Mac Keyboard Volume Buttons?

  • 15 October 2014
  • 18 replies
  • 8077 views

Can anyone help, I am using a Play:3 with the Sonos Mac Controller, the Next/ Previous buttons on my keyboard work fine, but the volume control does not register at all.

I am about to wall mount the speaker and will be in trouble if I can not control the volume from my computer??

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18 replies

Userlevel 1
Try the volume slider in your Sonos Controller. The hardware buttons are not supported.
Take a look.
https://ask.sonos.com/sonos/topics/mac_volume_buttons_to_control_sonos_volume_via_desktop_controller_app

Rainer
Userlevel 7
Badge +21
I would imagine that the volume buttons on your Mac keyboard will always control your Mac's volume. Since content - I'm sure it's not limited to just music - is played by software, it's possible for those buttons to control the actions of an application (in Sonos' case, changing the track on the currently selected zone). But volume is a function of the computer's built-in sound hardware, and as such those buttons cannot be remapped unless the OS permits it.

As Rainer_B suggests, the volume slider in the Sonos controller software can always be used to adjust the volume of your zones. Or you could set up the Sonos app on a phone or tablet, and use that to adjust the volume too.
This is not true. The volume of the sonos system could be matched to the mac volume. AirFoil doe this too. Of course, turning the volume up on the Sonos speakers would also mean turning up the volume on all other mac sounds, but it's a really nice feature to have. I imagine machine volume can be read and parsed by the sonos controller system.
With spotify I can control the volume just fine. Why not with sonos? Seems like a such a basic feature...
Userlevel 4
Badge +3
They could make it work with a modifier key, like alt+vol up/down.

(Note that Mac already has alt+shift+vol up/down to change the volume in smaller increments)
Please make this happen. Would make using your Mac desktop app so much friendlier.
I would love to have the mac keyboard volume control the app volume.
Adding my voice to the choir: Would love to have mac keyboard control!

Honestly, I'm surprised this functionality isn't part of the desktop app.
Would be good to be able to control the volume through the keyboard, BUT to have it decoupled from the Mac Volume. You would not want to change the volume of the Sonos devices on your network while you are for example working and hearing something with some headsets on.
Userlevel 2
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Realise this is quite an old thread but I've only just purchased Sonos speakers and using the Mac App to control it. Agree would be very good to control it with the keyboard keys, like Spotify does.
Userlevel 4
Badge +1
I use a app called 'spark' which lets me re-map system key commands on my now discontinued wired numeric apple keyboard - ike putting the volume buttons on the disused f6,f17,f18 keys versus having to press fn + f11/f12.

Surely you could have a key mapped for volume up / down / mute and maybe pause?

I instinctively go for the volume down button, but then remember, then have to go to the dock, find sonos and slide the volume down - really annoying and cumbersome.
I want better support from Sonos, but I also have some good news for those who use Spotify.

I installed an app called Finely Tuned, and it has the ability to sync the spotify volume to the system level. That means you can use system volume shortcuts F10,F11 and F12 to control spotify volume.
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Would be great to mimic the Android Volume control and display multiple volume controls when you press the volume keys on the Mac.You could then slide the one you need. Touch Bar should be used too! Honestly I would've expected this to be working by now...:(
Userlevel 2
FWIW...the Sonos Controller for Mac does respond to the Mac keyboard Play/Pause/Next buttons. I'm guessing (?) then that development team made conscious decision to disable volume keys.
I'd guess more a conscious decision not to make the effort to enable the volume keys. I wouldn't expect that they went out of their way to disable anything at all.
OS 10.13 (High Sierra) already has this feature built in guys.

I have the Sonos OSX app installed, but I stream Google Play Music using Chrome. Then on the sound output options I select my Sonos system (instead of internal speakers). Mute/Volume buttons work, then using the Streamkeys extension the media buttons also work.
I bought a Sonos after owning lots and lots of Bose speakers because I loved how the sound sounded. But I discovered last night no matter what I do I can't control the volume of my Sonos speaker via my keyboard of my iMac. Whaaaaaaat? Are they kidding me, they want me to use the slider on an app or Spotify? This is unbelievably poor customer experience. So Im adding my voice here that I definitely think its time to do an upgrade and have the volume keys work to control the Sonos volume. Im actually thinking of returning it if it doesn't...
+1 same boat here. New to sonos and simply amazed that there is no volume control on keyboard. My suggest fn+F11 (down), fn+F12 (up) & fn+F10 (mute). Thanks Sonos - please read and add feature !!