Are you are an audiophile or a casual music listener? Chances are that you always like listening to your music in an organised way. One way to achieve this objective is to invest in Sonos audio devices. With these devices in place, you will be able to enjoy a high quality wireless sound in your house and thus take your home’s entertainment to the next level.
Since these devices are easy to use and can be integrated with mobile apps such as the Sonos app, be sure that you will be able to organize and access your favorite music seamlessly. If you normally use these devices for entertainment purposes, chances are that you are curious to know whether they can work well with the Homekit or not. The good news is that this is practically possible with newer Sonos devices.
In you have older versions, you have to rely on platform such as the Homebridge hub so as to establish a connection between these two. Once you integrate your Sonos speakers with Homekit, you will be able to command them to play your favorite music from your iPhone device using voice commands via platforms such as Siri. In this article, we shall take a closer look at how to add Sonos to Homekit, alongside other related ideas:
What is Homekit
Since you have an idea about what Sonos audio devices are and what they can do, time is ripe for you to know more about the Apple Homekit. Simply put, this is an Apple’s smart home platform that allows all Apple users to control various smart home devices by either a touch of a button or a voice command.
From the window blinds to thermostats, there are a plethora of devices that you can control with your Apple device. Whether you are using an iPhone or Mac laptop, be sure that you will be able to control these devices on the go.
Does Sonos Work with Homekit
Yes. As we speak, the new generation Sonos speakers now work with Homekit seamlessly. Therefore, you will not have issues adding them to Homekit. Some of these latest versions of the Sonos speakers that can work with Homekit include:
- Sonos beam
- Sonos One
- Sonos amp
- Sonos Playbase
- Sonos Play
However, if you have older versions of Sonos speakers, be sure that you will not be able to add them to Homekit directly. This is because they are not compatible with Homekit per se.
Instead, you have to rely on platforms such as Homebridge hub in order to make this integration possible. Better still, you can consider upgrading your older versions of the Sonos speakers and then integrate them with the Apple Homekit so that you can control these speakers easily through voice commands.
What can you do with Sonos Apple Homekit
By integrating your Sonos speakers with Apple Homekit, you will be able to play your favorite music on these speakers the way you please. Whether it is hip-hop or country music, be sure that you will be able to command these speakers to play your favorite music from the Apple device and thus keep you entertained for longer.
In fact, you will be able to command Siri to play music in a particular room and it will exactly do that. The speaker in that given room will come to life instantly and thus keep the occupants entertained.
Unlike other conventional Sonos speakers, the new generation models come with an in-built AirPlay 2 that makes it possible for you to stream music directly from your iPhone device to the speakers.
In fact, this feature makes it possible to play a single song on your iPhone in multiple rooms simultaneously. Better still, it offers you an opportunity to select the speaker you want to stream the music to and so forth.
How To Update The Sonos App And Enable AirPlay 2 and Homekit Support
If you have a new generation of Sonos speakers, be sure that you will be able to integrate them with Homekit, thanks to the AirPlay 2 feature. However, if you have older Sonos speakers, you will need to update the Sonos app so that your speakers can now work with Homekit. Consequently, these older speakers can now be grouped together with the AirPlay 2 compatible models. Here are the steps that can help you to update the Sonos app so that your older speakers can be updated as well:
- Launch the Sonos app on your iPhone device and then click on the ‘More’ option at the bottom right corner of your screen.
- Click on the ‘Update’ option and then you will redirected to the App store. If your device runs on iOS 9.0+, be sure that the app will be updated directly.
- Once the update is complete, open the Sonos app. Once you launch the app, you will see a ‘Check for updates’ prompt. Click on the ‘Update’ option so that you can apply a new software to your speakers. In case the update is not successful, consider clicking the ‘Try again’ option.
- If the update was successful, a ‘Use AirPlay with Sonos’ message will pop on your screen. Here, you will see a set of instructions on how you should utilize the new update.
- Thereafter, launch the Home App on your iPhone device and then touch the “+” button and then scroll to the ‘Add accessory’ button.
- Choose the ‘Don’t have a code or cannot scan’ option. Thereafter, you will see a number of available Sonos speakers on your screen. Select the one you have at home from that list and then proceed to the next step.
- Once you have added the non-Airplay 2 Sonos speakers, you will now be able to control all your speakers from one single platform. Whether you have AirPlay 2 supported speakers or not, be sure that you will be able to use Siri command to play your preferred music on these speakers on the go.
How to integrate Sonos with Homekit
Although the new generation of Sonos speakers come with tons of incredible features, they need you to budget for them. If you have an older version of Sonos speaker, you should not feel left out simply because you cannot integrate them with Homekit directly.
Although you can consider updating your Sonos app as illustrated above, there is another way to integrate the speakers with the Homekit platform. To put this into perspective, you can consider using platforms such as HOOBS Homebridge hub for this purpose.
What is HOOBS Homebridge Hub
To start with, HOOBS stands for Homebridge Out of the Box System. This platform is commonly used as a bridge to link all those non-compatible smart devices to Apple Homekit. After all, Apple Homekit is not compatible with all smart devices and thus, open-source platforms such as Homebridge usually become lifesavers for many people. With this platform in place, users can easily connect to ecosystems such as Homekit and be able to control his or her smart devices with utmost precision.
It is important to note that this platform uses the NodeJS framework for it to work. When it comes to how you can integrate Sonos speakers with Homekit via Homebridge, be sure that you can install this platform on a computer and then use it from that point. The other method is to run the platform through a hub. We shall take a closer look at how you can integrate Sonos speakers with Homekit in both ways.
1) Install Homebridge On a Computer
As we speak, you can now install Homebridge on your computer. Whether you are using macOS, Windows, or even the micro-computer, be sure that you will be able to install this app seamlessly. When using this method to integrate your Sonos speakers with Homekit, you have to ensure that your computer remains on all the time.
This can be attributed to the fact that Homebridge will rely on the computer for it to receive a signal and further send the signal to your Homekit. In case, the computer goes off, the transmission of signals will come to a halt.
Although this method might be lucrative to some homeowners, it might expensive in the long run. This is because you must have a computer that remains on 24/7. To avert the inconvenience that can be caused when the system goes off, you should consider the next alternative method.
2) Run Homebridge Through A Hub
Typically, this hub is a device or a gadget that acts as a pre-packaged solution that helps to set up the HomeBridge more effectively. Unlike other devices, this device is small in size and can be purchased out there so that you connect your Sonos speakers to Homekit ecosystem. By investing in this device, you will not have to keep your computer on throughout the day, and all that.
All you need to is to install the much-needed plugin for the device that you want to connect and then follow the instructions that you will find on your app. By doing so, it will be able to integrate all the Sonos speakers you have with the Homekit. Here are the steps that can help you get started;
A) Connect HOOBS to your home’s network
Before you start the actual integration process, you should first connect the HOOBs to your home’s Wi-Fi. Since it can connect to wireless networks, be sure that you will not any hiccups here. Better still, you can do so manually by connecting it your router with Ethernet cables. Before you proceed to the next step, ensure that HOOBs has synced well with your home’s network.
B) Set up a HOOBS Account
Once you have connected the HOOBS to the internet, consider creating an admin account for it so that it can function optimally. You will be able to create an admin account successfully. Once you visit this site, key in your details and then tap on the ‘Next’ button.
C) Connect the HOOBS to the Homekit
After creating an admin account, the next step is to connect it to Homekit. Typically, this is the first option that you will find after clicking the ‘Next’ button as illustrated above. Choose this option and you will be able to establish a connection between the HOOBS and the Homekit.
Once you are done, go to the second option, where you will select the ‘Add’ button and then click ‘Add Accessory’ option and then scan the QR code. Once you scan the QR code, the HOOBS will be added to your Home app.
D) Install Sonos plugins
Depending on the device or accessory that you want to integrate with Homekit, there are some plugins that you should install. Since you want to integrate Sonos speakers, you should install Homebridge ZP plugin, which is typically the Sonos plugin or Zone Player plugin. The ZP abbreviation means that only the Sonos within the same network can use the plugin.
With this plugin in place, you can no go ahead and install it on the HOOBS homepage and it will be displayed on the HOOBS screen. By doing so, you will have an added advantage as you will be able to get any update on the go.
In fact, these updates will feature on the device’s screen and thus enable you to update them every now and then. If you do not know how to find your Sonos plugin, consider referring to the plugin catalog. Here, you will be able to find it and thus be able to install it.
E) Configure the plugin
The moment you have installed the Sonos plugin, you will see a prompt on your screen indicating that you can now go ahead and configure it the way you please. Some of these plugins may come with a configuration schema that you need to follow. However, HOOBS offers the much-needed guidance when it comes to configuration settings, restoring or backing up configuration and logs.
You can now configure the plugins for certain actions. For instance, if you configure the set alarms to ‘True’, you will be able to turn the Sonos speakers into switches inside the Homekit. In this case, you will be able to configure the plugins according to your taste and choice. More importantly, configure them in a way that you will be able to control your Sonos more effectively.
F) Add some Sonos devices on your HomeApp
Once you have configured the plugins according to your taste and choice, time is ripe for you add the Sonos devices or accessories to the HomeApp so that you can easily access them. Here, you will need to add these devices manually, one after the other.
Typically, the process of adding these devices is just like those of other accessories. To perform this task, you should do choose the ‘Add accessories’ on your Home screen and then choose the ‘Cannot scan’ option.
Under the Home setup pin on your HOOBS home screen, click the ‘Add the setup PIN requested’ option and then follow any other prompt that you will see on your screen. Click on the ‘Add’ option and you will have managed to complete the entire process. More importantly, choose the devices that you want to add to the Homekit wisely to avoid making mistakes.
G) Update the Sonos app
If your Sonos app is not updated, you can now update it. By doing so, you will be able to work with all sorts of Sonos speakers in your home. If you want to update the Sonos app, you should launch the app first and then go to the ‘More’ option and then click on the ‘Update’ option.
Once the app is updated, you can now open it again and see if the procedure was a success. After the updating process is over, you will be able to see the ‘Check the updates’ message on your Sonos app.
Click on the ‘Update’ again and then repeat the process until the app is fully updated. Once the app is updated, the Sonos devices in your home will be synced and ready to use via the Homekit platform.
Final Words
When it comes to playing your favorite music and other related contents on your phone, Sonos speakers hardly disappoint. Since you may have multiple speakers in your house, there is a need for you to integrate all these devices on one single AI-powered platforms such as the Apple Homekit. By following all the steps we have illustrated above, you will be able to control your Sonos speakers with your iPhone, Macbook and so forth. Consider all the ideas we have mentioned above and you will enjoy unparalleled convenience when it comes to controlling Sonos audio devices in your home.