the new app dropped) I wrote up a set of instructions to access your local library music on Windows 11.

I hope this helps you re-access your music!

I

Along these lines - anyone else noticing serious skipping going on when using a local music library but when using streaming services (Amazon Music or Bandcamp in my case) it works without any real issue?

My music library is on a pretty powerful iMac, the wireless network between everything seems pretty good as best I can tell.  But any song I play from the local library skips horrendously; completely unusable.

U
Userlevel 2
Badge +2

»  Yes, looks like folder feature is removed now forever. For me it renders Sonos speakers useless. My bill to them for all the struggle over the years for the messy app updates and multiple removed features is to walk away from this brand - untrustworthy and money grabbing brand.

 

Yes, Sonos is the worst of the worst.  I spent $1,000 on a Sonos system, which worked for about 8 years.  Suddenly, without warning, Sonos pulled the plug.  The last six weeks I’ve been unable to play my 2GB Music Library stored on my PC’s hard drive despite googling right and left and reading posts on this forum.  It’s impossible to call in without waiting hours, only to get someone to read a script.

Don’t ever buy a Sonos product.  Ever.

I have no longer any trust in Sonos.

Moderator Note: Modified in accordance with the Community Code of Conduct.

 

G0atHax0r
Userlevel 4
Badge +3

I’ve been sharing music off an actual Windows 2019 server for years now, using SMBv2/3, with a standard working share, permissions, etc. Has been working great on the old version until this latest app debacle.  Then the app basically stopped working, could no longer see my local library. No matter what. Figured it was just due to the fact that the mobile app was half-baked. The Desktop controller app continues to work fine. It sees all speakers. It sees the shared library… I can direct local music or streams to certain speakers. Protocols and network are working fine. This has nothing to do with this SMBv1 issue that everyone seems to be running into. SMBv1 isn’t even enabled on the Windows Server… it’s disabled by default. I applaud those who are helping others through this Error 913 issue, but this issue is not that. It’s purely the inability of the mobile app to function correctly.

A few weeks ago, the “music library” made a brief appearance on the mobile app, then pretty much disappeared for good. Then on the last app update (80.03.03)… it FINALLY started showing the “music library” under “sources” again. But, not for long… as it will just disappear… then come back… disappear… comes back. Sometimes it will stay for a while… Then all my devices disappear… one, a few, or all come back. Half the time, the screen looks like it’s trying to load.  So when you really need it, the speaker and/or the library will be nowhere to be found. It’s beyond frustrating.

The reason I bought Sonos was to play music from my local library without the need for internet. I believe this is all about to change. If you don’t have a working internet connection, there’s a good chance your app is not going to work, and being able to play local music will no longer be possible.

I also believe Sonos will be slowly moving to a paid subscription model. Want to play your own music? Want to listen or make use of streaming through Pandora or Spotify?  That’s going to be a small fee per month. Other music systems are starting to go down this path… I believe Sonos will also be jumping on that train to keep that cash flow coming in.

 

jgatie

 

I also believe Sonos will be slowly moving to a paid subscription model. Want to play your own music? Want to listen or make use of streaming through Pandora or Spotify?  That’s going to be a small fee per month. Other music systems are starting to go down this path… I believe Sonos will also be jumping on that train to keep that cash flow coming in.

 

 

I will bet you a brand new Sonos Arc (or its future equivalent) that Sonos will not charge any mandatory monthly fee for use of their system, aside from a voluntary fee like that of Sonos Radio Premium.  You can even set the time limit on when the cutoff is to call one of us the winner.  Are you up for it?  Will you put the FUD where your wallet is?

G0atHax0r
Userlevel 4
Badge +3

 

I also believe Sonos will be slowly moving to a paid subscription model. Want to play your own music? Want to listen or make use of streaming through Pandora or Spotify?  That’s going to be a small fee per month. Other music systems are starting to go down this path… I believe Sonos will also be jumping on that train to keep that cash flow coming in.

 

 

I will bet you a brand new Sonos Arc (or its future equivalent) that Sonos will not charge any mandatory monthly fee for use of their system, aside from a voluntary fee like that of Sonos Radio Premium.  You can even set the time limit on when the cutoff is to call one of us the winner.  Are you up for it?  Will you put the FUD where your wallet is?

 

Sadly, I am already in the process of replacing my Sonos products. Besides, I’ve already got a Sony HT-A5000 soundbar, which is more than I could ask for, and would never want to replace it with a Sonos. I wouldn’t necessarily call it FUD… I would call it a bad feeling, or even a good possibility based on current market trends. Sticking your head in the sand and telling yourself that everything is going to be alright in the end due to your extreme product loyalty is certainly something you can continue doing, but I’m not going to be around for it. Enjoy your new Sonos Arc!

jgatie

 

Sadly, I am already in the process of replacing my Sonos products. Besides, I’ve already got a Sony HT-A5000 soundbar, which is more than I could ask for, and would never want to replace it with a Sonos. I wouldn’t necessarily call it FUD… I would call it a bad feeling, or even a good possibility based on current market trends. Sticking your head in the sand and telling yourself that everything is going to be alright in the end due to your extreme product loyalty is certainly something you can continue doing, but I’m not going to be around for it. Enjoy your new Sonos Arc!

 

You name the device at a comparable price.  Come on, if you trust your own analysis, how can you go wrong?  If you aren't really spreading FUD, this one is an easy win, right?  

G0atHax0r
Userlevel 4
Badge +3

 

Sadly, I am already in the process of replacing my Sonos products. Besides, I’ve already got a Sony HT-A5000 soundbar, which is more than I could ask for, and would never want to replace it with a Sonos. I wouldn’t necessarily call it FUD… I would call it a bad feeling, or even a good possibility based on current market trends. Sticking your head in the sand and telling yourself that everything is going to be alright in the end due to your extreme product loyalty is certainly something you can continue doing, but I’m not going to be around for it. Enjoy your new Sonos Arc!

 

You name the device at a comparable price.  Come on, if you trust your own analysis, how can you go wrong?  If you aren't really spreading FUD, this one is an easy win, right?  

 

Unlike you, I don’t need to take it to this extreme kind of level. I will simply be satisfied knowing that some day you will probably be forking over money to Sonos to use their system/network/app, which you will probably have normalized over time, rationalizing that it’s completely fine… and on the flip-side, you can be satisfied that for the next foreseeable future, Sonos will still not be charging you for their system/network/app, and I would be in the wrong, but much happier with a different system. Just end it there. There’s really no need to get your knickers in a twist over this.

P
Userlevel 1
Badge

On a PC, you can now make Sonos play your music again by enabling Windows file sharing!  🤡🤡

Also, read the new Sonos Terms of Service 🤡🤡🤡

 

D

I had an excellent experience with Sonos tech support today, which I was not expecting based on all the chatter.  I use Sonos Controller for PC to access my music library, and the Sonos App for Android on my mobile device. Recently my music library vanished from Controller. The technician was able help make some changes in my network settings to get Controller to see and use the music library.  These changes will come in a future upgrade, but if you cannot wait then you can ask them to assist.  Regarding the Android App, I was able to downgrade using APKMirror (as explained somewhere else here in the community)  and I turned off auto updates on my device so it does not keep upgrading.  All better.

Please find out who that was.  Everytime I call Tech support,  After waiting an hour, I get some poor guy who doesn’t know anything.  he literally was just reading from the troubleshooting pages on the Sonos Webpage.  That’s when you know that Sonos has hit rock bottom.

Moderator Note: Modified in accordance with the Community Code of Conduct.

J

I cannot understand why Sonos would do this !

I have 4 of their products  but unless they reinstate the functionality they will be my last. I have a library of 40,000 songs all of which I have paid for but now unalbe to access!!! Sonos fix it please, there is no excuse for this action..

jgatie

I cannot understand why Sonos would do this !

I have 4 of their products  but unless they reinstate the functionality they will be my last. I have a library of 40,000 songs all of which I have paid for but now unalbe to access!!! Sonos fix it please, there is no excuse for this action..

 

Please see this recently updated music library support article:

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

J

Hi thanks, it does not appear to cover  Android in the guide shared,? Any  workaround for Android

?

jgatie

Hi thanks, it does not appear to cover  Android in the guide shared,? Any  workaround for Android

?

 

You need to add the library using the PC or Mac based Sonos app.  After you add it there, it will show up in the mobile device apps (you may need to restart the mobile app, or reset the app and reconnect). 

Z
Userlevel 1

I am going to be leaving Sonos to find a solution that doesn't treat me like a prisoner. 

 

I've been using Sonos since they started and have nine units in my house, all are going to be replaced.

 

I started my desire to leave Sonos when they decided not to support any high-resolution formats.  Then they force us to go to their S2 app which was basically worse than the s1 app 

 

The fact that they made virtually zero improvements to the usability and functions of their app compared to the competitors just tells me they want to sell cheap hardware for high prices by putting it in pretty packaging 

 

The good news is there are many new streaming devices out there including more affordable ones like Wiim who are trying to build devices and specifications for the future instead of boat anchors for the past. 

 

Join me in sending a message to Sonos that their corporate profit grabbing strategies to build the business are not going to win over the community. 

 

106rallye
Userlevel 7
Badge +17

Isn’t the fact they did want to ad improvements to the usability and functions of their app (combined with the way they did it) the reason they are in this mess?

Z
Userlevel 1

Doing bad work is not an excuse to not do good work.

jgatie

Doing bad work is not an excuse to not do good work.

 

Huh?  😕

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