Question

Google Family Bell on Sonos?

  • 4 September 2020
  • 4 replies
  • 363 views

I recently added Google Assistant to my Sonos One. I’d like to set up Family Bells. When I try to add a bell, the Google Assistant app says that I don’t have any speakers set up, even though I do. Google support told me to contact Sonos. Sonos support says this is a Google problem. Has anyone successfully set up Family Bells with a Sonos (not using a Google Home/Mini)? The help article from Google says you just need a speaker and the Assistant app. But something isn’t adding up. I just want to know if this is even possible before I spend more time on hold with customer service. Thanks!


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4 replies

Userlevel 5
Badge +14

Hi @gatorht.

Welcome, thank you for reaching out to Sonos Community.

Since you already tried several options that were suggested by our phone support and Google support.

This is might be one of the many issues that google might not be able to resolve properly.
Sonos is just forwarding any command to any voice services that its use.

I did some research and I found this on the web: Set up Family Bell announcements for your speaker or Smart Display

Let us know if it works. If you need help with any other information, please be sure to let us know.


 

Thanks. That link is the instructions I’ve been using. It’s just not working for me. 

Userlevel 5
Badge +14

Hi @gatorht.

Welcome, thank you for reaching back to Sonos Community.

Sorry, that couldn't resolve your issue lets wait some of the community members might provide their own opinion about this.

 If you need help with any other information, please be sure to let us know.

 

 

I originally posted the first piece of the solution for getting Sonos to connect with Google Home here (https://support.google.com/assistant/thread/67444225?hl=en&msgid=73575396). However your family bell speakers would not appear when selecting the drop-down for your Sonos speakers. A lot of the IT tech articles that originally posted Family Bell stated it would work on all devices like Lenovo and JBL (https://www.engadget.com/google-family-bell-smart-speaker-display-150006076.html), but never mentioned Sonos.

I wanted to post a follow-up on the Google support thread, but they have now locked it so I'm posting here for anyone who was not able to get this to work in the past.

Anyhow, it looks like Google and Sonos finally worked things out and miraculously, when going into Google Home > Assistant Settings > Family Bell > select an existing bell announcement > select the drop-down for speaker output and you will now see your Sonos speakers. A month ago, you could not see the Sonos speakers, so I'm guessing Google has finally approved Sonos as a 3rd party device for Family Bell. No formal announcements of the fix from either side, but at least it's working now. Cheers!!