Sonos's portable guidance for no sound or interrupted sound starts with which mode you are in. Over Bluetooth, Sonos says the commonest cause of stops or skips is distance: keep the Bluetooth device and the speaker within 30 feet, which varies with the environment; check the phone has adequate WiFi or cellular data if you stream by turning its Bluetooth off to test the source alone; and move away from microwaves, cordless phones, metal and concrete. For quiet output make sure the volume is up on both the source device and the speaker;
on a Roam you can press and hold the plus or minus button to change volume quickly, and Play/Pause pauses. If the speaker is silent and unresponsive it may be asleep or flat: on a Roam press the power button once to sleep and press any button to wake, and hold it five seconds to power down; a low battery flashes orange and an underpowered charger can leave it flat. On WiFi, music service interruptions are covered by Sonos's streaming-limit, 5 Mbps internet and interference checks. Reboot by holding the power button for five seconds, waiting 10 seconds and turning it back on.
Differential
Likely causes of “Sonos portable speakers (Move 2 and Roam 2) connects but has no sound”, and how to tell them apart
- 1
The Bluetooth device is too far away
What separates it The audio stops or skips because the Bluetooth device is too far away
How to confirm Keep the source within thirty feet of the speaker
- 2
Interference from microwaves, metal or concrete
What separates it There are dropouts in a kitchen or a garage because of interference from microwaves, metal or concrete
How to confirm Move the speaker and the device away from the sources of interference
- 3
The volume is low on the source
What separates it The sound is faint because the volume on the source is low
How to confirm Turn up both the phone and the speaker
- 4
The speaker is asleep or flat
What separates it There is no response because the speaker is asleep or flat
How to confirm Wake the speaker, and check the battery light
- 5
A streaming interruption on WiFi
What separates it One service stops because of a streaming interruption on wifi
How to confirm Check the account limit and the internet speed, for the streaming service
Before you touch a setting
Record this first — changing settings destroys the evidence
- The product and whether it is on WiFi or Bluetooth
- The distance to the source and what is between them
- The battery level and the light on the speaker
- Whether the fault follows one app or source
Try in this order
0 of 6 completedMove closer
ReversibleMove closer, and keep the Bluetooth device within thirty feet of the speaker, and then test again to see whether it helped.
Check the source
ReversibleCheck the source, by turning the phone volume up and testing another app, and then test again to see whether it helped.
Check the battery
ReversibleCheck the battery, and charge the speaker if the light flashes orange, and then test again to see whether it helped.
Reboot
ReversibleReboot the speaker, by holding power for five seconds, waiting ten seconds and restarting, and then test again to see whether it helped.
Move away from interference
ReversibleMove away from interference, keeping the speaker away from microwaves and metal, and then test again to see whether it helped.
Contact Sonos
ReversibleContact Sonos Support if it stays silent 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
- Controls by model
- Sonos's Roam overview describes Play/Pause, plus and minus, and a power button that sleeps on one press and powers down on five seconds; the Move 2 has touch controls with a volume slider.
- Bluetooth range
- Sonos says keep the device within 30 feet, and the figure varies with the environment.
- Other models this page answers
- These steps also fit the Roam 2 speaker.
Stop boundary
When this stops being a self-service repair
- !If sound is absent on both WiFi and Bluetooth with a charged battery and a reboot, contact Sonos Support
- !If only one app is silent, contact that service
- !If the speaker is damaged or wet inside, contact Sonos
Evidence ledger
Sources behind this answer
30 feet, data connection and interference checks.
Playback controls, sleep, power and the battery light.
Streaming limits and 5 Mbps.
Rebooting Move and Roam.
The company and its products.
Exact questions
Common questions
Why does my Roam skip over Bluetooth?+
Distance and interference are the usual causes; keep the device within 30 feet.
How do I wake a Roam?+
Press any button; press the power button once to sleep it.
How do I change volume quickly?+
Press and hold plus or minus on a Roam.
Does my phone connection matter?+
Yes, if you stream, test by turning Bluetooth off and playing on the phone.
What interferes with Bluetooth?+
Microwaves, cordless phones, metal and concrete.
Is there a WiFi cause?+
Music service limits, slow internet and interference.