How to pair Sonos speaker with iPhone: 4 best methods

How to pair Sonos speaker with iPhone? Sonos offers a wide plethora of residential sound systems. Sadly, some customers experience problems pairing their Sonos system with an iPhone. In this article, we’ll look at how you can pair your Sonos speaker with an iPhone in a matter of seconds.

how to pair sonos speaker with iphone
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Different Sonos devices

Before we proceed, I’m gonna have to ask you what kind of Sonos speaker you have. Depending on what Sonos product you have the pairing procedure will vary in one key aspect.

You see, unlike many speakers of other brands, some Sonos speakers do not have a Bluetooth module.

It means that they can only get connected to your mobile gadget via a Wi-Fi network.

For instance, the Sonos Roam speaker and Sonos Move have the option of pairing in Bluetooth mode while the Sonos One and all the Sonos soundbar systems do not. It means that the last two can pair with your iPhone via a Wi-Fi network.

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Image credit: www.whathifi.com

Sonos App

At the same time, regardless of what Sonos device you have, you’ll need to install the Sonos app to enable pairing mode. Just download it on the App Store and proceed to the next step.

Once the Sonos app has been successfully installed on your iPhone launch it and log in. If you do not have a Sonos account create one. The procedure is similar to most other services. You’re just gonna have to enter your e-mail and create a secure password. After that, you should receive a verification letter.

Upon completing the registration procedure you can start connecting Sonos to your iPhone.

The pairing process is quite straightforward actually. You just need to follow the instructions in the Sonos app. There are just a couple of things you have to keep in mind.

First, you obviously have to make sure that your Sonos speaker is plugged in. Once you plug it in, the LED indicator on top of the device will start flashing white and then switch its light to green. The green light indicates that the speaker is powered up and ready to pair with your iPhone.

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Image credit: www.smarthomesounds.co.uk

Second, the Wi-Fi network signal should be strong enough.

Third. The Sonos and your iPhone should have access to the same Wi-Fi network. At a certain stage of the setup process, the Sonos app will give you a list of all the Wi-Fi networks that are available to your Sonos device. Make sure to select the secure Wi-Fi network that is also being used by your iPhone at the moment.

Once you select the network, the speaker will connect to your Wi-Fi. This process might take a couple of moments. The Sonos app will notify you after the speaker manages to establish a stable connection.

At this point press a big black button with an infinity symbol on it. It is located in the back of your speaker, right above the power socket.

If the device chimes it will mean that the connection to Wi-Fi has been established and the Sonos will immediately attempt to pair with your iPhone.

After the pairing is completed you should see the corresponding message on the screen of your iPhone. And voila! As you can see it is pretty easy to connect Sonos to your iPhone. There are a couple of additional steps that will allow you to further customize your speaker.

For example, the Sonos app will also allow you to allocate a name to your speaker depending on what room it is in.

Besides, the Sonos app allows you to create an interconnected family of Sonos devices that will have access to the Internet, Alexa, etc.

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Image credit: www.smarthomesounds.co.uk

Other ways of connecting Sonos system to your iPhone

There are also other ways to connect Sonos speakers to an iPhone. They might come in handy if you don’t wanna install the Sonos App or if you’re using Sonos at your friend’s house.

For instance, you can pair them via Bluetooth, or simply enable the Airplay function and play music directly from the audio streaming app of your choice.

Keep in mind however that if you connect Sonos to an iPhone using one of these methods your Sonos will only act like a regular speaker.

It means that it will play music but it won’t have access to Alexa and the already existing system of other Sonos speakers in your home.

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Image credit: www.smarthomesounds.co.uk

Airplay connection

The Airplay function allows you to share the music that’s currently playing on your iPhone with nearby Apple devices or other devices that support this technology.

  1. Your iPhone and the Sonos speaker should share the same Wi-Fi connection.
  2. Open any audio streaming app on your phone.
  3. Go to the Control center by dragging the icon down. The exact location of the Control center icon might differ depending on the IOS update and the app you use.
  4. In the Control Center menu tap on Audio card and find the Airplay icon.
  5. Hit the Airplay icon in the Audio card menu and you’ll see the list of all the Sonos devices that can be accessed by your phone.
  6. Pick the gadget you prefer and enjoy the music.

Connect Sonos via Bluetooth

Certain Sonos devices like Sonos Roam or Sonos Move can pair with a phone via Bluetooth.

Be advised: a Sonos soundbar does not have a Bluetooth module.

  1. Activate your Sonos roam or Sonos move. To do that, hit the power button on the back panel of the speaker.
  2. To enable Bluetooth press the elongated Bluetooth button right under the power button.
  3. You’ll know that the Bluetooth is turned on if the device chimes and the LED light on top starts blinking blue.
  4. The blinking means that Sonos Move is in search mode. At this point, you need to enable Bluetooth on your iPhone.
  5. In the Bluetooth settings on your phone, you should be able to see the list of all Bluetooth devices in the immediate vicinity.
  6. Pick Sonos move to connect Sonos to the phone.
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Conclusion

There are a couple of ways you can connect Sonos to your iPhone. The optimal one is just to use the Sonos App. The Sonos app allows for better customization and finer tuning of your Sonos.

If you don’t wanna use the Sonos app you can resort to the Airplay function or Bluetooth pairing. All 4 methods are quite straightforward.

FAQ

How do I connect iPhone to Sonos speakers?

The optimal method is to use the Sonos app. You will find the detailed guide above.

How do I connect my iPhone to Sonos Bluetooth?

Press the Bluetooth button on the back panel of your Sonos device. The Bluetooth button usually has an elongated shape.

The Sonos should automatically engage in the search mode. After that, just find Sonos in the Bluetooth settings, in the section with all the nearby devices.

Why won’t my iPhone connect to Sonos speaker?

The Sonos might fail to connect with your iPhone if the Wi-Fi signal is not strong enough.

How do I put Sonos in pairing mode?

When you activate the Sonos for the first time it will switch to pairing mode by itself.

Kimberly Frazier

My career in the speaker industry has been an exciting journey. I started my professional life by selling various equipment and speakers, but my passion for these audio devices soon led me to venture into selling speakers on my own. Now, after 8 years in the industry, I can confidently say that I know everything there is to know about speakers, and I’m excited to share my knowledge through my blog.

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