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Sonos brings back iPhone lock screen controls via Live Activities and Dynamic Island

Sonos brings back iPhone lock screen controls with new Live Activities support, rolling out now in the latest iOS app.

AI News Feed · 2026-08-18 22:34

Announcing the update on the r/sonos subreddit, a Sonos representative named Liz said, "We're excited to finally bring back Sonos control from the iOS lock screen, but in an all-new way with iOS Live Activities." The feature is off by default.

To enable it, users open the Sonos app, go to Account > App Preferences > Live Activity, and turn the setting on. Once activated, starting playback and closing the app causes a Live Activity to appear on the lock screen, showing the current speaker group or room and providing volume and transport controls. The controls remain visible for 15 minutes after playback stops. Changing playback requires unlocking the device with Face ID, Touch ID, or a passcode, and the Live Activity can be dismissed by swiping it away.

The initial implementation has some limitations. Album art is not yet displayed in the Live Activity, though Sonos says it is exploring "alternative ways to enhance the lock screen experience." In addition, while Live Activities are compatible with the Apple Watch and CarPlay, Sonos has not made the controls functional on those platforms. The activity may appear on those screens, but the controls will not respond.

Sonos also said that users who prefer to control audio through Direct Control from a compatible service, AirPlay, or Bluetooth can still use the local playback controls that appear on screen or the Live Activity, and can choose which one they prefer.

Live Activities were introduced in iOS 16.2. Sonos's update arrives just weeks before Apple's next major iOS release, iOS 27. Sonos said the feature will work just as well in the next iOS, and while there is no news to share right now, "the teams have been exploring the new capabilities" in the iOS 27 beta. The update is available now for users who download the latest Sonos app.