Retired Sonos Staff

'On this iPhone or iPad' No Longer Available

Related content:Software

353 replies
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Starting today, the ‘On this iPhone or iPad’ feature will no longer be available in the Sonos app. There are still many ways to play your locally saved music library to Sonos and control it from your iOS device, including some good free options.

We first launched ‘On this iPhone or iPad’ in 2012 as an option to play locally saved content from your iOS device before Apple AirPlay was available on Sonos. The way this feature was originally designed has become unreliable with newer versions of iOS and Sonos.

The best way to play the music stored on your phone to Sonos is now by using Apple AirPlay 2 on compatible Sonos speakers (Sonos One, Amp, Beam, Play:5 (Gen 2), Playbase, and SYMFONISK WiFi Speakers). Using AirPlay 2, you can send the audio to one of these products and use the Sonos app to group it with any other Sonos rooms to have them all playing in sync. You can find more information about using AirPlay 2 with Sonos here.

For people who don’t have AirPlay 2 capable Sonos products, additional options to play tracks that are stored on your phone to Sonos include:

Uploading your tracks to a music service with a storage feature, such as Apple Music or Google Play Music. These services will store your library and allow you to stream it anywhere. This is a great option if you have songs that aren’t available on a subscription based streaming service. Also, Google Play Music has a free account option that allows you to upload 50,000 tracks and play them which works with Sonos.
Setting up a Music Library share on a Computer or Network Attached Storage drive. You’d need to have the computer or local drive available when you want to play music, but your library would be easy to transfer to these devices, if it isn’t already on them.
Streaming the catalog from a music service. There are more than 100 music services available on Sonos, many with several millions of songs.
Android mobile devices will continue to have access to the ‘On this device’ feature. If you have an Android phone or tablet, ‘Playing music stored on your Android device’ to Sonos is a great option.
If you have a Sonos Play:5, Connect, Connect:Amp, or Amp, you'll have a Sonos player with a Line-In connection. Using that Line-In, you can play music directly from any device connected to it, to any player around the house. You could even look into connecting a Bluetooth or AirPlay receiving device to that line in to use your mobile device without needing to wire it in to the line-in. See more about 'Using the Line-In on Sonos' here.

With the first three options, your phone doesn’t need to be turned on to listen to your music, and the music will keep on playing even if your phone is off or leaves the house. There are also alarm and Sonos playlist features that are available for most music sources that aren't available from 'On this iPhone'.

More about how to ‘Play music stored on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch’ is on our support pages.

We'll continue to support everyone through this change, and will help them set up the necessary workarounds to keep listening to their favorite tracks on Sonos.

This topic has been closed for further comments. You can use the search bar to find a similar topic, or create a new one by clicking Create Topic at the top of the page.

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jgatie

Sonos has had usage tracking for as long as I’ve owned them, since 2008, and you’ve always had to register their devices to an email. The new authentication requirements are not for data gathering, but for your protection, since Sonos is now more open to the internet. Bose will have the exact same requirements and data gathering, probably without the level of transparency Sonos has.

N

nik9669a

Senior Virtuoso

Have you read details of the FREE options? What access to the Sonos software do you have, to state that “This absolutely could of been fixed with a software update”?

I appreciate you find it frustrating, as do many of us, but your statements are, in my opinion, very misleading.

This is a 10 page thread. I have not read every post. Can you link the free options post? I find it impossible to believe that this could not of been resolved by tweaking the software.

Whilst I could direct you you to the free option, I can’t be bothered to do so. You seem totally unwilling to justify your claims that this can be fixed in software so I will just wish you all the best.

Ken_Griffiths

The current Sonos Data & Privacy Policy is freely available HERE … plus it has ‘easy’ contact details for anyone who may have any questions about the subject. It’s also available through the Sonos App “Settings/Data & Privacy”.

D

Dave6422

Lyricist I

The issue is not 100% sonos. Apple have stopped this by restricting the use of downloaded music. Music we have all purchased!
This Is all about technology moving on. If you don’t move with it then you’re stuck.
i have a iPad 1. I have a sonos play:1. Last week I had the perfect setup. Today I have nothing but an expensive dab radio.
Do I invest in a new iPad (with air play 2) ? Would my sonos then work?? Do I need a new sonos??? Do I subscribe to Apple Music - would my current setup work??
i’m really confused..... I would have liked sonos be super clear what the next steps are for their loyal customers?? Should Apple help??
.
I love technology... but sometime I think that CD’s wasn’t such a bad invention. The Apple fat cats are getting bigger.

100% agree. Sonos was great when we first got it. First the functionality of controlling it from the iPhone lock screen went and now you can’t play your iPhone category at all. Some of my music is not on Spotify so I am stuck having to use headphones. Seriously p@ssed off

D

Dave6422

Lyricist I

The issue is not 100% sonos. Apple have stopped this by restricting the use of downloaded music. Music we have all purchased!
This Is all about technology moving on. If you don’t move with it then you’re stuck.
i have a iPad 1. I have a sonos play:1. Last week I had the perfect setup. Today I have nothing but an expensive dab radio.
Do I invest in a new iPad (with air play 2) ? Would my sonos then work?? Do I need a new sonos??? Do I subscribe to Apple Music - would my current setup work??
i’m really confused..... I would have liked sonos be super clear what the next steps are for their loyal customers?? Should Apple help??
.
I love technology... but sometime I think that CD’s wasn’t such a bad invention. The Apple fat cats are getting bigger.

100% agree. Sonos was great when we first got it. First the functionality of controlling it from the iPhone lock screen went and now you can’t play your iPhone category at all. Some of my music is not on Spotify so I am stuck having to use headphones. Seriously p@ssed off

Catalogue

D

Dave6422

Lyricist I

Starting today, the ‘On this iPhone or iPad’ feature will no longer be available in the Sonos app. There are still many ways to play your locally saved music library to Sonos and control it from your iOS device, including some good free options.

We first launched ‘On this iPhone or iPad’ in 2012 as an option to play locally saved content from your iOS device before Apple AirPlay was available on Sonos. The way this feature was originally designed has become unreliable with newer versions of iOS and Sonos.

The best way to play the music stored on your phone to Sonos is now by using Apple AirPlay 2 on compatible Sonos speakers (Sonos One, Amp, Beam, Play:5 (Gen 2), Playbase, and SYMFONISK WiFi Speakers). Using AirPlay 2, you can send the audio to one of these products and use the Sonos app to group it with any other Sonos rooms to have them all playing in sync. You can find more information about using AirPlay 2 with Sonos here.

For people who don’t have AirPlay 2 capable Sonos products, additional options to play tracks that are stored on your phone to Sonos include:

Uploading your tracks to a music service with a storage feature, such as Apple Music or Google Play Music. These services will store your library and allow you to stream it anywhere. This is a great option if you have songs that aren’t available on a subscription based streaming service. Also, Google Play Music has a free account option that allows you to upload 50,000 tracks and play them which works with Sonos.
Setting up a Music Library share on a Computer or Network Attached Storage drive. You’d need to have the computer or local drive available when you want to play music, but your library would be easy to transfer to these devices, if it isn’t already on them.
Streaming the catalog from a music service. There are more than 100 music services available on Sonos, many with several millions of songs.
Android mobile devices will continue to have access to the ‘On this device’ feature. If you have an Android phone or tablet, ‘Playing music stored on your Android device’ to Sonos is a great option.
If you have a Sonos Play:5, Connect, Connect:Amp, or Amp, you'll have a Sonos player with a Line-In connection. Using that Line-In, you can play music directly from any device connected to it, to any player around the house. You could even look into connecting a Bluetooth or AirPlay receiving device to that line in to use your mobile device without needing to wire it in to the line-in. See more about 'Using the Line-In on Sonos' here.

With the first three options, your phone doesn’t need to be turned on to listen to your music, and the music will keep on playing even if your phone is off or leaves the house. There are also alarm and Sonos playlist features that are available for most music sources that aren't available from 'On this iPhone'.

More about how to ‘Play music stored on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch’ is on our support pages.

We'll continue to support everyone through this change, and will help them set up the necessary workarounds to keep listening to their favorite tracks on Sonos.

None of those options are viable without having to pay more money to listen to your own music!

jgatie

The Google Play Music solution is free.

J

John B

If you already have a PC/Mac, then playing the music from there instead of from the phone is also free. For the avoidance of doubt, this is just where the tracks are stored. Music play can still be controlled from the Sonos mobile app.

M

Mrm

Contributor I

So it seems I am pretty late to this party. Just hunkering down for the Coronavirus lockdown.

It seems I can no longer play music I have purchased and is on my iPhone Xs throughly my 6 unit Sonos system.

What a load garbage my Sonos system is turning out to be. As soon as the lockdown is over my Sonos junk is going on eBay. I hope I can get enough cash to buy the Bose Soundlink Mini.

Goodbye Sonos

Ken_Griffiths

So it seems I am pretty late to this party. Just hunkering down for the Coronavirus lockdown.

It seems I can no longer play music I have purchased and is on my iPhone Xs throughly my 6 unit Sonos system.

What a load garbage my Sonos system is turning out to be. As soon as the lockdown is over my Sonos junk is going on eBay. I hope I can get enough cash to buy the Bose Soundlink Mini.

Goodbye Sonos

Mrm,

It appears like you were hardly using the Sonos system/feature in anycase, as ‘Apple’ forced Sonos’ hand to remove this feature more than 7 months ago..??

It also seems like you’re not sticking around to listen to the alternative ‘free’ options to workaround the issue either, judging by your final ’goodbye’ remark. So I guess it’s…

Of course when you come to sell your products on eBay, it may well benefit another person and that likely could lead to a brand new customer for Sonos, so at least there could be someone who benefits from you cutting off your nose to spite your face.

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