Sonos speaker systems combine high-quality audio equipment with an easy-to-use app interface that makes a breeze streaming from your favorite music apps. As the streaming wars heat up, it seems like every tech company is putting their hat in the ring. So can the Sonos system work with newer streaming options like YouTube Music?
The Sonos app supports YouTube Music integration on both iOS and Android. Open the Sonos app, add the YouTube Music service, and log in. If you don't want to use the Sonos app on iOS, you can stream music directly from the YouTube Music app via AirPlay. Other options are unavailable for Android.
YouTube Music is another excellent streaming platform that allows access to all your favorite artists and playlists. While it might not have the kind of clout as other platforms like Spotify, it's still supported by the Sonos ecosystem. Ready to learn more about Sonos and YouTube Music? Read on
Streaming Music to Sonos from YouTube Music
Being able to stream music is the core functionality of Sonos' products. These smart speakers can play locally downloaded content, but more often than not you'll be streaming using the Sonos app via another app.
When it comes to choices for streaming options, Sonos has made strides in the past few years to really include almost every streaming platform you can think of. Spotify, Pandora, and Apple Music are all integrated, just to name a few of the heavy hitters.
The list goes on. So why wouldn't Sonos include YouTube Music? To stream the app, it's pretty much the same as any other streaming service. The kicker here is that it took a bit of time for Sonos to add YouTube music to their proprietary application. But these days, you should have no problem finding and connecting your Sonos system to YouTube Music.
There is a bit of a catch, and it has to do with which operating system you happen to be working with on your phone. While Sonos tries to make each version of their app almost exactly the same, certain hardware and software limitations might give you a different experience when it comes time to connect. It might make sense to approach it this way, especially if you own an Android.
How To Stream from an iOS Device to Sonos
The main advantage that iOS devices have over Android phones is AirPlay. It allows you to stream content without going through the Sonos app if that's what you prefer. If you already use YouTube Music, then you should be able to use the in-app connection to cast your music without too much of an issue.
You can also start music playing in YouTube Music then use airplay to trigger this functionality, sidestepping the Sonos app. Basically, all of the Sonos speakers support Airplay, so this is dead simple. When using AirPlay, you can also utilize Sonos multi-room listening, sending your tunes to every Sonos speaker you own.
How To Stream from an Android Device to Sonos
If you want to use your Android to cast music, it might be a bit more difficult than the iOS devices. Instead of using Wi-Fi, That's because AirPlay isn't the same as Bluetooth and can mess with the way the Sonos system connects to your network. Unfortunately, most Android devices rely on Bluetooth to operate.
While this isn't a huge problem for most applications, it's a problem for Sonos. Sonos doesn't build Bluetooth into their speakers, preferring to connect to Wi-Fi and stream content as directed by the appl. Unlike on iOS, in which AirPlay can almost magically “just work,” on Android, you'll need to use the Sonos app and stream from there.
This isn't a big deal for most people, but in the case of files directly on your phone, you'll just have to go to the Sonos app first and then browse for the content instead of going to the content and playing it on Sonos from that direction. That said, having YouTube Music built into the Sonos app means this shouldn't be too much of a headache.
How To Stream Youtube Music to Sonos Through the Sonos App
Now, we'll take you through the steps you'll need to know to add YouTube Music to your Sonos app:
- Open the Sonos app.
- Find “more” and click.
- Next, find and locate the “Add Music Services” option.
- You should now see “YouTube Music” as an option.
- From here, you’ll need to either log in or add a new account.
- Once everything is authorized, the app will forward you to a web browser prompt.
- You’ll need to fill in some information to link the accounts.
- Next, move through the on-screen prompts to verify the connection to your YouTube Music account.
- Once authorized, choose a new name for your YouTube account on the Sonos app.
This process is the same for both iOS and Android.
Can You Play Anything Through Sonos?
The Sonos system is incredibly versatile when it comes to the types of music streaming you can use. The speakers have been around for quite some time, almost longer than music streaming services in some cases. Sonos supports most, if not all, platforms of these platforms.
If you choose to venture outside of those streaming options, whether you can or can't play music will depend on what kind of phone you are using. We touched on this earlier, but the gist is that Apple AirPlay allows you to stream any audio from your phone to your Sonos system.
Since most Sonos speakers don't use Bluetooth, connecting to an Android phone can be difficult. In most cases, you won't be able to stream anything but locally downloaded content through the Sonos app.
The Sonos system is also fairly versatile when it comes to other forms of media too. While streaming is king, with a Sonos Amp (on Amazon), you can even connect things like record players and old-school Hi-Fi systems for even more options.
