Sonos iPhone App Finally Gains Live Activities Support

[MacRumors]

Sonos just updated its iOS app with new Live Activities support, providing quick access to playback controls from your Lock Screen.

Image credit: MajorAtmosphere​

Sonos shared a Reddit post announcing the new feature, which appears after you initiate playback on a Sonos device and then close the app.

The Live Activity shows the current room or group you were last playing audio from and allows you to play/pause or skip tracks. Even if you initiate playback on Sonos from outside the Sonos app (Direct Control from supported services, Bluetooth, or AirPlay) you can still use the local playback controls that appear on the Live Activity.

As things stand, album art can't be displayed on the Live Activity, but the company said it's looking into alternative ways to enhance the Lock Screen experience. Sonos also mentioned that Live Activities work on Apple Watch and CarPlay, but "right now the controls aren't supported" in these instances.

Sonos called Live Activities support a "much requested, anticipated, and needed feature."

(Via 9to5Mac.)

Article Link: Sonos iPhone App Finally Gains Live Activities Support

 

[AlphaTeam]

I've been waiting for this!

 

[Agile55]

I've been waiting for this!

You me & many more I suspect.

 

[Ben11]

I hope we have Liquid Glass control on that in iOS 27

 

[svish]

Good to see this. Should have been available a long time ago!

 

[JoshuaBru]

The Sonos team slow walks everything. Apple should have bought these guys years ago.

 

[scrm]

Works great. Live activities and lock screen controls were the USP of apps like Sono+, and now it’s built in (again). I’d rather have a volume slider than buttons (muscle memory, more logical), and the need for mute is somewhat obviated by having a pause button, but I’ll take what I can get.

 

[Godspeed8230]

The Sonos team slow walks everything. Apple should have bought these guys years ago

No, it is fine as it is. Let Apple have its fun with the homepod.

 

[AZ Jack]

Had to go to Sonos website and tap iOS app from there to get to update app option in the Apple App Store. Just going to the App Store first didn't work for me. Got it working now, and yes, we finally have volume control! Plus/Minus buttons instead of slider, but I'll take it!

 

[kobberrød]

That's great! But I wonder if they will implement the new Now Playing framework from iOS 27 that allows remote media sessions being displayed with a system media controls. I hope they will!

Meet Now Playing Framework - WWDC 2026

 

[kb2755]

Had to delete the app and reinstall to get the live activity control. Updating it didn’t cut it.

 

[Godspeed8230]

Had to delete the app and reinstall to get the live activity control. Updating it didn’t cut it.

It’s off by default. After updating the app, you need to toggle it on: Account > App Preferences > Live Activity

 

[Phish311]

anyone get this working on ios27?

 

[turtle777]

Not working for me. Tried delete & resintall. Tried reboot. Tried toggling settings.

Is this iOS 26 only ?
I’m still on 18, since 26 suxx. Can’t wait for 27, where all the stupid design “innovations” got rolled back.

-t

 

[CarlJ]

It’s off by default. After updating the app, you need to toggle it on: Account > App Preferences > Live Activity

Thank you, spent five minute poking at this trying to figure out why it wasn't working, comment section on MacRumors FTW.

 

[kb2755]

It’s off by default. After updating the app, you need to toggle it on: Account > App Preferences > Live Activity

The toggle didn’t show up for me at all in the path you specified. Like I said, I had to delete the app and reinstall just to see the toggle on that screen.