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I recently started using my Sonos speaker to play music as I go to bed… setting the Sonos timer to shut down after an hour or two. Why does the speaker turn on a bright light from the speaker when it turns off? It has been waking me up...or did until put a kleenex box on top of the speaker. But, my question is Why did Sonos program the speaker to do that? It’s really annoying.

Have you read the LED states FAQ?

While I don’t use this function, I’d assume at the end of the time period specified, Sonos ‘mutes’ the speaker so no further sound comes from it. A ‘mute’ doesn’t respect the turning off of the LEDs, for obvious customer service reasons. I rarely use mute myself, but I have chosen to use either lightDims (check your local retailer, or Amazon), or simple electrical tape to cover those LEDs that bother me. 


Bruce, related… so Sonos continues to stream music, just mutes the speaker at the end of the timer? btw, I do have Status Light turned off, but i do see when I turn on or off a light turns on or off, too. The kleenex box does the trick when using as a bedside speaker.


What colour led are you seeing as the speaker doesn’t “mute” when timer ends?!

Edit: Is the led light solid or flashing, how long do you see it for or does it remain on?


I certainly don’t know for sure, but I think they both mute and stop the stream. As I said, I don’t use this function. 

On devices near my bedside, I’ve used electrical tape to cover LEDs for the rare instances that I do use mute. While I understand the CS reasons not to turn off LEDs for mute, I am one of those people who turn off all LEDs in the controller, and then cover them up for other instances. I’ve needed to occasionally pull the tape up, especially when moving, and reinstalling my system, but this solution works for me. I even bought some white electrical tape to cover up the LEDs on my white speakers. 

That FAQ about the LEDs is what I tend to reference to when I have questions. Or I call Sonos Support directly to discuss it, since they have more knowledge than I as to the inner workings of Sonos. 


I certainly don’t know for sure, but I think they both mute and stop the stream. As I said, I don’t use this function. 

I just tried a 15min timer and the stream stopped after 15mins. Speaker is not showing as muted in app, stream does not continue silently and no led is lit so I don’t know what led light the OP is referring too.

Edit: my original test was on an Era 100 stereo pair. Will see if Ones behave differently.


Okay, now I actually watched the speaker as the timer ends…

In the last few seconds of the timer, the volume gradually reduces until the speaker actually mutes. The Green led will then briefly show.

The volume level is then restored automatically to the volume set whilst timer was playing.

Feature request should probably be around the timer not actually reducing volume to 0, but instead minimum volume 2-4 for instance, then stopping the stream and restoring previous set volume level.


Hi, the light looks bright white and, as you say, audio level gradually goes down,  then a bright llight for about two seconds. I’m only aware from being awakened by the light. When audio is playing or not playing i see no lights on top of my Sonos One. 

When I touch any control, with or without music playing, the white light comes on briefly. I did read the light FAQs. 


Well, now that I’ve tested it and watched, I see the audio level goes down then a green light lights up for 3-4 seconds. NOT white. My mistake. 


The led you see will be Green if you see it directly (edit: our posts crossed)

The volume gradually reduces to zero as the sleep timer ends. This will be due to not wanting to end the audio abruptly, disturbing the “listener” especially at higher volumes. However, in doing so, as the speaker mutes for a short period of time, the bright Green LED light is lit briefly.

It appears Sonos have considered one aspect of the sleep timer ending and resolved it but not thought about the disturbance caused by the Status Light LED illuminating Green in the process.

I’m pretty sure I would also be disturbed by it if I used the Sleep Timer.


I think I’ve found engineers don’t always think their devices may rest in a bedroom and think lights or even blinking lights are good because they provide feedback to consumers. I have a 27” LG computer monitor where the engineers thought having a flashing light blink al all the times the monitor was in standby mode is good. But, in my bedroom, it blinks all night long unless I actually power it down. My fiber optical terminal also has a light on all the times, but my eero router has an app option to turn off all lights. 

Back to this case, I don’t wanna tape masking tape on the speaker. Guess I’ll either leave a kleenex box on top or move it across the room. Or stop using the Sonos app and go to Apple Music app and set an iOS timer, which is inelegant… it simply stops the music rather than fades it out. 


You could also experiment with Alarms instead within Sonos app.

The audio will just cut out when the set duration ends, but you may not be as susceptible to that compare to the status light.

I used to use Alarms and the audio suddenly stopping didn’t disturb my sleep.


I’ll look for Alarms in the Sonos App. Thanks, 


You could also experiment with Alarms instead within Sonos app.

The audio will just cut out when the set duration ends, but you may not be as susceptible to that compare to the status light.

I used to use Alarms and the audio suddenly stopping didn’t disturb my sleep.

I don’t see that as working for me.


You could also experiment with Alarms instead within Sonos app.

The audio will just cut out when the set duration ends, but you may not be as susceptible to that compare to the status light.

I used to use Alarms and the audio suddenly stopping didn’t disturb my sleep.

I don’t see that as working for me.

Fair enough, at least you know where to find your Kleenex box.


ok… I’ll try it tonight


ok… I’ll try it tonight

Sorry, I thought you had already tried it and it wasn’t a satisfactory workaround for you.

If you go to sleep at different times or want to listen to different playlists, then alarms aren’t going to really work, unless you set multiple alarms, but if you have a fairly regular routine, then it may work for you.

At the end of the day, your initial post is still valid, why does the Status Light LED have to light up when the Sleep Timer ends.