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With Android phones moving to Gemini, this change interferes with using Google Assistant on Sonos devices. If Google Assistant is not already set up on Sonos, the setup process now redirects to Gemini, making it impossible to connect GA to Sonos. For those who have GA already activated, enabling Gemini on the phone causes GA on Sonos to respond with a connection issue, rendering it unusable.

 

This creates a difficult choice for users either stop using GA on Sonos or avoid switching to Gemini on their phones. Given that GA is likely to be fully replaced by Gemini in the near future, how does Sonos plan to address this transition and ensure continued voice assistant functionality on its devices?

 

 

Hi ​@AJ2029292 

I don’t think we are being deliberately dishonest - it is entirely likely that we (or rather, I and many others, but perhaps not everyone) do not know.

I have asked for further clarification on this matter, which I will provide if/when possible, but in the meantime, all I can say is that Google Assistant is officially supported on Sonos, and should be able to be added if Gemini is not selected as the default assistant on an Android device.

Having said that, I just tried to add GA to my own speaker and failed - I documented the failure and have reported it. I’ll let you know what I hear back.

Although these steps did not help in my case, I will include them here in case they do help someone:

Users may have issues linking Google Assistant with their Sonos system. The process of linking Google Assistant can fail at a few stages during the setup. Utilize the following steps to identify the failure point and resolve the issue.

Handling

 

Android

  1. Open your Gemini mobile app.
  2. At the top right, tap your Profile picture or initial, Switch to Google Assistant.
  3. Tap Google Assistant, Switch.
  1. Open the Android Settings.
  2. Scroll to Google / Google Services.
  3. Select All Services, then select Search, Assistant and Voice.
  4. Select Google Assistant.
  5. Scroll to Home Control.
  6. Select Sonos, then Unlink Account.
  7. Select Unlink to confirm.
  1. Open the Google Home app.
  2. Select the Profile icon in the top right corner of the screen.
  3. Select Manage your Google Account.
  4. Select Data and Privacy.
  5. Scroll down to Third Party Apps and Services.
  6. Scroll through the list or Search to find Sonos.
  7. Select Delete all connections that you have with Sonos.
  8. Select Confirm.

iOS

  1. Open the Google Assistant app.
  2. Select the Profile icon in the top right corner of the screen.
  3. Scroll down and select Home Control.
  4. Select Sonos.
  5. Select Unlink.
  1. Open the Google Home app.
  2. Select the Profile icon in the top right corner of the screen.
  3. Select Manage your Google Account.
  4. Select Data and Privacy.
  5. Scroll down to Third Party Apps and Services.
  6. Scroll through the list or Search to find Sonos.
  7. Select Delete all connections that you have with Sonos.
  8. Select Confirm.

Attempt to Add Google Assistant to Sonos

  1. Open the Google Home app on an iOS or Android device and ensure that the same account is signed in on the app. Check the current account by tapping the account picture in the top right. The email address will be listed under the users name in the main Settings Screen.
  2. Attempt adding Google Assistant from the Sonos app by visiting Settings > Manage > Voice Assistants > Add a Voice Assistant.

Verify possible DNS issues

If you use OpenDNS (ex: 208.67.222.222 and 208.67.220.220) or ISP specific content-blocking DNS servers, it may block the mtalk.google.com domain that is used during Google Assistant setup and discovery. Whitelist the domain to allow communication.

  • Both the router and the Sonos Players will need to be rebooted for the changes to take effect.

I hope this helps.


I should add, I'm not even concerned with Google Assistant. I just want to be able to voice control my Youtube Music subscription. I am happy to switch to Sonos’s Voice Assistant once that is possible.


This is a tricky situation for Sonos users. It seems like the transition from Google Assistant to Gemini is causing compatibility headaches, especially for those who rely on GA on their Sonos devices. Hopefully, Sonos provides a clear update or workaround soon—maybe a firmware update or official support for Gemini—so users don’t have to choose between their preferred assistant and new phone features. Has anyone found a temporary fix that keeps GA working on Sonos while using Gemini?


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