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Sonos Trueplay measures how sound reflects around your room and adjusts a compatible speaker for its actual placement. For the full room-walkthrough process, use a supported iPhone or iPad. Android phones cannot run Advanced Trueplay, but several newer Sonos products offer Quick tuning through either the iOS or Android app. Portable models can also tune themselves with Automatic Trueplay.
What Trueplay changes—and what it cannot do
Trueplay plays test sounds, measures the room response, and applies correction for the speaker’s position. Walls, floors, ceilings, furniture and other surfaces all affect those reflections. The result is an adjustment to the speaker, not a promise that every location will sound identical. Placement still matters: a speaker blocked by furniture or pushed tightly into a corner has physical limitations that software cannot remove.
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Sonos describes Trueplay as a tuning process for a product in its current room and configuration. If you move the speaker, rearrange a stereo pair, or alter a home-theater setup, the measurements no longer describe the system accurately and you should tune again.
Trueplay settings are stored with the room in the Sonos system. After tuning, you can still change bass, treble and loudness in the room’s EQ controls; Sonos applies those changes on top of the Trueplay adjustment. You can also switch Trueplay off temporarily to hear the untreated sound.
#1 Best Overall
- Dual angled tweeters and a powerful midwoofer deliver rich, balanced stereo sound with deep bass.
- The perfect start or addition to your system, Era 100 SL makes Sonos sound more accessible.
- Stream over WiFi, pair via Bluetooth, or connect a turntable and more with line in.
- Go from unboxing to incredible sound in minutes with a quick plug-in and the Sonos app
- Trueplay fine-tunes Era 100 SL for the unique acoustics of the room.
Read Sonos’s current overview for any model-specific exceptions: Sonos Trueplay setup guide.
Choose the tuning mode your speaker supports
The first decision is whether your product supports Advanced, Quick, Automatic, or more than one mode. The exact product list can change as Sonos adds hardware, so verify your model on the current compatibility list before troubleshooting an unsupported phone.
| Tuning mode | Phone or microphone used | Where it is available | How it works |
|---|---|---|---|
| Advanced tuning | Supported iPhone or iPad microphone | Compatible products that offer the manual room-walkthrough; iOS/iPadOS only | You walk around the room while the device measures test tones |
| Quick tuning | Microphones built into the Sonos products | Arc Ultra, Beam Ultra, Era 100, Era 100 Pro and Era 300 | A shorter in-app process; available from either the iOS or Android app |
| Automatic Trueplay | Microphones built into supported portable products | Move, Move 2, Play, Roam and Roam 2, subject to Sonos’s listed configurations | The speaker tunes as playback starts and can adapt when content or location changes |
Sonos lists Port, Connect and Roam SL as exceptions to Trueplay support. Other product and configuration exceptions are shown on the compatibility page. A newly released iPhone or iPad may not be supported immediately; if your device is absent from Sonos’s list, use another supported iOS/iPadOS device or borrow one rather than assuming the speaker is defective.
What Android users can and cannot do
Android is not supported for the standard microphone-based Advanced walkthrough. If you own an Arc Ultra, Beam Ultra, Era 100, Era 100 Pro or Era 300, select Quick tuning in the Android app instead. Quick tuning uses the speaker microphones, so it does not turn an Android phone into an Advanced-tuning microphone. A product that offers both modes still reserves Advanced tuning for iOS/iPadOS.
Automatic tuning on portable speakers
Move, Move 2, Play, Roam and Roam 2 can use Automatic Trueplay where Sonos lists it as supported. This is separate from the manual walkthrough: the speaker’s own microphones gather the information while it plays. The microphone must be enabled. Sonos says Automatic Trueplay works in both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth modes, except that Move with Google Assistant added has Automatic Trueplay disabled in Bluetooth mode.
Rank #2
- The information below is per-pack only
- Dual angled tweeters and a powerful midwoofer deliver rich, balanced stereo sound with deep bass.
- The perfect start or addition to your system, Era 100 SL makes Sonos sound more accessible.
- Stream over WiFi, pair via Bluetooth, or connect a turntable and more with line in.
- Go from unboxing to incredible sound in minutes with a quick plug-in and the Sonos app
Prepare the room, speaker and phone
- Update the Sonos app and speaker software before opening the tuning screen. Sonos recommends running the latest available software for the system.
- Put the speaker exactly where you intend to use it. Include its final stand, shelf, wall position, television arrangement and any other equipment that will remain in place.
- For a stereo pair or home-theater group, finish creating the pair or setup before measuring. A later configuration change requires a new session.
- Use a supported iPhone or iPad for Advanced tuning. Turn on the Sonos app’s microphone permission when iOS requests it.
- Silence conversation, televisions, music, fans, vacuum cleaners and other loud appliances. Footsteps and people moving through the room can also affect the measurements.
- Keep the phone charged enough to finish the session and hold it comfortably so its microphone is not covered by a case or your hand.
- For Quick or Automatic tuning, check that the microphone switch on every involved Sonos product is on. A disabled product microphone prevents that mode from measuring correctly.
Trueplay does not require you to empty the room. Tune with the furniture, curtains and other surfaces that normally affect listening; only remove temporary noise sources or obstructions that will not be present during regular use.
Run Advanced Trueplay room-walkthrough tuning
Sonos estimates that a room takes approximately three minutes to tune. That is an estimate from Sonos, not an independent test, and large or complicated rooms may require you to follow the app’s timing carefully.
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- Select Advanced tuning. If the product offers Quick and Advanced options, choose Advanced tuning. Quick tuning is not the same measurement process.
- Allow microphone access. Accept the iOS/iPadOS microphone request. Without that permission, the phone cannot measure the room and the walkthrough cannot complete.
- Start in silence. Follow the app’s starting position and wait for its test tones. Do not talk, walk around unnecessarily, or operate noisy appliances while the sounds play.
- Cover the listening area. Move the iPhone or iPad smoothly from about head height down toward your waist as you walk. Sweep across as much of the room as possible rather than standing in one spot. In a small room, use the remaining time around the main listening positions.
- Keep playback unchanged. Do not adjust the Sonos volume during the test tones. A changing level can interfere with the measurement sequence.
- Finish and save. Remain still and quiet until the app confirms completion. If it reports an error, repeat the session after correcting the stated cause rather than moving the speaker or changing EQ first.
The phone does not need to be held at one exact listening seat. The purpose of the movement is to sample reflections throughout the room. Broad, smooth coverage is more useful than quick, jerky movements or concentrating only on the sofa.
Use Quick tuning on supported newer products
Quick tuning is intended for products with the necessary built-in microphones: Arc Ultra, Beam Ultra, Era 100, Era 100 Pro and Era 300. It can be started from the Sonos app on iOS or Android and can be used with a standalone speaker, a supported stereo pair, or a supported home-theater configuration.
- Open Settings and select the relevant room under Your System.
- Open Sound, choose Trueplay, and tap Trueplay Tuning.
- Select Quick tuning when the choice appears.
- Confirm that the microphone switch is enabled on every product in the room or home-theater setup.
- Follow the short on-screen sequence and wait for the app to report completion before changing volume or moving a product.
Quick tuning does not make Advanced tuning available on Android. If you need the room-walkthrough on a model that offers both choices, use a supported iPhone or iPad and select Advanced.
Rank #3
- The information below is per-pack only
- Dual angled tweeters and a powerful midwoofer deliver rich, balanced stereo sound with deep bass.
- The perfect start or addition to your system, Era 100 SL makes Sonos sound more accessible.
- Stream over WiFi, pair via Bluetooth, or connect a turntable and more with line in.
- Go from unboxing to incredible sound in minutes with a quick plug-in and the Sonos app
For model-specific screens and supported combinations, consult Sonos’s instructions for Arc Ultra, Era 100 and Era 300 Trueplay tuning.
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Automatic Trueplay is designed for supported portable products rather than a one-time phone walkthrough. It begins tuning when audio starts and can retune as new content plays or when the speaker moves to another location.
- Open the Sonos app and go to Settings.
- Select the portable speaker.
- Open Sound, choose Trueplay, and switch Auto Trueplay on.
- Leave the product microphone enabled so it can measure during playback.
Automatic Trueplay is available in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth modes according to Sonos, with one documented exception: Move with Google Assistant added does not use Automatic Trueplay in Bluetooth mode. If the toggle is missing, check the product model, software version and current compatibility list instead of trying to force the setting.
Sonos’s explanation of the feature is available in its Automatic Trueplay guide.
Customize the tuned sound
Adjust EQ after tuning
Trueplay is a baseline correction, not a lock on the controls. Open the room’s Sound settings and adjust bass, treble or loudness to suit your content and taste. Sonos applies those EQ changes on top of the Trueplay adjustment, so changing EQ does not erase the measurement.
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- Powered by a 47% faster processor, the next-gen dual-tweeter acoustic architecture produces detailed stereo separation while a 25% larger midwoofer deepens the bass.¹
- Place this speaker anywhere and everywhere you want to listen. The compact design fits beautifully on your bookshelf, kitchen counter, desk, or nightstand.
- Stream from all your favorite services over WiFi. Pair a Bluetooth device with the press of a button. Connect a turntable or other audio source using an auxiliary cable and the Sonos Line-In Adapter.²
- Go from unboxing to unbelievable sound in just a few minutes. Simply plug in the power cable, connect your phone or tablet to WiFi, and open the Sonos app.
- With a tap in the Sonos app, Trueplay tuning technology analyzes the unique acoustics of your space and optimizes the speaker’s EQ. So all your content sounds just the way it should.
Compare tuned and untreated playback
To compare, open Settings, select the room, open Trueplay, and turn Trueplay off. Play the same passage at the same volume, then turn it back on. Comparing matched volume levels is important because a louder signal can seem better even when the tonal balance has not improved.
Use the comparison as a placement check, not as proof that the untreated mode is always wrong. If the tuned result sounds unnatural, first verify that the room was quiet and that you covered the whole listening area; then retune before making large EQ changes.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Retune after moving or changing the system
Run Trueplay again whenever the acoustic situation represented by the old measurement changes. Common triggers include moving a speaker to another shelf or room, changing its distance from a wall, creating or separating a stereo pair, replacing a home-theater component, or changing the layout around the listening area.
- Open Settings and select the affected room under Your System.
- Choose Sound, then Trueplay.
- Tap Retune and select the available mode. On Quick-tuning products, the Android app can also start the retune.
- Complete the Advanced walkthrough, Quick sequence or Automatic setup appropriate to the product.
If the speaker has not moved and its configuration is unchanged, Sonos generally expects one completed tuning per product rather than a routine daily retest. Repeatedly tuning in noisy conditions can produce less consistent results than leaving a successful measurement in place.
See Sonos’s retuning instructions for the current app path.
Best Value
- Dual angled tweeters and a powerful midwoofer deliver rich, balanced stereo sound with deep bass.
- The perfect start or addition to your system, Era 100 SL makes Sonos sound more accessible.
- Stream over WiFi, pair via Bluetooth, or connect a turntable and more with line in.
- Go from unboxing to incredible sound in minutes with a quick plug-in and the Sonos app
- Trueplay fine-tunes Era 100 SL for the unique acoustics of the room.
Troubleshoot a failed or disappointing tune
The Trueplay option is missing
- Check the exact product on Sonos’s compatibility list. Port, Connect and Roam SL are listed exceptions.
- Confirm that you selected the correct room; a product can support a mode that another room does not.
- Update the Sonos app and system software, then reopen the room’s Sound settings.
- If you are on Android, look for Quick tuning only on Arc Ultra, Beam Ultra, Era 100, Era 100 Pro or Era 300. Advanced tuning will not appear as an Android option.
The walkthrough stops or reports an error
- Grant microphone permission in iOS/iPadOS settings for the Sonos app.
- Restart the app and repeat in a quiet room. Stop conversations, footsteps, fans and appliances until the session finishes.
- Remove anything covering the phone microphone and hold the device in the orientation requested by the app.
- Move smoothly through the whole room, keeping the phone between head and waist height. Do not change volume during the test tones.
- Verify that the speaker is online and has not changed rooms, groups or pairings during measurement.
The result sounds worse after tuning
- Turn Trueplay off from Settings > room > Trueplay and compare the same recording at the same volume.
- If the room was noisy or you covered only one seat, run Advanced tuning again under better conditions.
- Check for a recent placement or configuration change and use Retune if one occurred.
- After a successful retune, make small EQ changes rather than extreme boosts that can mask the correction.
Quick or Automatic tuning will not start
- Check the microphone switch on every participating Sonos product.
- Confirm that the model is one of the products Sonos lists for that mode and that the system is updated.
- For Automatic Trueplay, remember the Move-with-Google-Assistant Bluetooth limitation; switch to Wi-Fi or use a supported configuration.
Microphone use and privacy
Manual Advanced tuning uses the microphone on the iPhone or iPad only during the tuning process. Sonos states: “Trueplay tuning is the only time Sonos will use audio collected by your device’s microphone.” The app needs permission because it must measure the test sounds in the room.
Automatic Trueplay is different: its supported speaker microphones measure locally while the feature operates. Sonos says Automatic Trueplay microphone data is used locally and is never uploaded to the web. That statement applies to Automatic Trueplay’s tuning data; it should not be generalized to every microphone-enabled feature on a Sonos product.
If privacy settings or a hardware microphone switch disables measurement, the relevant tuning mode cannot work until access is restored.
Which option should you use?
| Your situation | Recommended path | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| You have a compatible speaker and supported iPhone or iPad | Advanced tuning | It samples reflections throughout the room with the mobile device microphone |
| You have Arc Ultra, Beam Ultra, Era 100, Era 100 Pro or Era 300 and an Android phone | Quick tuning | The speaker microphones perform the measurement and Android is supported for this mode |
| You use a supported Move, Move 2, Play, Roam or Roam 2 as a portable speaker | Automatic Trueplay | The product can adapt as playback and location change |
| You moved a speaker or changed a stereo or theater configuration | Retune using the mode available to that room | The previous measurement describes the old placement or configuration |
| Your exact phone or tablet is not on Sonos’s list | Use a supported device or borrow one | New iOS/iPadOS hardware may not be supported at launch |
Trueplay is most useful when its mode matches both the product and the way you use the room. Set the physical placement first, measure in quiet conditions, then use EQ for personal preference and retune only when the acoustic setup changes.
Quick Recap
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