Sonos's voice articles explain how the microphone works on products that have one. If your speaker has a physical microphone switch, make sure it is on; the status light above the microphone button or voice service button shows the state, and if the light is off tapping the button re-enables the microphone or voice service. The voice service button does not enable or disable the microphone, which is done only with the microphone switch on the back;
with the microphone disabled you can still use voice commands by pressing and holding the mic button. The microphones also matter for Trueplay: quick tuning on the Arc Ultra, Era 100 and Era 300 uses the built-in microphones, so the switch must be on for every product in the setup. If commands are not heard, move the product away from walls, other speakers and background noise, and reboot it. Products without microphones cannot use these features, and Sonos says products that include microphones can pair with SL versions.
Differential
Likely causes of “Sonos home speakers and soundbars microphone sounds bad or is not detected”, and how to tell them apart
- 1
The physical microphone switch is off
What separates it Voice commands never work because the physical microphone switch is off
How to confirm Switch the physical microphone on, and check that the light shows
- 2
The voice service button is off
What separates it The light is off because the voice service button is switched off
How to confirm Tap the button to re-enable the voice service
- 3
The speaker cannot hear you
What separates it Commands only work close up because the speaker cannot hear you from a distance
How to confirm Move it away from walls and background noise
- 4
Quick Trueplay tuning fails
What separates it The app says a microphone is off because quick Trueplay tuning has failed
How to confirm Turn the mic switch on for every product
- 5
A product without a microphone
What separates it There are no voice features because the product has no microphone
How to confirm Use another voice enabled speaker, since this product has no microphone
Before you touch a setting
Record this first — changing settings destroys the evidence
- The product name and whether it has a microphone switch
- The state of the switch and the status light
- What you tried: voice command or Trueplay
- Where the speaker sits relative to walls and noise
Try in this order
0 of 7 completedCheck the switch
ReversibleCheck the switch, and make sure that the physical microphone switch is on, and then test again to see whether it helped.
Check the light
ReversibleCheck the light, and if the light above the button is off, tap the button to turn it on.
Move the speaker
ReversibleMove the speaker, bringing it closer to you, or away from walls and noise, and then test again to see whether it helped.
Reboot
ReversibleReboot the product, by unplugging the power cord and reconnecting it, and then test again to see whether it helped.
Test with the mic button
ReversibleTest with the mic button, by pressing and holding it, to speak to a disabled microphone.
Check Trueplay
ReversibleCheck Trueplay, and turn the microphone switch on for every product before quick tuning, and then test again to see whether it helped.
Contact Sonos
ReversibleContact Sonos Support if it stays deaf after these steps, giving them the model, and then test again to see whether it helped.
Model-specific
What is true of this model and not of its siblings
- Microphone products
- Sonos says voice-enabled products have a physical microphone switch and a voice service button; the Arc Ultra, Era 100, Era 100 Pro, Era 100 SL and Era 300 also have a touch volume slider.
- Products without a slider
- The Arc, Arc SL, Beam (Gen 2) and Ray have touch buttons rather than a volume slider, per Sonos.
- Other models this page answers
- These steps also fit models Arc soundbar, Beam (Gen 2), Ray soundbar, Era 300 speaker, Era 100 speaker, Sub (Gen 3), Sub Mini.
Stop boundary
When this stops being a self-service repair
- !If a switched-on microphone never hears you after moving and rebooting the product, contact Sonos Support
- !If Trueplay quick tuning always fails, contact Sonos
- !If the light behaves oddly, contact Sonos, and give them the model
Evidence ledger
Sources behind this answer
The voice service button versus the microphone switch.
Checking the microphone, light and location.
Quick tuning uses the built-in microphones.
Mic products and SL versions.
The company and its products.
Exact questions
Common questions
How do I turn the microphone off?+
With the microphone switch on the back of the product.
What does the voice service button do?+
It turns voice services on or off but does not enable or disable the microphone.
Can I still speak with the mic off?+
Yes, by pressing and holding the mic button.
Does Trueplay need the microphone?+
Quick tuning on the Arc Ultra, Era 100 and Era 300 uses the built-in microphones.
Which speakers have microphones?+
Sonos's Voice Control articles cover the voice-enabled products; the Era 300 and Arc Ultra are named.
Why does it not hear me?+
Move it away from walls, other speakers and noise.
Does a reboot help?+
Yes, a reboot can help, and Sonos lists rebooting as a step.
Do subs have microphones?+
No; a Sub has no voice features.
What happens to voice when the mic is off?+
You can still press and hold the mic button to speak, but always-listening voice commands and quick Trueplay tuning need the switch on.
Where is the switch?+
On the back of a voice-enabled product; the light above the microphone or voice service button shows whether it is enabled.