Sonos has one article per voice service and they open the same way. For Sonos Voice Control, check it is set up on the speaker you are using: Sonos app, Settings, General Settings, Voice Assistants, Sonos Voice Control, which shows where it is in use. Check the microphone switch is on and the status light above the microphone or voice service button is on. Reboot the product, move it closer to you and then away from walls, other speakers and background noise, and check language and region, since Sonos Voice Control supports US English and French.
To reset it, remove Sonos Voice Control from the room under Voice Assistants and add it back. For Alexa, re-enable the Sonos skill in the Alexa app (More, Skills and Games, Sonos, Disable Skill then Enable Skill), use one Amazon account per Sonos system, and link your music services; the advanced fix deregisters the speaker from Alexa, removes Alexa in the Sonos app, logs out of all Amazon apps and sets it up again. Google Assistant has its own article with the same microphone and placement checks.
Differential
Likely causes of “Sonos home speakers and soundbars voice assistant or controls are not working”, and how to tell them apart
- 1
The microphone switch or light is off
What separates it The commands are ignored because the microphone switch or light is off
How to confirm Switch it on and tap the button so the light comes on
- 2
The voice service is set up on another speaker
What separates it The speaker does not answer because the voice service is set up on another speaker
How to confirm Check Voice Assistants in the app, to see which speaker has the service
- 3
Background noise or a wall behind the speaker
What separates it The commands fail from a distance because of background noise or a wall behind the speaker
How to confirm Move the speaker closer to you, and then reposition it away from the wall
- 4
Unsupported language or region
What separates it You hear Sorry I don't understand because the language or the region is not supported
How to confirm Sonos Voice Control supports US English and French
- 5
A stale Alexa link
What separates it Alexa cannot hear or process requests because of a stale Alexa link
How to confirm Re-enable the Sonos skill or set Alexa up again
Before you touch a setting
Record this first — changing settings destroys the evidence
- The speaker name and the voice service
- The exact response, for example Sorry, I don't understand
- The microphone switch and light state
- Your language and region and the Amazon or Google account used
Try in this order
0 of 7 completedCheck the microphone
ReversibleCheck the microphone, by switching it on, and making sure that the light is on.
Check where the service lives
ReversibleCheck where the service lives, in Settings, General Settings and Voice Assistants, and then test again to see whether it helped.
Reboot
ReversibleReboot the speaker, by unplugging the power cord and reconnecting it, and then test again to see whether it helped.
Relocate
ReversibleRelocate the speaker, trying it near you, and then away from walls and noise, and then test again to see whether it helped.
Remove and re-add
ReversibleRemove and re add the assistant, by removing it from the room and adding it again.
Re-enable Alexa
ReversibleRe enable Alexa, by disabling and enabling the Sonos skill in the Alexa app, and then test again to see whether it helped.
Contact Sonos
ReversibleContact Sonos Support if it still fails 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
- Voice-enabled products
- Sonos says voice-enabled products have a microphone switch and a voice service button; the Arc Ultra, Era 100, Era 100 Pro, Era 100 SL and Era 300 have a volume slider and a voice service button.
- Products without voice
- Products without microphones can be controlled by a voice device elsewhere; Sonos has articles for using Alexa and Google Assistant devices to control Sonos.
- Voice on the Arc Ultra
- Add Alexa or Google Assistant in the Sonos app. The soundbar's microphone must be switched on, and the room should be reasonably quiet. If the assistant does not hear you, re-add the service and check that the soundbar and the phone are on the same Wi-Fi.
- Volume and commands
- Voice commands like volume up work through the TV if HDMI-CEC is set up, and through Sonos otherwise. If the soundbar answers but the TV does not change, check the CEC settings and the eARC connection.
- 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 voice assistant never answers after the microphone, reboot and re-add steps, contact Sonos Support
- !If Alexa still fails after deregistering, contact Amazon
- !If a Google Assistant fault persists, contact Google
Evidence ledger
Sources behind this answer
Set up check, microphone, reboot, relocate, language and remove and re-add.
Skill re-enable, one Amazon account and the advanced fix.
Microphone and placement checks.
The voice service button and microphone switch.
The company and its products.
Exact questions
Common questions
Why does Sonos Voice Control say Sorry I don't understand?+
Check language and region; it supports US English and French, and check the microphone.
Where do I see which speaker has voice?+
Sonos app, Settings, General Settings, Voice Assistants.
How do I re-add Sonos Voice Control?+
Remove it from the room, then Add to another product and follow the steps.
Can I use two Amazon accounts?+
Only one Amazon account per Sonos system.
What if Alexa says link music services?+
Do so in the Alexa app before the advanced steps.
What does the voice button do?+
It turns voice services on or off; the microphone switch controls the microphone.
Does moving the speaker help?+
Yes, away from walls, other speakers and noise.
Can the Google Assistant work on Sonos?+
Sonos has an article for it with the same microphone checks.
Why must I log out of Amazon apps?+
Sonos says logging out of all Amazon apps ensures Alexa uses the correct account when you set it up again.
How do I enable the microphone?+
Press the microphone button on the soundbar.
Why does the TV not follow voice volume?+
CEC or eARC may be misconfigured.
How do I tell whether the microphone or the voice service is the problem?+
Ask the same question to a phone's voice assistant on the same Wi-Fi. If the phone answers, the soundbar's microphone or voice setup is at fault. If the phone cannot answer either, the network or the service is the likelier cause.