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Mark W.
Sonos Employee
July 8, 2025
News

A new player update is live!

Related content:Software
A new player update is live!

Hello everyone! 

Today we released a new update for your players.

 

Player version - 85.0-66270

Requires App version 80.23 or above

 

To strengthen overall security and meet evolving regulatory expectations (including those in the EU), we’ve introduced enhanced user authentication controls. These new features are optional and are detailed below. This update is focused on improving system security and includes some features many of you have been asking for.

To access the new settings, go to your Account Settings and open Privacy & Security. You’ll find a new section called Connection Security, where you can configure the following three options:

 

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The new settings you have are:

Authentication: This setting applies to third-party integrations that use Sonos cloud services and Local Area Network (LAN) APIs. When enabled, it requires those integrations to authenticate before connecting. This may also affect services like Direct Control (e.g., music apps with direct playback to Sonos devices) and some features using AirPlay.

UPnP (Universal Plug and Play): This setting controls support for the older UPnP protocol, which is no longer actively maintained. Disabling it may prevent older apps and devices - such as the original desktop controller or some third-party apps - from connecting, especially if they rely on UPnP instead of newer protocols like MUSE. 

Guest access: This option controls whether devices to the same WiFi network as your Sonos system can control playback, volume, and group configuration without needing admin-level access. When disabled, only authenticated or authorized users can control the system.

 

The default setting of these settings are:

  • Authentication is off by default
  • UPNP is on by default
  • Guest Access is on by default

Enabling/Disabling them may affect how certain third-party apps or legacy components interact with your system. We’re making you aware of them so you can choose to enable them if you’re looking to apply additional security controls and are not relying on features such as UPnP. 

 

Also, we are discontinuing support for the legacy WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) standard, which is recognized as outdated and insecure. If your network is still using WEP, we recommend updating your router settings or upgrading to a modern router. While this change may require a one-time adjustment, it aligns with current security best practices and helps maintain a more secure wireless environment.

 

After the update, Sonos speakers won’t connect to WEP-secured networks anymore. To avoid any connection issues, make sure your WiFi uses a modern encryption standard like WPA2 and/or WPA3.

 

As usual, the new features will be rolled out gradually over the coming weeks to help ensure stability and performance. We’ll post another update once the release has been completed.

 

60 replies

AjTrek1
July 10, 2025

That always confuses me, I get rolling updates from the App Stores where the updates are doled out over a week or so based on some secret (from me at least) formula.

We need a different word for when Sonos activates a feature that is present, but hidden, in the current App or firmware at some future date.

 

The best term I’ve heard for this is ‘white listed’,  the opposite of being ‘black listed’.  However, it’s general thought of as a relatively small group of users that have a feature enabled, maybe for testing purposes,  rather than a progressive rollout of a feature in batches.  That said, I would think the technical method of remotely controlling which users have features enabled, regardless of the volume of users, would be the same?

 

 

What?

While your explanation of While List vs Black List is technically correct. I don’t see the connection as it relates to ​@Stanley_4 suggetion 🤔. I guess I’m not connecting the “dots” 😂

Together Everyone Achieves More = T.E.A.M.
AjTrek1
July 10, 2025

Isn’t that what Mark said?

Hello everyone! 

Today we released a new update for your players.

.

.

As usual, the new features will be rolled out gradually over the coming weeks to help ensure stability and performance. We’ll post another update once the release has been completed.

 

Also in release notes:

https://support.sonos.com/en-gb/article/release-notes-sonos-system-updates

 

I’m not going to blow this out of proportion and no offense intended. However, everyone doesn’t process information in the same manner. That’s why people ask for clarification. Kudos to you that you were able to discern that new feature was already in the current app but not yet activated. Until ​@Rhonny clarified for me I was looking for another app version to be rolled out gradually.

Together Everyone Achieves More = T.E.A.M.
Airgetlam
July 10, 2025

Perhaps the terminology (possibly ‘jargon’) caused confusion. ‘Your players’ certainly confused me. I tend to think of code running on the speakers as ‘firmware’, and code running as my controller as ‘software’, although I suspect that’s not quite the way a true engineer would characterize it.

It was the ‘Player Version’ number that tipped me off that I was looking for an update running on my speakers, and not one of the software running my controller app. Given that the controller is essentially just a UI to show what is happening on the speakers, there’s some logic there. But I certainly had to give it some thought, first. 

Bruce
Local Superstar
July 11, 2025

I’m not going to blow this out of proportion and no offense intended. However, everyone doesn’t process information in the same manner. That’s why people ask for clarification. 

I agree, and that is what the forum is for, I was just highlighting the official documentation. Even countries that speak the same language use words differently, eg you may refer to a ‘cell phone’ where as I would say ‘mobile phone’. Lets not discuss ‘fanny packs’ 😀

 

Perhaps the terminology (possibly ‘jargon’) caused confusion. ‘Your players’ certainly confused me.

I also agree terminology changes over time, even though we maybe referring to same thing. But, the term ‘player’ I think is consistent, originally the Sonos devices were referred to as ‘Zone Players’, eg ZP100, I’m assuming this is why they are still referred to as ‘Players’, as all Sonos devices are players, and some contain speakers.

Prodigy III
July 11, 2025

At the risk of prolonging a discussion on semantics, the bottom line is the app says ‘Check for system updates’ - so the thread should simply be titled ‘There is a new system update’.

No confusion. No uncertainty as to whether there’s an app update.

Local Superstar
July 11, 2025

I hadn't really thought about this until now, maybe I have always associated players with system.

Reading the sonos.com website there are also some inconsistencies:

https://support.sonos.com/en-gb/article/release-notes-sonos-system-updates

Refers to ‘System’, but when you click ‘manually check for updates’ link it refers to ‘speakers’ in the title, but ‘system’ in the content. And when you click ‘release notes’ on the ‘update your Sonos speakers’ it links to the ‘release notes’ for ‘Sonos app updates’, the people that write the web content know what they mean, but from a consistency point of view, it could be confusing if unfamiliar with the terminology.

Mr. T
July 11, 2025

The only ones debating this on semantics are the ones that should know better. Nobody else appears confused in any way.

Local Superstar
July 11, 2025

I am also a little confused why others maybe confused. 😀

AjTrek1
July 11, 2025

I’m confused as well as to why there’s still a conversation about a question raised 1 day ago and was satisfactorily answered by ​@Rhonny 18 hours ago (CST)? 

Together Everyone Achieves More = T.E.A.M.
Local Superstar
July 11, 2025

I’m confused as well as to why there’s still a conversation about a question raised 1 day ago and was satisfactorily answered 18 hours ago (CST)? 

More questions have been asked, just like your post above, that has lead to a discussion about the semantics of Sonos terminology, possibly with a delay due to time zone difference(s).