Before You Blame the Speaker: Check Your Charger First
Hey all! With Sonos Play being added as the newcomer to the lineup next week I thought it would be a good time to cover some charging and power requirements, as we have quite a few devices that have these now.
Your speaker needs a power adapter and cable that is powerful enough to charge it effectively. If your device is charging slowly, it's typically because the cable or adapter is too low-power.
For smooth charging, make sure your adapter and cable meeting the following:
| Product | Minimum Power/Current | Recommended Power/Current |
| Roam/Roam 2 | 5V/1.5A (7.5W) | 5V/2A (10W) |
| Ace | 5V/0.5A (2.5W) | 5V/3A (15W) |
| Move | 12V/3A OR 15V/2.4A (36W) | 20V/2.25A OR 15V/3A (45W) |
| Move 2 | 20V/2.25A OR 15V/3A (45W) | 20V/2.25A OR 15V/3A (45W) |
| Play | 9V/2A (18W) | 20V/2.25A OR 15V/3A (45W) |
Quick Tips:
- Check your adapter: You can usually find the voltage/amperage (V/A) or wattage (W) printed on the back of the power adapter itself or on the website where you purchased it.
- Cables Matter: If you’re using the Sonos USB-C Power Delivery (PD) cable that came with your device, you're good to go. For third-party cables, make sure they are PD-capable and meet the charging requirements. For devices that are not Roam and Roam two we recommend a USB-C cable.
- Ditch your old phone power adapters. Tablet power adapters are probably good enough (depending on how old your tablet is) but phone power adapters usually won’t be enough. As always, check the info on it if you can!
How do I know my device is charging?
When your device starts charging the light will turn solid orange. If the speaker is blinking orange it means the battery has a low charge. For information on what other light colors mean, check here.
What if I’m using a multiport charging adapter?
If you’re using a multiport changing adapter the wattage provided per device will depend on how the manufacturer distributes the wattage. For example, if you have a 45W adapter and plug in your phone, tablet, and Play it will default to provide 15W to each device. For how the wattage is distributed we recommend checking with the manufacturer.
What if I want to fast charge my device?
To fast charge most of these devices you need a PD capable power adapter as well as a USB-C cable that is capable of fast charging.
Note: Sonos Roam and Roam 2 do not support fast charging.
Can I leave my portable Sonos device permanently connected to a charger, either wireless or USB-C?
Sonos portable devices are designed to and can be left on the charger as long as they are up to date.
What chargers do you use that work well? Share your recommendations below.