To connect a Sonos soundbar to Bluetooth, you first need to know which model you own, because only the Arc Ultra and Beam Ultra have built-in Bluetooth. For those models, the process involves a simple button press and a selection on your phone; for Wi-Fi-only models like the Ray, original Arc, and original Beam, you will need a workaround involving a portable Sonos speaker.
Which Sonos soundbars can connect to Bluetooth?
This is the most important distinction to make before you start. The Sonos Arc Ultra and Sonos Beam Ultra have built-in Bluetooth capabilities, allowing you to stream audio directly from a phone or tablet. Older models like the original Sonos Arc and original Sonos Beam (the non-Ultra versions) do not support Bluetooth directly. The Sonos Ray soundbar also does not have Bluetooth connectivity and streams audio content over Wi-Fi. Knowing which group your soundbar falls into will save you time and frustration.
How to pair your Arc Ultra or Beam Ultra via Bluetooth
For the two compatible models, the pairing method is the same and combines a physical button press with an app-based option. The following steps will guide you through the process of connecting a soundbar to your device.
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Step 1: Put your Sonos soundbar in pairing mode
You can activate Bluetooth pairing mode in two ways. First, you can press and hold the Bluetooth button on the top of the Beam Ultra or on the back of the Arc Ultra. Alternatively, you can use the Sonos app by going to Settings, selecting your soundbar, and then choosing "Pair New Device" under Bluetooth. When the soundbar enters pairing mode, the front status LED will flash blue and a chime will be heard.
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Step 2: Enable Bluetooth on your phone or tablet
On your device, open the Settings menu, find the Bluetooth option, and toggle it on. Your device will begin scanning for nearby devices.
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Step 3: Pair your device with the soundbar
From the list of available devices on your phone or tablet, select your Arc Ultra or Beam Ultra. Once successfully paired, a chime will sound from the soundbar, and the status LED will turn solid blue for a few seconds.
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Step 4: Play audio and reconnect later
Open your preferred music or media app and select the soundbar as the audio output. To reconnect a previously paired Bluetooth device to an Arc Ultra or Beam Ultra, simply press the Bluetooth button on the soundbar, and it will search for its most recent connection.
What to do if your Sonos soundbar doesn't have Bluetooth
If you own a Sonos Ray, original Arc, or original Beam, you cannot directly connect a phone or other Bluetooth device to them via Bluetooth. However, you are not without options. For Sonos soundbars without Bluetooth, audio can be streamed via Wi-Fi using the Sonos app, Spotify Connect, or Apple AirPlay 2 (for compatible devices). A more flexible workaround is to use a Bluetooth-enabled Sonos portable speaker (like a Sonos Roam or Move) to receive the Bluetooth signal and then group it with the soundbar in the Sonos app over Wi-Fi. If you prefer a soundbar with direct Bluetooth pairing, you can connect to bose soundbar via Bluetooth for a simpler setup, or if you are setting up a wired connection instead you can connect a soundbar to Vizio TV using the optimal HDMI ARC port. This allows you to stream audio from any Bluetooth source through your soundbar.
