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How to add any Sonos Smart Devices to HomeKit

Vashni Patrick

— 7 min read
How to add any Sonos Smart Devices to HomeKit

If you are someone who is thinking big on having better surround sounds and thinking about investing in a better sound system, Sonos is the hype.

As smart home enthusiasts, adding a quality sound system to the smart home system helps in making the space more enjoyable. Adding Sonos to HomeKit is one such perfect choice.

The newest Sonos speakers are one of the devices that work perfectly with HomeKit as they are compatible. However, the older Sonos devices need the help of a third-party bridging solution to do the HomeKit Sonos integration. You can use solutions like,

So, there is nothing to worry about if your Sonos device is new or old. There are still better and easier ways to connect Sonos with Apple Home.

Connecting Apple HomeKit and Sonos

Some of the Sonos devices natively support and are compatible with Apple HomeKit as they have Airplay 2 compatibility. These are easy to do Sonos HomeKit integration and don’t require third-party support.

Airplay 2 - Compatible devices

  • Sonos Beam
  • Sonos PlayBase
  • Sonos Play 5
  • Sonos One

You can add these devices to HomeKit by following these simple steps,

  1. Open the Apple HomeKit app on the iOS device.
  2. Click on the ‘+’ on the top right corner.
  3. Select Add Accessory.
  4. Click on 'I don’t have a code/cannot scan/more options'.
  5. Select the product you need to add.
  6. Pick the room that you have selected in the Sonos app.

Now you can use the Sonos device HomeKit.

But what if your Sonos devices are not supported with HomeKit? This is where third-party support comes to play. There are many good methods that you can do the Apple HomeKit and Sonos integration. Let’s look into them one by one.

AddtoHomeKit [Recommened Solution]

One of the simplest ways to integrate any smart device with Apple HomeKit is by using AddToHomeKit. This method allows you to control your Sonos or other smart devices effortlessly through the Apple Home app and Siri voice commands.

Just follow a few easy steps to connect your Sonos devices with Apple HomeKit, and you’ll be able to manage them using both the app and voice commands.

  1. Visit the AddToHomeKit official website.
  2. Choose your preferred ecosystem.
  3. Select the solution you want to use.
  4. Pick your preferred operating system.
  5. Install the HomeBridge plugin.
  6. Choose the Activation Package.
  7. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the setup.

You can also add Eufy devices to HomeKit and even add Vivint devices to HomeKit or other incompatible devices using AddtoHomeKit.

ATH Bridge

With the help of AddToHomeKit Bridge, you are able to get the full potential of Sonos HomeKit integration when the Sonos devices are HomeKit incompatible. It also gives the ability to control and manage devices with Apple Home and Siri. The setup process is easy and allows you to do it quickly.

To set up the ATH Bridge,

  1. Remove the pre-flashed SD card.
  2. Place the SD card inside the server.
  3. Connect the server to the router with the help of the cord.
  4. Turn on the server.
  5. With the help of the router, find the IP address of the server.
  6. Enter the IP address of the server with the port 8581 on your machine as: http://192.168.4.12:8581.
  7. Now enter the standard login credentials.
  8. Select the ‘sonos-plugin’ and download it.
  9. Log into the server and do the configuration settings.

Homebridge

Homebridge is software based third-party support that can be used to connect HomeKit and Sonos. This is an affordable method if you mind spending too much on smart home systems.

Here are the instructions of you are planning to connect HomeKit and Sonos via Homebridge:

  1. Install and open the Homebridge application.
  2. Select ‘Plugins’ from the menu.
  3. Search for ‘Sonos Plugin’.
  4. Click on it and install.
  5. Then you have to do the configuration. Follow and do the settings as required.
  6. When it’s done, the settings will be automatically saved, and now Sonos can be used with Apple HomeKit.

The only minus point in using Homebridge application is that your PC has to be powered on all the time when you are using it. Once it is turned off, it will be disconnected. To prevent this inconvenience, you can use a out of the box Homebridge device such as HOOBS.

You can also integrate Dyson HomeKit, Ring Doorbell HomeKit, Aeotec HomeKit using Homebridge solution.

HOOBS

HOOBS acts as a physical ‘bridge’ to connect Apple HomeKit and Sonos. It is a user-friendly plug-and-play solution. HOOBS provides a collection of plugins that can be used to connect any devices to HomeKit. So HOOBS can be used to connect devices to HomeKit which are incompatible.

Not only these solutions, you can also connect any smart home device to Apple HomeKit with Enomek. Actually, it is a app solution!

Installation and configuration of the plugin

Once logged in, the Homebridge menu will be displayed. Select ‘plugins’ and search ‘Homebridge ZP plugin’. Click on it and install. Once it’s done, a pop-up screen will appear for the configuration. Click on it and give the code below to the console.

"platforms": [ { "platform": "ZP" } ]

Now you can manually add the features that you are wishing to use through Sonos and Apple HomeKit.

Add Sonos to Apple Home

Open the Apple Home app. Click on ‘+’ in the top right corner and tap on Add Accessory. Select ‘I don’t have a code/cannot scan/more options’. Select the Sonos product that you want to add. And now everything is set to use Sonos HomeKit automation.

Why is adding Sonos to Apple HomeKit a better choice?

Sonos HomeKit integration is one of the best ways to have a calm surround music experience at home. You can play different songs in different locations within your home or keep it consistent.

Apple HomeKit control also lets you change the effects of the music and customize it. You can either create a soft effect or adjust the volume by Having Sonos on HomeKit.

And you can also give voice commands to Sonos speakers through Siri when HomeKit and Sonos are connected. Since most of the Sonos speakers now have built-in Airplay 2, streaming and playing music from your Apple device to Sonos is totally safe.

Compatibility Devices of Sonos to HomeKit

  • Sonos Arc/Arc SL
  • Sonos Beam (Gen 1 or Gen 2)
  • Sonos PlayBase
  • Sonos Ray
  • Sonos One
  • Second Generation Play: 5
  • Sonos Port
  • Sonos Move
  • Sonos Roam/ Roam SL

Troubleshooting Sonos devices

There are always issues that come with any popular devices including Sonos. It there are any difficulties where Sonos Homekit is not working, follow these methods to troubleshoot.

Factory Reset

If Sonos are unable to add accessories to HomeKit, factory resetting the Sonos device might help. Only a few pieces of information will be lost when resetting. Here are the steps to do it correctly,

  1. Remove the Sonos device plug.
  2. Hold down the connect button behind the device.
  3. A white light will be flashing. Release the connect button now.
  4. Wait for a few minutes and the light will turn into green after finishing the factory reset.
  5. Now you can connect it to the WiFi and follow the steps above.

Apple HomeKit Updates

When it comes to Sonos HomeKit support, HomeKit also plays a major role in connecting. If you haven’t done the software update for so long, it might be an issue. So go to your Apple Home app and reach the Apple Home settings menu. Install the latest available updates and let it restart. Now it will be ready to use.

Keep in mind to eventually update these applications. It takes only a few minutes, and you don’t have to struggle with connecting any device to HomeKit once you have the latest versions.

Benefits of Sonos HomeKit support

Connecting HomeKit and Sonos gives many possibilities to enhance the sound experience of a smart home system. The automation and seamless control of Sonos speakers work well with HomeKit.

  • Voice control

    • With the use of iPhones and iPads that have enabled Siri, voice commands can be used to play, pause or adjust volume.


  • Creating scenes

    • You have the ability to do Sonos Homekit integration to create scenes. You can create calming atmosphere or emergency situations through Sonos devices and activate them with just a voice command.


  • Timed and automated actions

    • HomeKit and Sonos can also be used to automate or schedule different actions. You can schedule a calm playlist as a wakeup call or play relaxing music when having dinner. And when you go to bed, you can set the time to the speaker to automatically turn off.


  • Synchronization

    • If there are many Sonos speakers located in different rooms of your home, you are able to sync them for multi-room audio. By doing this, you can play the same music in the entire house or play different music in different rooms.


    Adding Sonos speakers to Apple Home is a great way to control and have a great sound system at your home. A lot of people love and live in music, and they find it easy to control the music with just voice commands. Sonos HomeKit home assistant makes this process easier. Your home will be a pleasant place to hang in with the Sonos with Apple Home Kit combination without any doubt.

Editor's Pick

You can have an amazing experience with Sonos Home Kit integration. Here we have provided several methods on how to easily add your Sonos smart devices to Home Kit.

Among them, AddtoHomeKit is our recommended solution for those with no coding experience. So, if you're looking to simplify your smart home setup and streamline your technology, this is worth considering.

FAQs


Yes, Sonos comes with Bluetooth support allowing you to play audio from a Bluetooth-enabled device.

No. But it can be used with HomeKit with the help of a third-party bridge.

Yes, if you have an Airplay 2 compatible Sonos device, it will.

This is because HomeKit relies on mDNS signals. Make sure your router supports mDNS and it is not congested.

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