Setting up whole-home audio with Sonos is a breeze, but what if you want to control it with Alexa? Can you group Sonos speakers within the Alexa app for seamless voice control? The answer is yes! While Sonos allows for in-app grouping, leveraging Alexa opens up convenient voice-activated commands for a truly hands-free experience.
Using Alexa to Control Multiple Sonos Speakers
While the Sonos app provides its own robust grouping functionality, integrating with Alexa offers an added layer of convenience. You can create speaker groups within the Alexa app, enabling you to control playback across multiple Sonos devices with simple voice commands. For instance, instead of individually instructing each speaker, you could say, “Alexa, play jazz in the whole house,” having previously defined “whole house” as a group containing all your Sonos speakers.
One common approach is to establish an Alexa group and assign all your desired Sonos rooms as the default speakers. If you named the group “Downstairs,” you could command, “Alexa, play music Downstairs.” For even more streamlined control, include an Alexa device (like an Echo Dot) within the group. This allows Alexa to automatically utilize the grouped speakers without needing to specify the group name each time. Simply saying, “Alexa, play music,” will then activate audio across all speakers in the associated group.
Setting up an Alexa Group with Sonos Speakers
Creating an Alexa group with your Sonos devices is straightforward. Here’s a quick guide:
- Open the Alexa App: Launch the Alexa application on your smartphone or tablet.
- Navigate to Devices: Tap on the “Devices” icon located at the bottom right of the screen.
- Select the Plus Icon: Tap the plus icon in the upper right corner and choose “Combine Speakers” then “+ Add Group”
- Choose “Multi-Room Music”: Select this option to create a group specifically for music playback across multiple rooms.
- Name Your Group: Give your group a descriptive name like “Upstairs,” “Living Room and Kitchen,” or “Whole House.”
- Select Your Sonos Speakers: Choose the Sonos speakers you wish to include in this group.
- Choose your preferred Echo device (Optional): Add an Echo device to the group to enable voice control without specifying the group name.
By leveraging Alexa’s grouping feature, you can unlock the full potential of your Sonos multi-room audio system. Enjoy effortless control of your music throughout your home with the power of your voice.
