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Contributor I
July 27, 2023
Answered

Sonos iOS Apps volume not working with iPhone volume button

  • July 27, 2023
  • 87 replies
  • 29708 views

The Sonos app suddenly not working with the iOS lock screen control and volume button anymore, suspect it happen after the Sonos iOS app updates.

 

So far I had tried:

  1. Restart the iPhone and make sure the iOS and Sonos App having latest version
  2. Reset Sonos app
  3. Reset + uninstall + reinstall app
  4. Off and on Sonos ERA300 and do the above
  5. Research all possible solutions from Google but nothing helps yet :(

 

All of this not working, my app version is 15.6 build 74043110 with iPhone 14 Pro iOS 16.6. Is anyone facing the same issue or this is a known software bug?

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Best answer by GuitarSuperstar

15.6 Update Release Notes:

  • We’ve removed the ability to control the Sonos app for iOS using lock screen controls and device hardware buttons. The way these features were architected do not meet Apple’s experience guidelines for developers and no longer offer a reliable control experience.

https://support.sonos.com/en-us/article/release-notes-for-sonos-s2

87 replies

Avid Contributor III
August 14, 2023

Sonos is not a music player like Apple Music or pandora. It was nice to be able to use the volume control inside the app itself. But moving the tab is not that big of a deal. Y'all get overly wound up over the littlest of things. I am sure apple wants to limit Sonos and certain apps functionality to drive people to THEIR product. Don't blame Sonos blame apple. 

If it is that big of a deal, just use the voice commands “hey Sonos turn it down 20%” etc. 

 

Contributor I
August 14, 2023

Sonos is not a music player like Apple Music or pandora. It was nice to be able to use the volume control inside the app itself. But moving the tab is not that big of a deal. Y'all get overly wound up over the littlest of things. I am sure apple wants to limit Sonos and certain apps functionality to drive people to THEIR product. Don't blame Sonos blame apple. 

If it is that big of a deal, just use the voice commands “hey Sonos turn it down 20%” etc. 

 

Y’all havent read the entire thread, Ubet, or you’d understand that all the response leads to the point that Sonos made this decision themselves. I’ve had Sonos products since 2012 and am a big fan, even still have my original play5, never complained once, so this isn’t some gripe - I’m funamentally annoyed that a feature I use EVERY DAY has been removed.

Voice controls are just as useless as unlocking the phone if you’re in a room where someone else is sleeping. It’s a backward step, Spotify can handle it, Sonos now can’t… so its achieveable, they’ve decided not to.

106rallye
August 14, 2023

If you have read the thread, you would have read that indeed Sonos decided to remove this for two reasons:

  • they could not get this to work reliably; and
  • Apple does not really allow this for apps that are not music players.

Both reasons are probably connected. Spotify is a music player, so yes, they can handle it. The Sonos app is only a remote, not a music player.

Lyricist I
August 18, 2023

Sonos, please make that feature (controlling volume by iPhone hardware buttons) available somewhere deep in the settings. Default off = Apple happy

Sonos users who need this would search, find and use = also happy.

You started as innovative, TOP quality and huge customer added value audio/tech company. Please do not loose this DNA spirit…

 

Avid Contributor III
August 21, 2023

Sonos is not a music player like Apple Music or pandora. It was nice to be able to use the volume control inside the app itself. But moving the tab is not that big of a deal. Y'all get overly wound up over the littlest of things. I am sure apple wants to limit Sonos and certain apps functionality to drive people to THEIR product. Don't blame Sonos blame apple. 

If it is that big of a deal, just use the voice commands “hey Sonos turn it down 20%” etc. 

 

Y’all havent read the entire thread, Ubet, or you’d understand that all the response leads to the point that Sonos made this decision themselves. I’ve had Sonos products since 2012 and am a big fan, even still have my original play5, never complained once, so this isn’t some gripe - I’m funamentally annoyed that a feature I use EVERY DAY has been removed.

Voice controls are just as useless as unlocking the phone if you’re in a room where someone else is sleeping. It’s a backward step, Spotify can handle it, Sonos now can’t… so its achieveable, they’ve decided not to.

Yes I read the whole thread, and understand that it was disabled because they couldn’t keep it working for apple and Apple doesn’t allow the function on stuff that isn’t a music player. That is why it still works on Android not ios. 
 

just because you only choose to see what you want to see doesn’t change the facts. 

buzz
Grand Maestro
August 21, 2023

dcsearle,

Your world has not completely collapsed. You can have it your way by simply playing Spotify using the Spotify App. If the Spotify App annoys you in some way, take this up with Spotify.

While Lock Screen controls seem to be central to some users’ vision, I never use them other than to explore a comment made here. I don’t want my phone/pad/computer fussing with music. This was my original reason for adopting SONOS. If my phone/pad/computer crashes or needs a reboot, the music continues. Plus, in my opinion, there are awkward interactions between Apps with respect to handling audio. If I interact with another App that provides audio, it may replace the music and it is quite awkward to revert to the music. Also, I move around and the Lock Screen tends to be linked to the wrong Room. This could result in my accidentally adjusting the wrong Room or another user adjusting my Room.

Contributor I
August 24, 2023

@buzz - you assume ppl are using Spotify… guess what, not everyone is. It’s a big deal that this features is gone, sure there are workarounds, but that’s all they are, nothing as convenient as changing vol without unlocking an iPhone was.

Senior Virtuoso
August 24, 2023

@buzz - you assume ppl are using Spotify… guess what, not everyone is. It’s a big deal that this features is gone, sure there are workarounds, but that’s all they are, nothing as convenient as changing vol without unlocking an iPhone was.

I don’t use Spotify. I did use the feature, but I don’t consider it to be a big deal for it to be a dropped feature. 
I’m not trying to be confrontational; I’m just saying it’s not a big deal to everyone. I accept that it was an important feature to you, and many others, but not to all. 

Lyricist I
September 1, 2023

I call *, laziness or corporate nonsense - and probably all three. How can they think this is acceptable?

 

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

Airgetlam
September 1, 2023

Given your extensive knowledge of Sonos’ code base, Apple’s code base, Sonos’ corporate stance, and the effort being put forth by Sonos engineers, which is it?

Bruce