How To Set Up Google Assistant on Sonos Speakers

SETting UP GOOGLE ASSISTANT ON THE SONOS ONE OR SONOS BEAM.

Each of Sonos’ smart speakers can have its own voice assistant, so if you want, you can configure one to use Alexa and another to use Google Assistant. Under this scenario, your Sonos system stays in sync and both voice assistants remain aware of what’s playing, no matter which you requested it from.

To Use Google Assistant, follow these steps:

1. Open the Sonos app on your mobile device.
2. Select the “More” tab at the bottom right and select “Voice Services.”
3. Choose Google Assistant. From here, you’ll be presented with a list of compatible speakers, where you can select which ones you want to run Google Assistant instead of Alexa.
4. After choosing the speaker(s), you’ll be switched to the Google Assistant app (if you’re using iOS, this must first be installed to successfully go through this process).
5. Sign in with your Sonos account information to link Assistant to your existing Sonos setup.
6. Google will then run through several steps, which include detecting your Sonos speaker, requesting permission to access and control it, asking you what room it’s placed in, and then adding the music services you use.
7. If you’re already a Google Assistant user, you’ve probably already set it to work with Spotify, Pandora, or Google Play Music / YouTube Music. Just make sure that those same services are added to your Sonos account through the Sonos app, as well.
8. You will need to go through the Google part of this setup for each Sonos One or Beam speaker that you are using the Assistant.
9. Once you are done, you can just say “OK Google” or “Hey Google” to start trying out voice commands or music requests.

How to configure Google Assistant to control OLDER SONOS SPEAKERS:

1. Open the Sonos app on your mobile device.
2. Select the “More” tab at the bottom right and select “Voice Services.”
3. Choose Google Assistant.
4. This time there’s no menu for choosing speakers. You just sign in with your Sonos account credentials inside the Google Assistant app.
5. Link all your music services to Google Assistant if you haven’t already and choose which one you prefer to be the default source for song requests.

WHAT MUSIC APPS CAN I PLAY USING VOICE COMMANDS WITH GOOGLE ASSISTANT AND SONOS?

Spotify

Pandora

Google Play Music

YouTube Music

Deezer

iHeartRadio (can play music to Sonos, but can’t be added to the Assistant app)

Tidal (can play music to Sonos, but can’t be added to the Assistant app)

TuneIn Radio (can play music to Sonos, but can’t be added to the Assistant app)

For other services like Apple Music, you can begin playing music using the Sonos app on your iPhone or (since newer Sonos speakers support AirPlay 2) you can ask Siri to play content as well from an iOS device. Once you’ve started playing something from Apple Music or another source that Google Assistant doesn’t fully support, you can still say things like “Hey Google, skip this track” or pause music with your voice.

You can do a lot with Assistant on Sonos. For example, you can control your smart home, set alarms, play content on the TV if you’ve got a Chromecast, or power your TV on and off (if you’ve got the Sonos Beam). Your third-party Assistant skills are also usable with Sonos. Sonos has a good list of things to try here.

Sonos doesn’t yet support voice recognition for multiple people. So, unlike with a Google Home, you won’t get different answers (calendar appointments, etc.) for different people depending on who’s talking.
You can’t make phone calls or send text messages with Assistant on Sonos.
For now, Google Assistant officially works with Sonos in the United States, even though some Canadian users have reported Assistant is working in Canada. Sonos has said the integration will officially expand to Canada, Australia, the Netherlands, and the UK sometime in July.