Sonos gives separate charging rules for the Move 2 and the Roam 2. A Move 2 charges on its base with the contacts aligned and touching, which must be dry and free of debris, indoors only, and takes about three hours to fill; or from the USB-C port on the back above the contacts, using the Sonos 45 W USB-C power supply or any compliant USB-PD supply of at least 45 W. The battery light flashes orange at 6 percent or less, shows solid orange while charging and turns off after about 10 seconds even though charging continues;
if the battery is depleted the orange light can stay on longer, and the speaker may need more charge before it works on battery. A Roam charges from 0 to 50 percent in about an hour by USB-C and about two hours on the Sonos Wireless Charger, does not support fast or PPS charging, and its light flashes orange at 15 percent or less. Sonos warns that 5V/1A (5W) adapters, common with iPhones before the iPhone 11, do not have enough power and can cause very slow charging or even drain the battery while plugged in.
Differential
Likely causes of “Sonos portable speakers (Move 2 and Roam 2) will not charge”, and how to tell them apart
- 1
An underpowered USB adapter
What separates it Charging is very slow or the battery drains while plugged in
How to confirm Use a compliant adapter; a Move 2 needs at least 45 W USB-PD
- 2
Dirty or wet charging contacts on a Move 2
What separates it Nothing happens on the base because the charging contacts are dirty or wet
How to confirm Dry and clean the contacts before placing it on the base
- 3
A loose USB-C cable
What separates it The light flickers because the USB-C cable is loose
How to confirm Seat the cable fully in the speaker and the adapter
- 4
A depleted battery
What separates it The orange light stays on longer than 10 seconds
How to confirm Charge the speaker for an hour, before you judge whether it is charging
- 5
A worn battery after about three years or 900 charges
What separates it The battery life has fallen sharply because the battery is worn
How to confirm Replace the battery with Sonos's battery kit, if the battery is worn
Before you touch a setting
Record this first — changing settings destroys the evidence
- The product: Move 2 or Roam 2, and how it is charged
- The adapter or charger and its wattage
- What the battery light does and for how long
- How old the speaker is and how many cycles it has had
Try in this order
0 of 7 completedCheck the adapter
ReversibleConfirm it meets the requirement: 45 W USB-PD for a Move 2, and not a 5W adapter for a Roam 2.
Check the cable
ReversibleCheck the cable, and seat the USB-C cable fully, using the one in the box.
Clean and dry
ReversibleClean and dry the base contacts and the speaker contacts, before you try again, and then test again to see whether it helped.
Watch the light
ReversibleWatch the light, looking for solid orange, which turns off after about ten seconds while charging continues.
Leave it an hour
ReversibleLeave the speaker for an hour on the charger, before you check the battery level.
Check the level
ReversibleCheck the level, by opening the System view in the Sonos app for the battery level.
Contact Sonos
ReversibleContact Sonos Support if nothing charges 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
- Charging by model
- Sonos: the Move 2 charges in about three hours on its base or by USB-C at 45 W or more; the Roam 2 charges 0 to 50 percent in about an hour by USB-C or two hours wirelessly and needs an adapter with enough power.
- Battery light thresholds
- The Move 2 light flashes orange at 6 percent or less and the Roam's at 15 percent or less, per Sonos.
- Other models this page answers
- These steps also fit the Roam 2 speaker.
Stop boundary
When this stops being a self-service repair
- !If the light never turns solid orange on a compliant adapter and cable, contact Sonos Support
- !If the speaker is swollen or hot, stop charging and contact Sonos
- !If the battery is worn, replace it with Sonos's kit or contact Sonos
Evidence ledger
Sources behind this answer
Base and USB-C charging, the 45 W requirement, battery light, 24 hours and 900 charges.
USB-C and wireless charging times, no fast charging and the battery light.
Why 5W adapters fail and the steps before contacting support.
The replacement battery kit.
The company and its products.
Exact questions
Common questions
How long does a Move 2 take to charge?+
About three hours on the charging base, per Sonos.
How fast does a Roam 2 charge?+
About 50 percent in an hour by USB-C and in about two hours on the Sonos Wireless Charger.
Does Roam support fast charging?+
No. Sonos says Roam does not support Fast, Turbo or PPS charging.
What power does a Move 2 need?+
The Sonos 45 W USB-C PD supply or any USB-PD supply of at least 45 W.
Why is my Roam charging slowly?+
Older 5W phone adapters do not provide enough power; Sonos says use a compliant adapter.
What does the orange light mean?+
Flashing orange is a low battery; solid orange is charging and turns off after about 10 seconds.
Can I leave a Move 2 on the base?+
Yes. Sonos says leaving it on the charging dock long-term does not reduce battery life.
Where is the battery level?+
In the Sonos app's System view.
How do I reboot a Sonos speaker?+
Unplug the power cord, wait ten seconds, and reconnect it, then allow about a minute to start.
How do I group a speaker with others?+
Press and hold Play or Pause on any product, to group it with another room that is playing.
How long does a Move 2 last on a charge?+
It gives up to twenty four hours of continuous playback from its 44 Wh battery, according to Sonos.