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Sonos Trueplay tunes a speaker to the room where it is placed. For most models, setup requires a supported iPhone or iPad and a short walk around the room while the speaker plays test sounds. Arc Ultra, Beam Ultra, Era 100, Era 100 Pro, and Era 300 also offer Quick tuning, which uses the speaker’s built-in microphones and works from the Sonos app on either iOS or Android. Portable models with Automatic Trueplay can adjust themselves as they play or move.
This guide explains which mode your equipment supports, the exact app paths, how to retune after moving a speaker, what you can change afterward, and what to check when tuning is unavailable or fails.
What Trueplay changes—and what it cannot do
Trueplay measures how sound reflects from walls, furniture, and other surfaces, then adjusts a compatible Sonos product for its position in that room. The goal is a more balanced result at the listening positions, not a promise that every location will sound identical.
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Placement still matters. A speaker blocked by furniture, pushed into a corner, or positioned at an unsuitable height is not made equivalent to a correctly placed speaker by calibration. Treat Trueplay as a room-adjustment step after you have chosen a sensible location.
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- 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.
Sonos estimates that a tuning session takes approximately three minutes. That is a process estimate from Sonos, not an independently measured benchmark.
Choose the right Trueplay mode first
The phone and microphone requirements depend on the mode and product. Sonos’s compatibility list is the authority for exact product, software, and device support; newly released iPhones and iPads may not be supported immediately.
| Mode | Phone requirement | Microphone used | Products and configurations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Advanced tuning | Supported iPhone or iPad running iOS/iPadOS | The iOS/iPadOS device during the room walk-through | Available on Sonos products that offer Advanced tuning; Android is not supported for this manual process |
| Quick tuning | Sonos app on iOS or Android | Built-in microphones in the speaker products | Arc Ultra, Beam Ultra, Era 100, Era 100 Pro, and Era 300; supports a standalone speaker, supported stereo pair, or supported home-theater setup |
| Automatic Trueplay | No room walk-through; configure in the Sonos app | Built-in microphones in supported portable products | Sonos lists Move, Move 2, Play, Roam, and Roam 2 for Automatic Trueplay |
Trueplay is supported across Sonos products with documented exceptions. Port, Connect, and Roam SL are excluded, and individual product or configuration rules can change. Check the current compatibility page if your exact speaker or phone does not appear.
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Android cannot run the standard Advanced microphone walk-through. If your speaker is one of the Quick-tuning models, select Quick tuning in the Android Sonos app instead. Otherwise, borrow a supported iPhone or iPad; Sonos specifically suggests borrowing a compatible device when the owner does not have one.
If you use a new iPhone or iPad
Support for a newly released iOS or iPadOS device can lag its launch. If Trueplay is missing or the session will not start, compare your device with Sonos’s current supported-device list rather than assuming the speaker is defective.
Prepare the room and system
- Update the Sonos software before starting, as Sonos recommends.
- Place the speaker, stereo pair, or home-theater system where you intend to use it. Calibration describes that placement.
- Make the room as quiet as practical. Conversation, footsteps, and loud appliances can interfere with the measurements.
- For Advanced tuning, use a supported iPhone or iPad and be ready to grant microphone permission.
- For Quick or Automatic Trueplay, verify that the microphone switch on every involved product is enabled.
- Keep the speaker at a stable playback volume while the tuning sounds play.
Do not start a walk-through while people are moving around the room or while a loud appliance is running. If the room cannot be quiet, wait for a quieter time instead of trying to compensate with later EQ changes.
Decide what should stay in the room
Because Trueplay measures reflections, tune after arranging the furniture, curtains, rugs, and other large items you normally keep in place. You do not need to empty the room, but a major change in furnishings can alter the acoustic conditions enough to justify another tune. Keep the speaker in its final position and make sure a grille or nearby object is not blocking its microphones during the process.
Plan for the normal listening area
Advanced tuning is not a single-seat measurement. The app asks you to cover the room so it can account for the listening space around the speaker. Include the sofa, chair, or other places where people regularly listen, while avoiding sudden movements. In a small room, use extra time around the principal listening areas rather than repeatedly measuring one exact spot.
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- 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
Set up Advanced Trueplay with an iPhone or iPad
Advanced tuning is the conventional room walk-through. The phone’s microphone samples the room as you move through it.
- Open the Sonos app. In the current app, open Settings and select the speaker or room under Your System. If you use the S1 Controller app, open Settings, then enter System first.
- Open the tuning controls. Choose Sound, select Trueplay, and tap Trueplay Tuning.
- Select Advanced tuning. Some products show both Quick and Advanced options. Choose Advanced for the phone-based room walk-through.
- Allow microphone access. Accept the iOS/iPadOS microphone permission requested by the app. Without that permission, the phone cannot perform the measurement.
- Follow the on-screen first position. Hold the phone as instructed and begin when the app starts the test sound.
- Walk the room smoothly. Cover as much of the room as possible, moving the iPhone or iPad from about head height down toward your waist. Use broad, smooth movements rather than waving the device abruptly. In a small room, spend the remaining time around the principal listening areas.
- Leave the playback level alone. Do not change the speaker volume while the tuning sound is playing.
- Finish and let the app apply the result. The complete process normally takes Sonos’s estimated three minutes, including the on-screen instructions.
The movement pattern matters because Trueplay is sampling different paths through the listening space, not just one spot on a sofa. Keep the phone’s microphone unobstructed and avoid talking or walking heavily during the tones.
Advanced tuning for a stereo pair or home theater
Select the room that represents the complete configuration, not an individual speaker that is temporarily grouped. The app will determine which products are part of the supported setup. If you later create or separate a stereo pair, or alter a home-theater arrangement, the previous calibration no longer describes the same configuration; use Retune after the change.
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Quick tuning is designed for products with built-in microphones. It avoids the phone walk-around and is the manual option available to Android owners on supported hardware.
- Open Settings in the Sonos app and choose the room under Your System.
- Open Sound, then Trueplay, and choose Trueplay Tuning.
- Select Quick tuning when the option appears.
- Confirm that the microphone switch is on for every product in the standalone speaker, stereo pair, or home-theater configuration.
- Start the tune and keep the room reasonably quiet until the app reports completion.
Sonos documents Quick tuning for Arc Ultra, Beam Ultra, Era 100, Era 100 Pro, and Era 300. The exact combinations supported in a stereo pair or home theater remain product-specific, so use the model instructions when the app presents a configuration warning. Sonos’s model guidance is available at this model-specific support page.
Quick tuning is not simply a faster version that every Sonos speaker can use. It depends on the speaker microphones and firmware support built into those listed products. If Quick tuning is absent for another model, switching phones will not create the option; use Advanced tuning when that model supports it.
Enable Automatic Trueplay on a portable speaker
Automatic Trueplay is different from both manual modes. It uses the portable speaker’s own microphones and adjusts while content plays, including after the speaker is moved.
- Open Settings in the Sonos app and select the portable speaker.
- Choose Sound, then Trueplay.
- Turn on Auto Trueplay.
- Make sure the product’s microphone switch is enabled.
Sonos says Automatic Trueplay starts tuning when audio begins and can retune as new content plays or the speaker changes location. Sonos lists Move, Move 2, Play, Roam, and Roam 2 for this mode. It works in both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth modes, with one documented exception: Move with Google Assistant added has Automatic Trueplay disabled in Bluetooth mode. See Sonos’s Automatic Trueplay guide for current model rules.
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- 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
Automatic Trueplay is therefore the convenient choice for a speaker that regularly travels between rooms or outdoors. It does not require you to repeat the iPhone walk-through every time the speaker moves, but the microphone must remain enabled for the automatic adjustment to operate.
Customize the sound after tuning
Adjust EQ without deleting the calibration
After a Trueplay session, you can change the speaker’s bass, treble, loudness, or other available EQ controls in the room’s sound settings. Sonos applies those EQ changes on top of the Trueplay adjustments; changing EQ does not create a new room measurement.
Make small changes and listen from your normal seat. If you later move the speaker, the EQ values remain user preferences, but the room correction should be recalculated for the new placement.
Compare tuned and untuned sound
To hear the difference, open Settings, select the room, open Trueplay, and toggle Trueplay off. Turn it back on to restore the adjusted sound. This comparison is useful when deciding whether a personal EQ change is helping, because it separates the calibration from your other sound controls. Sonos provides the same procedure in its Trueplay shutoff instructions.
Keep expectations realistic
Trueplay is not a permanent guarantee that every recording, source, or seat will sound the same. It adjusts the speaker for the measured room and location. Your own EQ preference can still favor more or less bass or treble, and toggling Trueplay off gives you a direct reference when deciding which presentation you prefer.
Retune after moving or changing the system
Run Trueplay again whenever the acoustic situation changes materially. The clearest examples are moving a speaker to another part of the room, creating a stereo pair, separating a stereo pair, or otherwise changing the speaker configuration.
- Open Settings in the Sonos app.
- Select the affected room under Your System.
- Open Sound, then Trueplay.
- Choose Retune and complete the mode-specific instructions.
On a Quick-tuning-capable product, the retune can be started from the Android app as well as iOS. For a portable speaker with Automatic Trueplay enabled, the product is designed to adjust during playback as it encounters new content or a new location, so a manual phone walk-through is not the normal workflow.
Sonos says that when a product remains in the same location, tuning generally needs to be completed once per product. A move, a new stereo pairing, a separation, or another configuration change is the point at which you should create a new calibration rather than repeatedly retuning without a change.
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- 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.
Sonos’s detailed retune path is documented at Retune your Sonos speakers with Trueplay.
Troubleshoot missing options or poor results
Trueplay is not shown in the room settings
- Confirm that you selected the intended room under Your System, then opened Sound > Trueplay.
- Check whether the product is one of the documented exceptions, including Port, Connect, or Roam SL.
- Check the supported-device and product list for the exact model and phone. Newly released iOS devices may not yet be listed.
- Update the Sonos software and retry.
Advanced tuning will not start
- Use a supported iPhone or iPad; Android cannot run Advanced tuning.
- Allow microphone access when iOS/iPadOS asks for it.
- If your own device is unsupported, borrow a supported one as Sonos recommends.
The measurement is interrupted or sounds inconsistent
- Quiet the room: stop conversations, reduce foot traffic, and turn off loud appliances.
- Move the phone smoothly from head to waist and cover the room rather than staying in one listening position.
- Keep the speaker volume unchanged while the test tones play.
- For Quick or Automatic tuning, check the physical microphone switch on all involved speakers.
- Restart in a settled room if the first attempt included footsteps, talking, or other loud interruptions.
Quick or Automatic tuning is unavailable on Android
Android access does not make every Sonos product Quick-tuning compatible. Quick tuning is limited to Arc Ultra, Beam Ultra, Era 100, Era 100 Pro, and Era 300. If the speaker is not in that group, use a supported iPhone or iPad for Advanced tuning when the product supports it, or use Automatic Trueplay only if the product is one of the portable models Sonos lists for that mode.
The result sounds worse after moving furniture
First restore the room to the arrangement you intend to keep, then retune. Avoid trying to correct a new placement solely with bass or treble controls. EQ changes layer on top of the calibration, but they do not replace a measurement of the changed room.
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Manual Advanced tuning and Automatic Trueplay use different microphone paths. Sonos states that “Trueplay tuning is the only time Sonos will use audio collected by your device’s microphone.” That statement refers to the iOS/iPadOS device used for the manual tuning session; it does not describe every microphone feature on every Sonos product.
For Automatic Trueplay, Sonos says microphone data is processed locally and is never uploaded to the web. Automatic Trueplay uses the portable speaker’s built-in microphones, while Quick tuning also relies on built-in microphones in its supported speakers. The official explanations are in the Trueplay setup guide and the Automatic Trueplay guide.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.A practical decision checklist
- Have an iPhone or iPad and a product that offers Advanced? Use Advanced tuning for the full room walk-through.
- Have Android with Arc Ultra, Beam Ultra, Era 100, Era 100 Pro, or Era 300? Use Quick tuning and enable the speaker microphones.
- Use Move, Move 2, Play, Roam, or Roam 2? Consider Automatic Trueplay for ongoing adjustment, remembering the Move-with-Google-Assistant Bluetooth limitation.
- Moved the speaker or changed a pair or theater configuration? Retune from the room’s Sound > Trueplay menu.
- Want to personalize the result? Leave Trueplay enabled and adjust EQ; those controls layer over the calibration. Toggle Trueplay off only when you want a direct comparison.
- Do not own a supported iPhone or iPad? Check whether your model offers Quick tuning on Android; otherwise, borrow a supported Apple device rather than assuming a new speaker is required.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use Sonos Trueplay with Android?
Android cannot run Advanced tuning, which uses the phone’s microphone during a room walk-through. Android can start Quick tuning on Arc Ultra, Beam Ultra, Era 100, Era 100 Pro, and Era 300, using those speakers’ built-in microphones.
How do I set up Sonos Trueplay?
Open Settings, choose the room under Your System, then Sound > Trueplay > Trueplay Tuning. Select Advanced or Quick when offered and follow the on-screen instructions. Advanced requires a supported iPhone or iPad; Quick uses the speaker microphones.
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How long does Trueplay take?
Sonos estimates approximately three minutes for a tuning session. Keep the room quiet and do not change the playback volume while the test sounds play.
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.
Do I need to retune after moving a Sonos speaker?
Yes. Sonos recommends retuning after moving a speaker or changing its configuration, such as creating or separating a stereo pair. Use Settings > room > Sound > Trueplay > Retune.
Can I adjust EQ after Trueplay?
Yes. Sonos applies your EQ changes on top of the Trueplay adjustments, so you can personalize bass, treble, and other available controls without deleting the calibration.
How can I compare Trueplay on and off?
Open the room’s Trueplay settings and toggle Trueplay off to hear the unadjusted sound. Turn it on again to restore the tuned result.
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Which Sonos speakers support Automatic Trueplay?
Sonos lists Move, Move 2, Play, Roam, and Roam 2 for Automatic Trueplay. It uses the product’s built-in microphones and can adjust as content plays or the speaker moves.
Why is Trueplay missing from my Sonos app?
Verify the room, update Sonos software, and check Sonos’s current compatibility list for both the exact speaker and phone. Port, Connect, and Roam SL are documented exceptions, and newly released iOS devices may not be supported immediately.
What happens if I turn off the speaker microphone?
Quick tuning and Automatic Trueplay need the relevant built-in microphones enabled. Turn the microphone switch on for every product involved before starting either mode.
Can I tune a stereo pair or home theater?
Quick tuning supports supported stereo-pair and home-theater configurations. Advanced tuning also follows the app’s instructions for the selected room. Retune if you create, separate, or otherwise change the configuration.
The Bottom Line
Choose the mode that matches both your Sonos model and your phone: Advanced tuning on a supported iPhone or iPad, Quick tuning on listed models through iOS or Android, or Automatic Trueplay on supported portable products. Keep the room quiet, move smoothly during Advanced tuning, leave the volume unchanged, and enable the speaker microphones for built-in-microphone modes. Afterward, EQ remains available on top of Trueplay, and a move or system change is the signal to retune.
Quick Recap
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