Sonos is one of the leading American-based manufacturers of audio products. The company has developed a wireless speaker system called Sonos that allows you to listen to music tracks from various audio streaming platforms and devices. Sonos also supports the AirPlay feature, where you can stream music tracks or songs from iOS devices to Sonos speakers via AirPlay. However, most users claim that they are facing an issue while connecting their iPhone/iPad devices to the Sonos system. If you are getting involved in the same issue, here are some simple troubleshooting techniques to resolve the Sonos AirPlay not working issue.
Possible Causes for AirPlay Not Working on Sonos
Some possible causes for AirPlay not working on Sonos are below.
- The battery on the Sonos speaker has gone low.
- Sonos speaker is receiving interference from other devices.
- Interferences of other accessories connected to the Speaker.
- Your speaker, device, or app is running on outdated firmware and needs to be updated.
- Temporary malfunction in Speaker.
- A problem with the WiFi connectivity.
How to Fix AirPlay Not Working on Sonos
You can resolve AirPlay not working issue by following the techniques given below.
- Check Sonos battery status
- Remove extra accessories
- Remove the Object Interference
- Update Sonos App
- Update Sonos and iOS device
- Reset Network Settings
- Restart the Speaker
- Restart the iOS or Mac device
Check Sonos Battery Status
If you have trouble connecting the Sonos system via AirPlay, check the power status on your Sonos units. In most cases, Sonos will not function properly if the battery percentage is too low or dead. If this is the case, power up your Sonos speakers to regain normal functioning. You can also try a wall outlet power source instead of batteries to ensure a sufficient voltage supply to the audio systems.
Remove Extra Accessories
Sometimes, if your Sonos speaker is connected with too many Bluetooth accessories, this will hinder the proper functionality of AirPlay on Sonos. And also, AirPlay won’t show up on the Sonos system. To make AirPlay appear on your Sonos system, you must limit the number of Bluetooth devices connected to the speaker. So, avoid connecting multiple accessories to your Sonos system to resolve the issue.
Reduce the Object Interference
Interferences may also be the culprit behind AirPlay/AirPlay 2 not working on the Sonos issue. To reduce interference from other nearby devices, you should limit the number of wireless devices in the range. You should turn Off other wireless devices. And also, turn Off the Bluetooth and WIFI connections in the nearby devices. After turning Off the device that is interfering, check the response of the Sonos speaker. If you still have complications, move on to the next fix.
Update Sonos App
Most often, using an outdated version of the Sonos controller app to control the Sonos speaker causes trouble streaming the contents via AirPlay. Update your Sonos app on your iOS device to resolve AirPlay unable to connect issue on the Sonos speaker.
1). On your iOS device, launch the Sonos Controller App.
2). Tap on the More options menu.
3). Then, choose Settings and select System Updates.
4). Under System Updates, select Check for Updates.
5). If the app shows any available updates for your device, install the pending update on your device by clicking Enable automatic updates.
Update Sonos and iOS Device
If most cases, the AirPlay feature will not function as expected on devices that run on the outdated software version. You can rule out this by updating your iOS device and speaker to the latest firmware. The updated version always comes up with new software codes and patches that will help you to fix the bugs and other compatibility issues on your device.
Reset Network Settings
Sometimes, the AirPlay not working on Sonos may be due to network bugs or glitches on your devices. These network bugs hinder the Sonos system from showing up on AirPlay even if it is turned on with full power status. You can resolve this issue by resetting the network settings on your iPhone or iPad.
1). To Reset network settings, go to Settings on your iOS device.
2). From the settings menu, choose General.
3). Then, choose Reset and select Reset Network Settings.
After resetting the network settings, restart your device and check whether the issue is resolved.
Restart the Sonos Speaker
Restarting your Speaker is another effective trick that can help you resolve AirPlay-2 not working on the Sonos speaker. Rebooting your Speaker will help you to remove minor programming bugs and resolves temporary malfunction in your Sonos speaker.
To restart or reboot your Sonos,
1). On the Sonos speaker, press and hold the Power button for 5 seconds.
2). After 5 seconds, the status light gets turned Off.
3). Wait for 10 seconds and then press the Power button until the speaker turns On.
Restart the iOS Device
Similarly, restarting the iOS or Mac device helps you to get rid of the airplay stuttering audio issue on the Sonos speaker. To reboot your iPhone or iPad, press the Power button and the Volume Down or Up button for 6-8 seconds. Drag the slider to power Off the iPhone. Then, long press the Power button until the Apple logo appears to turn On the iOS device.
In addition to the above techniques, you can try factory resetting your devices to resolve this issue. However, this technique will wipe out all the data on your devices. It is advisable to back up the data stored in the device before performing a factory reset. If you still face the issue, you can contact the Sonos Support team to ask for the assistance of technical experts.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you are using iPhone with iOS 14, you have to enable the app permission to connect Sonos to the system.
1). On your iOS 14 device, go to Settings.
2). Choose Privacy
3). Select Local Network.
4). Under the list of local networks, enable access for Sonos.
If AirPlay keeps disconnecting on the Sonos speaker, this may be due to minor bugs on the speaker and iOS device. To fix it, power cycle the Sonos speaker and iPhone or iPad.
Selected models of Sonos support AirPlay 2, like Sonos One, Beam, Move, Arc, Five, and Playbase.
