Sonos Update not Working on my Mac

Worked for me.  Thanks!

This worked for me too today 08/26/2023 on Mac OS Ventura 13.4.1 for S2. There are two switches, one for “Sonos” which was on and one for “Sonos Installer” which was off. When I enabled that then the update through the S2 app succeeded. Thanks albugii!!

It works! Thank you so much! Sonos really should update the error message that happens when this permission isn’t set, so they provide the solution to us without going for a web search. But I’m thankful to finally have this working.

I am having this problems well. I am running MacOS Ventura 13.4.1. I managed to add Sonos to the “App Management” as described above. I was unable to find a separate Sonos INSTALLER on my Mac in order to add it. What should I do next? Delete the app and reinstall?

Thanks!

If you delete the Sonos app and reinstall by downloading from Sonos, you’ll be on the latest version so yes that works. But the next time Sonos pushes an app update, and you try to update within the Sonos app, you’ll likely see the same update error again. To avoid having to delete & reinstall the Sonos app every time, you need to adjust that App Management setting on the Sonos Installer.

In my case, I had just used the update function of the Sonos app, which had the failure as described at the start of this thread. When I went to App Management section of the Mac Settings, “Sonos Installer” was already listed there, I didn’t have to do anything to add it. I just had to toggle the switch on that gave it the right permissions. The “Sonos” app itself was not listed in App Management on my Mac, nor is it now, and I don’t think it needs to be, because it’s the “Sonos Installer” app that needs special permissions to delete & reinstall the main app. If it’s not showing up automatically, I’m not sure how you find it, it must be downloaded to a hidden folder or something. Maybe try looking in App Management just after you’ve seen the update failure? Maybe you’ll see it at that time like I did, without having to manually add it. I dunno if that will work, just an idea.

9/4/2023, I’m having the same problem, Mac OS Ventura 13.5.1.  Same error as others report.  I give Sonos permissions in System Settings, and that doesn’t help.  I don’t see a Sonos Installer to give permission to.  I tried searching for it on my HD, both in the Finder and in the System Settings dialog, both before and after the install fails.  Very frustrating.

It is so frustrating. As you discovered, giving permissions to the “Sonos” app won’t help, it’s the “Sonos Installer” that needs the extra permissions. If the Sonos Installer app isn’t showing in “App Management”, I’m not sure what to do. It’s likely temporarily downloaded when you’re attempting an update, and then automatically deleted afterwards. This is a long shot, but maybe look in App Management in the system settings while the Sonos app is attempting to update itself? Maybe the Installer will show up during that time.

Sonos really needs to fix this.

I had no problems updating until I updated my MAC with Sonoma`14.1.1.  Now I am in the same “endless loop” as previously described.  I already had authorized updates under the settings.  Have reinstalled ap, rebooted computer, etc.  No luck.  Very frustrating. 

Have you called Sonos Support directly to discuss it?

When you speak directly to the phone folks, they have tools at their disposal that will allow them to give you advice specific to your network and Sonos system.

This isn’t a long term solution, but here’s some things I figured out while trying to get Sonos Installer into the System Preferences → Privacy & Secuirty → App Management listing.

1. Before you actually try this, I have an untested theory below this list that I’d recommend reading as well.
2. When I got the “unexpected error” message, I right clicked on the Sonos icon in the dock (on hover it says Sonos Installer) , choose Options, and then Show in Finder.  Mine ended up being /private/var/folders/vy/dyhybbvj6bz67lfcvqgb3jyh0000gn/Sonos Installer.
3. I didn’t bother internet searching, but I didn’t intuitively see how to get App Management to a hidden folder, so I made a copy of it and put it on my desktop (I should have made an alias)
4. I used App Management to add that file on my desktop to the permitted apps.
5. I ran the update again from the Sonos controller app, and it worked!
6. For the sake of science, I deleted the file from my desktop.  Within a few minutes it did disappear from App Management, whoops.

My theory is if you instead of copy the Installer app, make an alias (aka a shortcut) to the file on the desktop, and then authorize that in App Management, it might be a more permanent solution.  I’ll get to test that out next update.