If you have a Sonos speaker and an iPhone, nothing stops you from playing music from the iPhone through your Sonos speakers. This way you get to experience high-quality audio music from your Sonos speakers. However, you may feel disappointed when your Sonos device is unable to play music right from your iPhone through it. If you find yourself in this situation, worry no more because in this article I’ll be addressing your issue and how you can fix it.
After the introduction of app permission for Sonos on iPhones with iOS 14 and higher versions, Sonos devices are not able to play music from your iPhone unless the app permission is enabled. You can enable the app permission to your Sonos device in your iPhone’s Settings. Poor internet connection could also be the reason why Sonos can’t play music from your iPhone, but this can be easily resolved by restarting your router.
Some other factors, which I will discuss later, can prevent Sonos from playing music from your iPhone. So whether you are having issues with streaming music from Apple Music, with iTunes, or playing music from your local library, I got you covered. Keep reading this article for more information on the other causes and how to fix such problems.
Why Can’t I Play Music From My iPhone On Sonos?
Sonos will not play music from your iPhone due to a number of reasons. First of all, internet connectivity can be a major culprit. If the internet connection is down, you can stream music from your music services even if you have all the other factors right.
For iPhones running on iOS 14 or higher versions, Apple has introduced the Sonos app permission which can be located in your settings. If the setting is not enabled, your iPhone will not be able to connect with your Sonos devices and as result, there will be no music on your Sonos speakers.
If you are also streaming the music from a music service that you are not subscribed to, you may likely have some problems with the service.
Some music services will require you to authorize them before they can play on your Sonos device.
Also, outdated apps will not be able to run properly on your iPhone and this may affect the functionality of your Sonos app.
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How to Fix Sonos that Won’t Play Music From Your iPhone
It’s not good to see your Sonos device not able to connect with your iPhone. However, you can always work around this issue and get the problem fixed in no time with some of the tips that I am going to share with you.
Here are some techniques that you can use:
- Check the light on the Sonos device. When you plug in your Sonos device to a power source, wait for the light on your Sonos device to turn white before you use it. The white light is an indication that the device is well set up and can now connect to other devices.
- Restart your router. If you notice that the internet connection is down, restarting your router is the best way to go. You can unplug the power cord from the power source and then replug it after some seconds. You can also relocate the WiFi router in order to find a position where the internet connection is very strong.
- Switch to Ethernet if necessary for a better internet connection. You should change ports on your router or better still change the router if the router is not helping out with the internet connection.
- Connect Sonos and iPhone over the same network. When you are connecting your iPhone to the WiFi network, make sure that it is connected to the same network as the Sonos, otherwise, your phone will not be able to connect with the Sonos device.
- Disable VPNs on your iPhone. VPNs will interfere with the connection between your Sonos device and your iPhone, so it’s a good idea to always disable them if you have enabled them on your iPhone.
- Update the Sonos app. You may overlook the possibility of an outdated Sonos app being the cause of the problem, but most often, it actually is the cause. Always ensure that your Sonos app and even your iOS are updated to their current versions in order to prevent problems such as these.
- Enable Sonos app permission in your Settings. You can do this by going to Settings on your iPhone and navigating to Privacy, select Local Network and you’ll see the Sonos app permission there. Tap on it to enable the setting. The Sonos app will be able to connect to your Sonos speaker, allowing you to play music from the iPhone.
How to Play Music on Sonos Using iPhone
With your iPhone, you can play music from music services like Apple Music on Sonos. You can also play music from the local library on your iPhone, all on high-quality Sonos devices.
iPhones offer a lot more flexibility when it comes to playing music on Sonos, because of the AirPlay feature which is supported by Sonos devices.
You can therefore play music on Sonos from your iPhone using any of these:
- The Sonos app
- AirPlay
- Bluetooth
How to Play Music From Apple Music on Sonos
As an iPhone user, your favorite music service might be Apple Music and so you may want to play music from the service through your Sonos speakers.
Before you can play music from Apple Music on Sonos, you will have to add Apple Music to your music service list on your Sonos app. After that, you can begin to play music directly from the service or you can add your own music from your local library to Sonos.
This will require that you download and install the Sonos app on your iPhone since most of the activities will be carried out on the app.
Below are the steps that you can use to play music from Apple Music on your Sonos:
- Plug in your Sonos speakers to a power supply and ensure that they are turned on and connected to your network.
- On your iPhone, go to the Apple Store and download the Sonos app.
- When you finish installing the app on your iPhone, launch it and go to Settings.
- Navigate to Services and Voice and then Music and Content.
- Choose Add Music Service and then select Apple Music.
- Hit the Add To Sonos button.
- Follow the on-screen instructions to log in to your Apple Music account.
- Tap the Authorize button to allow Sonos app access to Apple Music. Once the authorization is complete, go back to the Sonos app and then select Apple Music. Tap on Play Now and then you will hear all the music on Apple Music playing on your Sonos speakers.
If you are bored with line up music that you are streaming on Apple Music. You can choose to add your own music to the app. Here’s how to do it:
- Open the Sonos app and go to Browse.
- Choose Apple Music and choose which songs want to add to your Sonos.
- You will some dots, three of them actually, which appear next to the songs. Tap on the dots and choose to Add to Sonos.
Your selected music will now be indexed by the Sonos app and it will begin to play on your Sonos speakers accordingly.
The Sonos app also allows you to add various content, other than just music to the app. You can radio shows, podcasts, and audiobooks to the app and play them on your Sonos speakers.
How to Connect iPhone to Sonos Using AirPlay Method
Most Sonos devices support the AirPlay feature therefore if you have an iPhone, connecting your iPhone to Sonos via AirPlay seems to be an easier way to way to go.
Playing music on Sonos using AirPlay is very simple.
You just have to connect your phone and Sonos devices over the same network. If you are streaming music from the Apple Music app, just tap on the AirPlay icon to add your Sonos speaker and that’s it. You will begin to hear the music play from your phone through the Sonos speakers.
Below is a detailed guide on how to play music using AirPlay 2:
- Plug in your Sonos speakers to a power supply and connect them to your network.
- Search for the music or audio interested in and load it.
- Go to your control panel on your iPhone and then navigate to the music control box.
- Select AirPlay and choose your preferred Sonos speaker from the list of devices available
- After the speaker connects with your iPhone, you should hear the music playing from the speaker.
How to Connect iPhone to Sonos Using Bluetooth Method
Although most Sonos devices were not designed for Bluetooth connections, a few of them in recent times can connect to smartphones via Bluetooth.
However, when the Sonos are connected through Bluetooth certain features like the voice assistant, by default are disabled and can not be used.
If you own a Sonos Move and want your iPhone to play music via a Bluetooth connection, here’s how to do it:
- Plug in your Sonos Moves to the power supply.
- With the Sonos Move, you’ll find the Bluetooth button at the back of the device. When you find it, just press on it to turn on the Bluetooth.
- When the Bluetooth is turned on, your Sonos Move will make a sound to indicate that the Bluetooth has been turned on. You will also see the LED on the Move glowing blue light. Press the Bluetooth button and hold it down until the LED just blinks a blue light to signal that it is ready for use.
- On your iPhone, go to Settings and turn on Bluetooth. Allow your iPhone to search for devices within range and tap on your Sonos Move to pair it up once you see it.
- You should see the LED indicator on the Sonos Move change from a mere blink to a solid blue color.
- Select the music on your iPhone and once you play it, you should hear it come out from the Sonos Move.
Final Thoughts
iPhones have several means of connecting to Sonos speakers. If you own an iPhone and a Sonos device, you can listen to all the music on Sonos speakers by using the Sonos app, AirPlay, or Bluetooth.
Although these connections seem great, sometimes you may run into issues where your iPhone won’t play music on Sonos. You should not be so worried if you find yourself in such situations. It could be that you have not granted permission to the Sonos app on your phone to connect with your Sonos or maybe there is an issue with your internet or your subscription to a music service.
If you are using an iOS 14 iPhone or higher version, you should always go back to your phone’s settings to enable the permission setting for your Sonos app before playing songs on the Sonos app.
If you realize the problem is with your internet connection or subscription, fix your router and renew your subscription with the music service accordingly in order to enjoy your favorite music and albums on your Sonos without interruptions.
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