How to set up and use Sonos Controller on iPhone and iPad

Set up a Sonos system in your home to wirelessly stream all your favorite music!

Sonos is a wireless smart speaker system that lets you connect up to 32 components so that you can fill your home with music. Once you're set up, you can control every speaker from every part of your home, using the handy Sonos Controller app. Here's how to start!

How to download the Sonos Controller app for iPhone and iPad

You can download the Sonos Controller app for iPhone and iPad directly:

Or just search the App Store for "sonos" at any time.

How to set up a Sonos speaker with the Sonos Controller app for iPhone and iPad

  1. Launch the Sonos Controller app from your Home screen.
  2. Tap on ** Set up a new Sonos system**.
  3. Tap on Next on the welcome screen. It's in the bottom righthand corner of your screen.

  4. Tap on Standard Setup. You can choose Boost Setup if you need to, but the standard wireless set up is the simplest.
  5. Tap Next on the Standard Setup screen. It's in the bottom right hand corner of your screen.
  6. Tap Next on the Connect To Power screen. Make sure your Sonos speaker is plugged in before you continue!

  7. Tap Next on the bottom right of the screen, after you have seen the green light flashing on your Sonos speaker. The indicator or the mute/play/pause button should be flashing. If you don't see the green flashing light, tap I'm unsure about the light; however, it may then prompt you to create a wired setup, which is kind of a pain in the butt.
  8. Tap on the dropdown menu.
  9. Tap on the Sonos model that you have.

  10. Tap on Set Up This Player.
  11. Press the Mute/Play/Pause button and the increase volume button on your Sonos simultaneously and you should hear a noise.
  12. Tap on the Next button.

  13. Tap on I See An Orange Light when you see the orange light on your Sonos speaker. If you don't see it tap on the "I don't see an orange light" button.
  14. Wait for the player to configure.
  15. Tap Next on the Wireless setup screen.

  16. Press your home button twice in order to get back to your Home screen.
  17. Launch the Settings app.
  18. Tap on Wi-Fi
  19. Choose the SONOS network.

  20. Navigate back to the Sonos Controller app.
  21. Tap on the Next button once you are connected to the Sonos network.
  22. Tap on the Next button.

  23. Tap on the password text field.
  24. Enter the password for the wireless network and tap Done.

  25. Tap on Continue.
  26. Wait for your Sonos to connect.
  27. Tap the *Next** button once your speaker has been added.

  28. Choose a room to label your Sonos.
  29. Tap Next after you choose a room.
  30. Tap Not Now in order to continue to the registration process. If you wanted to add another speaker you could do so now or at any other time.

  31. Tap Next on the Sonos registration screen.
  32. Enter your email address and tap done.
  33. Tap next after you enter your email address.

  34. Tap use current location or not now depending on your preference. If you choose not now, skip ahead to step 37.
  35. Tap on allow.
  36. Wait for Sonos to determine your location.

  37. Tap Next on the "Help us improve our products" screen.
  38. Tap Next on the "Registration Complete" screen.
  39. Tap Next on the Trueplay screen.

  40. Tap on the Next button on the screen titled "About Trueplay Tuning."
  41. Tap the OK button.
  42. If you want to set up Trueplay, you can do it now or at anytime. Since it's not an integral part of the setup process we will skip it for now.

  43. Tap Next on the "Trueplay tuning skipped" screen.
  44. Tap the Skip to Sonos menu button. You can choose to set up a music service at this time as well.

Your Sonos is hooked up and ready to go. You can start playing your favorite tunes from your iPhone or iPad right now!

How to connect the Sonos controller app to an existing system for iPhone and iPad

If you already have a Sonos system setup in your home or office, you can easily connect your iPhone or iPad.

  1. Launch the Sonos Controller app.
  2. Tap on **Connect To An Existing System."
  3. Tap Next on the "Welcome to Sonos" screen.
  4. Tap on Done.

How to connect a music service to the Sonos Controller app on iPhone and iPad.

If you want to be able to stream music directly from your favourite music services to your Sonos system, you need to make sure the account is hooked up in the Sonos controller app. There are a ton of different services you can choose from, so find your favorites and add them all.

  1. Launch the Sonos Controller app.
  2. Tap on the menu button. It's the icon that looks like ☰, in the top left corner of the screen.
  3. Tap on Add Music Services.

  4. Swipe up to scroll down through the list.
  5. Tap on the music service you want to add.
  6. Tap on the Add to Sonos button.

  7. Log in to a service with a new account or an existing account by following the on-screen instructions.
  8. Enter a nickname for the account. This is used in case you add more than one account for the same music service.
  9. Tap on Done.

Whether it's Apple Music, Spotify, or Pandora, you can now stream them all to your Sonos sound system with ease.

How to control a music service in the Sonos Controller app for iPhone and iPad

  1. Launch the Sonos Controller app.
  2. Tap on the menu button. It's the icon that looks like ☰, in the top left corner of the screen.
  3. Tap on the music service you want to access.
  4. Search through each category for the music you want.
  5. Tap the song or album you'd like to play.
  6. Choose when to play it.

You can use standard music controls, like play, pause, skip, etc.

How to play music from a service on your Sonos on iPhone and iPad

Once you have all your music services linked to the Sonos Controller app, you can search through them all with ease to find any of the music you like.

  1. Launch the Sonos Controller app.
  2. Tap the search button. It's the magnifying glass in the top right corner of your screen.
  3. Tap on the category you would like to search. The options are as follows:

    • Artists
    • Songs
    • Albums
    • Playlists
    • Stations
    • Genres
    • Composers
    • Hosts
    • Podcasts & Shows

  4. Type your search into the search field.
  5. Tap the item you want to play.
  6. Tap when you want to play the item. Your options are as follows:

    • Play Now: This will play the item immediately.
    • Play Next: This will play the item after what's currently playing.
    • Add to Queue: This will place the item at the end of the current list of songs.
    • Replace Queue: This will play the item after the current song and remove all other songs after it in the list.
    • More: This option lets you browse more music from the artist and get album info.

Just like that you can start building your dream playlists as long as you want! Enjoy!

How to play music on Sonos from your iPhone or iPad

You may not have a music service, but if you have a music library on your iPhone or iPad, Sonos still has you covered!

  1. Launch the Sonos Controller app.
  2. Tap on the menu button. It's the icon that looks like ☰, in the top left corner of the screen.
  3. Tap on On this iPhone/iPad.

  4. Tap on the category you want to play from. Your options are:
    • Playlists
    • Artists
    • Albums
    • Genres
    • Songs
    • Compilations
    • Composers
    • Podcasts
  5. Tap on the item you want to play.
  6. Tap on when you want to play the item.

    • Play Now: This will play the item immediately.
    • Play Next: This will play the item after what's currently playing.
    • Add to Queue: This will place the item at the end of the current list of songs.
    • Replace Queue: This will play the item after the current song and remove all other songs after it in the list.
    • More: This options lets you browse more music from the artist and get album info.

All that music you downloaded onto your iPhone or iPad won't go to waste; stream it to your Sonos!










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