Sonos app permissions
Some features of Sonos require certain permissions to be allowed on your mobile device. This article describes each permission, and how it is used by Sonos. We care about your privacy concerns. For more information see our Sonos Privacy Policy page.
iOS devices
On iOS, you are prompted by a dialogue box whenever Sonos requests a new permission, which you can either allow or deny. In some cases, it is necessary for you to grant Sonos certain permissions to take advantage of a feature.
Requested permission
Description
Local Network
Local network access is required for your Sonos app to set up or connect with your Sonos products on your network.
Location Services
Location access is required to detect your nearby products during setup and your mobile device’s WiFi network information. If you leave this disabled, you will not be able to set up your Sonos products.
Bluetooth
Bluetooth access is required for Sonos to detect your nearby speakers during the setup process. It is also required in order to set up and use a Sonos product in Bluetooth mode.
Cellular data
Sonos does not use cellular data for streaming or communication between devices. It is used to determine if there is an active cellular connection to display more information about the Sonos system when WiFi is not available. Denying this permission will not impact system operation in any way.
Microphone access
Used to detect Sonos products during setup. Denying this permission may prevent you from setting up your Sonos products.
Used during Trueplay tuning to measure room acoustics by listening to a test tone produced by the Sonos speakers. Denying this permission will not allow you to tune your speakers with Trueplay.
NFC (Near Field Communication)
Used to detect Sonos products during setup. Denying this permission may prevent you from setting up your Sonos products.
Android devices
On Android, you are prompted by a dialogue box whenever Sonos requests a new permission, which you can either allow or deny. Some older versions of Android require you to allow permissions when installing the app. These permissions can then be modified by following the steps in this article.
Requested permission
Description
Allow location access
This allows Sonos to detect your nearby speakers during the Setup process. If you leave this disabled, you will not be able to setup your speakers.
Approximate location (network-based)
Location access is required to detect your nearby speakers during setup and your mobile device’s WiFi network information. Gathering the approximate location of your Sonos system allows us to auto-populate your registration postal code and predetermine the radio locale for your system so it is configured as soon as you are done setting up your system.
Bluetooth
Bluetooth access is required for Sonos to detect your nearby speakers during the setup process. It is also required in order to set up and use a Sonos product in Bluetooth mode.
NFC (Near Field Communication)
Used to detect Sonos products during setup. Denying this permission may prevent you from setting up your Sonos products.
Microphone access
Used to detect Sonos products during setup. Denying this permission may prevent you from setting up your Sonos products.
Full network access
Used during setup to connect your device to the Sonos wireless network.
View network connections
Used to determine which network Sonos should be connected to.
View Wi-Fi connections
Used to determine which network Sonos should be connected to.
Change network connectivity
Used during setup configuration to automatically connect the device to the Sonos network.
Connect and disconnect from Wi-Fi
Used during setup configuration to automatically connect and disconnect the device to the Sonos network.
Allow Wi-Fi Multicast reception
Multicast is used for communication between Sonos products and controllers, as well as between Sonos products themselves.
Read sensitive log data
Sonos system has the ability to gather diagnostics logs from each of the Sonos products, as well as some information from the controllers you are using. This information includes connectivity messages between the Sonos system and the controller, basic network information (IP, SSID), and information about the device (make, model, and version).
Modify or delete the contents of your USB storage and test access to protected storage
These options allows the Sonos app to be installed on the SD card if you are running low on internal space.
Prevent device from sleeping
Used when playing music files stored on the device.
macOS devices (10.14 or later)
These permissions are for specific functions of the Sonos S1 Controller app.
Requested permission
Description
Accessibility
Granting this permission lets you control Sonos through the Mac's keyboard media playback buttons for play/pause and forward/back. If you don’t use those buttons to control Sonos, you can deny this permission.
If you do use these buttons, or accidentally clicked deny, you will need to grant Sonos permission to access them.
Notifications
When notifications are allowed, Sonos will send desktop notifications to the Mac whenever a new track is played. Notifications can be toggled on or off in System Settings > Notifications > Sonos S1 Controller.