Sonos setup tips and tricks
Find your Sonos Account information
You'll need your Sonos Account information if you want to control your Sonos system with your voice (more on that further down). It's also useful to know where to find it in case you ever need it.
Tap the Settings tab in the bottom right of the app > System > About My System.
Make sure your Sonos system is always running the latest software
Sonos delivers regular software updates, some of which are small, others of which are more significant, like Spotify Connect compatibility and the ability to control your Sonos speakers with your voice using Amazon's Alexa, or control it with your voice through Google Assistant. Running the latest software means you'll get the best experience from your Sonos speakers so it's a good idea to set your system up to automatically check for updates.
Click on the Settings tab in the bottom right of the app > System > System Updates > Toggle on (iOS) / Tick box (Android) Update Automatically. You can also choose when you want the update to take place. Your options comprise Morning, Afternoon, Evening and Overnight.
Since the launch of the Sonos S2 system software (called just Sonos on app stores), there are two Sonos Controller apps. The older version is now called Sonos S1 and is for people who want to retain some legacy kit as part of their setup. You can find out which kit will not work with Sonos S2 here.
The S1 software does not receive new features, but it is patched with security updates if needed. If you don't own any of the legacy devices, it is recommended you update to S2.
To upgrade to Sonos S2, you need to install the app separately, run it and it will update all of your hardware and transfer your settings automatically. Then you can delete the former app.
Override audio compression settings
Sonos presets the best audio compression for player Line-In and Sonos Dock but it can be overridden to be uncompressed or compressed. To do this, head to the Settings tab in the bottom right of the app > System > Scroll down to Audio Compression > Select desired setting.
Turn the LED light off
If you have a Sonos speaker on your bedside table or in your bedroom and you've chosen to play music to send you to sleep, you might not want the LED light on.
To turn it off, click on the Settings tab in the bottom right of the app > System > Select the room you want your speaker light off > Scroll down to toggle off Status Light (iOS) / Untick Status Light (Android).
Turn off touch controls
If you have a Sonos speaker with touch controls, such as the Playbase, Beam, second-generation Play:5, Sonos One, Sonos One SL, Sonos Move, Sonos Five or Sonos Arc, you can turn off its touch controls.
Click on the Settings tab in the bottom right of the app > System > Select the room with the speaker you want to turn the touch controls off for > Toggle off Touch Controls (iOS) / Untick Speaker Touch Controls (Android).
Double tap to skip
The play/pause button on your Sonos speaker doesn't just play and pause songs. Double tap it and you'll be able to skip to the next track, without opening the app.
If you have the second-generation Sonos Play:5, Playbase, Sonos One, Sonos Beam, Sonos One SL, Sonos Move, Sonos Five or Sonos Arc, a swipe left will play the previous track, while a swipe right will skip forward to the next one. For the Sonos Roam, a double press of the Play/Pause button will skip a track and a triple press will go back to the previous track.
Mute a single speaker
A press of the play/pause button will mute the speaker you are pressing it on so you can take a phone call in your office, but still have the music playing in your living room, for example.
Disable the swipe functionality
For those of you with the Sonos Five, second-generation Play:5, Playbase, Beam, Arc, Sonos One, Sonos One SL, Sonos Move and kids or cats who like to touch it or climb on the controls, you can disable the swipe functionality.
To do this, hold down the pair button for 10 seconds when the speaker is fully booted to disable the swipe interface. You'll then press it once to leave it in that state.
Enable volume control on your home screen
To get Sonos volume control on your Android device, tap on the three dots in the bottom right > Settings > Advanced Settings > Allow Volume Control on Home Screen.
To get Sonos volume control on your iOS device, tap on Settings > App Preferences > Toggle on Lock Screen Controls.
Use Apple's 3D Touch to Haptic Touch to play last song or radio station
For those with an iPhone 6S or newer, or an iPhone XR or newer, the Sonos app works with 3D Touch and Haptic Touch respectively, both of which present a shortcut menu when you long press on the Sonos app.
A long press on the Sonos app icon will allow you to pause or play the most recent track you were listening to without opening the app first. You'll also be able to launch Favourites or Search.
Source : pocket-lint.com