Can I connect my Sonos to my Android phone?

Sonos is a popular brand known for its wireless multi-room audio system that lets you play music simultaneously across multiple speakers in your home. Sonos speakers connect over your WiFi network and can be controlled with the Sonos app.

Android phones, with their open platform and affordability, have become some of the most popular smartphones in the world. As of Q3 2022, Android holds a global market share of over 70% compared to iOS at around 25% (Source).

With both Sonos and Android being so widespread, many users want to know how to connect their Sonos speaker system to their Android phones. This article provides a step-by-step guide to connecting, grouping, and controlling Sonos speakers using an Android device.

Compatibility

Most Sonos speakers work seamlessly with Android phones, including the Sonos One, Sonos One SL, Sonos Five, Sonos Move, Sonos Roam, Sonos Beam, Sonos Arc, and Sonos Sub.

The key requirement is having Android 8.0 or higher installed on your phone. Older versions of Android have limited compatibility. According to Sonos, the app requires Android 8.0 and higher (https://support.sonos.com/en-us/article/sonos-app-requirements).

The Sonos components with the most seamless Android support are the portable models – the Sonos Roam and Sonos Move. These can directly connect via Bluetooth to stream audio from your Android phone.

For other Sonos speakers like the Sonos One or Sonos Five, you need to use WiFi instead of Bluetooth. But the set up process is still straightforward as long as you have Android 8.0 or newer.

Setup

Setting up Sonos speakers with your Android device requires just a few simple steps:

First, you’ll need to download the Sonos app from the Play Store. The Sonos app allows you to control your Sonos system from any Android smartphone or tablet.

After installing the app, open it and create a Sonos account if you don’t already have one. Your account allows you to save your speaker settings and group speakers together for synchronized playback throughout your home.

With the app open, follow the on-screen instructions to connect each of your Sonos speakers to your WiFi network. The app will walk you through the process step-by-step. Sonos speakers connect directly to your WiFi router via ethernet or built-in WiFi.

Once connected to WiFi, you can start adding music services, tuning your speakers, grouping speakers, and controlling playback entirely from your Android device!

Connecting Speakers

To connect Sonos speakers to your Android device, you’ll need to use the Sonos app. Open the Sonos app and tap “Add a Player” to begin the setup process. The Sonos app will guide you through connecting each speaker to your Sonos system.

Simply follow the on-screen prompts in the Sonos app to connect each speaker. The app will search for any Sonos speakers in your vicinity and walk you through connecting to your WiFi network. Sonos recommends using your router’s 5GHz band if available for a stronger wireless connection.

Once connected to WiFi, you can assign each speaker a name and room location. The Sonos app makes it easy to add multiple speakers in just a few minutes. All your Sonos speakers will then appear in the app ready to start streaming music.

Grouping Speakers

Sonos speakers in different rooms can be grouped together, allowing synchronized music to play across multiple rooms. To group Sonos speakers:

Open the Sonos app on your Android phone. Go to the ‘Settings’ menu.
Tap on ‘Rooms’ and select the rooms/speakers you want to group.

Name the group and tap ‘Done’. (Sonos Support)
Now when you play music it will stream to the selected grouped rooms simultaneously.

Grouping rooms allows you to play the same music in perfect sync across different areas of your home. You can easily customize and control which speakers are grouped at any time through the Sonos app.

Playing Music

One of the best features of Sonos is the ability to stream music from various services as well as your own local music library. Here are some of the ways you can play music from your Android phone:

Stream Music Services

Sonos has partnerships with many popular music streaming services like Spotify, Pandora, Apple Music, YouTube Music, Tidal, and more. The Sonos app has these services built-in, so you can easily browse and play music without having to open the standalone app.

To add a music service, simply tap on “Add Music Services” within the Sonos app and log into your preferred service. Then you can browse and play music directly in the Sonos app.

Local Music Library

You can also play music files stored locally on your Android device, such as MP3s or downloaded Spotify tracks. Open the Android Sonos app and tap on “My Sonos” then select “On This Mobile Device” to view your local files.

You can also use the “Play on Sonos” feature within other Android music apps to send music to your Sonos speakers.

This flexibility makes it easy to access all of your music libraries and streaming services right from your Android phone using Sonos.

Voice Controls

One of the most convenient ways to control your Sonos system is through voice commands using Google Assistant. Since Sonos speakers are compatible with Google Assistant, you can use voice commands to play/pause music, skip tracks, adjust volume, and more.

Here are some examples of voice commands you can use with a Google Assistant-enabled device like a Google Home or Nest speaker:

“Hey Google, play jazz music on Sonos”

“Hey Google, pause the music on Sonos”
“Hey Google, set the volume to 50% on Sonos”
“Hey Google, skip this track on Sonos”

You can also create Speaker Groups in the Sonos app and then refer to those groups in your voice commands like “Hey Google, play pop music in the Kitchen Sonos group.” This allows you to easily control different zones in your home.

With Google Assistant integration, controlling your Sonos system hands-free is quick and convenient. Just speak naturally as you would to another person and Google Assistant will understand commands like play, pause, next track etc. It makes listening to music on Sonos an even more seamless experience.

Troubleshooting Connection Issues

Here are some solutions for common connection issues when linking your Sonos speakers to an Android device:

Can’t Get Speakers to Connect

If your Sonos speakers won’t connect to your Android phone, first make sure your phone and speakers are on the same WiFi network. Go to your phone’s WiFi settings and connect to the same network your Sonos system is on.

You can also try resetting your router if the speakers won’t pair. Unplug your router for 30 seconds and plug back in to reset the connection.

Music Cuts Out or Stutters

Interference from other devices can disrupt the WiFi signal and cause music to cut out. Make sure your router is not too close to appliances like microwaves or cordless phones that could interfere.

If adjusting the router doesn’t help, try moving your Sonos speakers closer to the router for a stronger WiFi connection.

Resetting Your Speakers

If you continue having connectivity problems, try resetting your Sonos speakers. Press and hold the mute button on the back of the speaker for 10-15 seconds until the light blinks. This resets the speaker.

You’ll then need to set up the speakers again through the Sonos app.

Reinstalling the App

As a last resort, uninstall and reinstall the Sonos app from your Android phone. This will clear any bugs that could be preventing connectivity.

After reinstalling, set up your speakers again through the app.

Tips & Tricks

When using Sonos speakers with Android devices, there are some helpful tips and tricks to get the most out of your system. Here are a few ways to customize and enhance your experience:

You can set up notifications and alarms to play on specific Sonos speakers at set times. This allows you to use your Sonos speakers as an alarm clock or to notify you of calendar events or reminders. To enable this, open the Sonos app and go to Settings > Alarm Sounds to choose which speakers will play alarms. You can also set up voice notifications under Settings > Notifications.

One of the most useful features is stereo pairing two Sonos speakers in the same room to separate the left and right audio channels. This creates a wider, more immersive soundstage. To stereo pair, select the two speakers in the Sonos app and choose “Stereo Pair” from the settings menu.

The Sonos system allows you to group speakers across multiple rooms to play the same music everywhere. However, you can also separate speakers across different Android devices for more independent control. Just open the Sonos app on each device and assign speakers to each one as desired.

For more Sonos tips, see this in-depth guide from Digital Trends: 11 Sonos tips, tricks, and little-known features.

Conclusion

Connecting your Sonos speakers to an Android device is straightforward once you understand the process. The key steps are:

Download the Sonos app from the Google Play Store

Make sure both your Android device and Sonos speakers are on the same WiFi network
Open the Sonos app and follow the setup prompts
Select the Sonos speakers you want to connect and group them together

You can now play music directly from your Android device to your Sonos system

For more help with setting up and using Sonos speakers, consult the Sonos support site which has helpful articles and videos. You can also engage with other users in Sonos forums and communities to learn tips and address any issues.

With Sonos and Android, you have the ability to fill your home with music and enjoy a seamless listening experience.