SONOS speakers, in general, are easy to use and have intuitive controls. SONOS Roam is a perfect example.
However, there are always some quirks you don’t know about. For example, your SONOS Roam might turn off by itself without you touching the power button. Or, you may put your Roam to sleep mode when trying to turn it off. Or your SONOS Roam may even refuse to turn on or off.
Read this post to find out how to turn on/off your SONOS Roam and what to do when your SONOS Roam refuses to turn ON/OFF or when it keeps turning off by itself.
Key Takeaways
- To turn on your SONOS Roam, quickly press the power button on the rear panel. To turn it off, press the power button for 5 seconds. When the speaker turns off, you will hear a power-off tone. If you press the power button shortly while the speaker is turned on, the speaker will go to sleep/standby mode.
- All the controls, except for the power button, are located on the top. There are 4 buttons – VOL UP, VOL DOWN PLAY/PAUSE, and MIC button. For all advanced settings and controls you have to use the SONOS app.
- SONOS Roam features 3 LED lights – MIC LED (on the top), STATUS LED (at the top of the front panel), and BATTERY LED (at the bottom of the front panel).
- SONOS Roam has an auto-off feature designed to preserve the battery. This feature is enabled by default and will turn off the speaker if inactive for a certain period, usually 30 minutes.
- If the speaker keeps turning off, even when the music is playing, a firmware glitch is probably causing the issue by triggering the auto-off feature. To solve this, you could try to disable the Battery Saver, force-restart the speaker, reset it, or update it.
- If your SONOS Roam won’t turn on, it could be because of a firmware bug, an empty or over-discharged battery, a damaged/broken power button, or a hardware failure (usually battery failure).
- If your SONOS Roam won’t turn off, it could be because of a firmware bug or a damaged/broken/stuck power button.
Using SONOS Roam – Step-by-Step Instructions
Recommended Reading :
SONOS Roam Control Buttons
Most of the SONOS Roam control buttons are located on the top. There are the PLAY/PAUSE, VOL UP, VOL DOWN, and MIC buttons. For advanced controls, you have to use the SONOS app. Roam and Roam SL are only compatible with the S2 app. They are not compatible with the original (old) S1 app.
On the top, there’s also one LED. It’s the Microphone LED, and it tells you when the microphone is active.
On the front panel, you have two additional LEDs – STATUS LED (at the top) and BATTERY LED (at the bottom).
SONOS Roam – Control Buttons (TOP PANEL) and LEDs (FRONT PANEL)
Whenever you experience an issue with your SONOS Roam, whether a charging issue a power issue, or some other problem, it’s recommended to check the LED behavior and see the color of the LED.
Under normal circumstances, the STATUS LED will be solid white (Wi-Fi mode) or solid blue (Bluetooth mode).
Other colors (red, orange, green) and LED behaviors (blinking slowly, blinking fast) will tell you more about the issue you are dealing with.
On the rear panel of the SONOS Roam, at the bottom, you have the POWER button and a USB-C charging port.
SONOS Roam – REAR PANEL (POWER button and charging port)
How to Turn On SONOS Roam?
As explained earlier, the POWER button is located at the back. This button is used to turn the speaker ON/OFF, but it’s also used to put the speaker in Bluetooth pairing mode or to put the speaker in sleep mode.
While your SONOS Roam is turned off, press the power button shortly to turn it on.
Depending on the previous state and connection type, the STATUS LED should turn solid white (connected to Wi-Fi and ready to play) or solid blue (connected to the last paired Bluetooth device and ready to play).
If you are turning your SONOS Roam for the first time or after resetting it, the STATUS LED will be blinking green, indicating the speaker is ready to be set up and configured.
SONOS Roam Power Button Functions Explained
How to Turn Off SONOS Roam?
Turning the speaker off is a bit more complicated than turning it on. Why? Because the button can do three things depending on how long you press it.
If you press the button shortly (1 sec) until you hear the first tone, the speaker will go to sleep (standby) mode. Roam will consume less battery in sleep mode, but the battery will be drained in about 7 days.
If you press the button a little longer until you hear the second tone and the status LED starts flashing blue, the speaker will go to pairing mode.
Press the power button for 5 seconds while the speaker is powered on to turn it off.
Why Is SONOS Roam Turning Off by Itself?
SONOS Roam has an auto-off feature that automatically turns the speaker off if inactive for a certain period. SONOS calls it Battery Saver. You can enable/disable this feature in your SONOS Roam Settings (within the SONOS S2 app).
While this is a useful feature, it could cause issues if your speaker’s firmware has a bug. For example, a firmware bug could trigger this feature and force the speaker to turn off even though the speaker is active and playing music.
To solve the issue, you could try to disable the Battery Saver feature. If that doesn’t help, try restarting the speaker – turn it off by pressing the power button for 5 seconds, then turn it back on.
If restarting doesn’t work, you could try to update or reset the speaker.
What If You Can’t Turn Your SONOS Roam ON or OFF?
Many things can cause your SONOS Roam portable speaker to malfunction and refuse to turn off or on. Some issues can be fixed quickly without contacting the manufacturer or opening the speaker. Other issues require advanced skills, but can still be fixed. Here’s a quick troubleshooting guide in case you experience such an issue.
Check the Status and Battery LEDs
The LEDs can tell you a lot about the current status of your SONOS Roam. They will usually indicate the problem and determine the course of your actions.
For example, if the battery LED is blinking orange, it means your SONOS Roam battery is low, and you need to charge it. If the STATUS LED is blinking orange, your Roam is trying to establish a connection or is having trouble communicating with your device.
Other colors (red, white, green) and LED behaviors (blinking light, pulsing light, steady light) also have their meanings and will tell you what to do to make the issue go away.
Is the POWER Button Damaged?
If the button is somehow damaged (it doesn’t have to be visible physical damage), it will be impossible to turn the speaker on or off, even if everything else is working fine. The only solution is to open the speaker and fix the button.
If the button is damaged, turning your SONOS Roam on or off might not be possible. The damage doesn’t have to be visible. If the button behaves differently when you press it, if it doesn’t click the same way as it used to, it’s probably damaged, even though there are no physical signs of damage.
If your speaker is under warranty, don’t try to do this on your own. Instead, inform SONOS about your problem and ask them for help. If the issue wasn’t caused by improper handling, you should get a new speaker. If the damage was caused by you, they will offer you a new one with a discount (up to 30%). Unfortunately, they don’t offer repair services.
You could try finding a damaged SONOS Roam on eBay (with a different type of damage) and use it for parts. You can even use the entire rear panel of that SONOS Roam to bring your speaker back to life.
SONOS Roam Teardown
Check the Battery Level
If you can’t turn on your speaker, the battery might be fully discharged. It can even be over-discharged if the speaker hasn’t been charged for some time. The fix is easy – charge the battery.
Leave the speaker connected to the charger even if the battery LED doesn’t turn on the moment you connect the charger or put the speaker on a charging stand. If the battery is in good condition, it should turn on soon. So, charge the speaker for a few hours using the included charging cable and recommended adapter before trying another fix.
Charge the speaker using the included cable and recommended power adapter before trying to turn it on.
Battery Charging Issues – Try Using a Different Charger or a Different Charging Method
If you still can’t turn on SONOS Roam, try using a different charger, charging cable, or entirely different charging method (wireless charging instead of wired charging).
You can charge your SONOS Roam wirelessly using the charging pad (sold separately), or you can charge it using the power cable and adapter. Try both methods if you can’t turn on your speaker.
If the battery is still not charging, the problem is not in the charging equipment. It could be a dead battery, a damaged USB-C charging port, or some other internal component. All these issues are hard to fix and require you to open the speaker and replace the damaged part.
Maybe It’s a Firmware Glitch –Reset or Update the Speaker
Firmware bugs and glitches can cause all kinds of issues. They can prevent the speaker from turning on or off. If you can’t turn it off, you can try to update it to eliminate the bug.
Updating SONOS Roam – Step-by-Step Instructions
It will be very difficult to reset your speaker if it won’t turn on or off. However, you could try a slightly modified version of the reset procedure.
Here’s the regular reset procedure:
STEP 1 – Turn off your speaker.
STEP 2 – Press and hold the PLAY/PAUSE button and press the POWER button shortly to turn on the speaker. Do not release the PLAY/PAUSE button. Keep holding it until the STATUS LED starts blinking orange and white.
When the STATUS LED starts blinking orange and white, you can release the PLAY button and wait for the speaker to finish resetting.
STEP 3 – Wait for the speaker to reset. When the STATUS LED starts blinking green, the reset is finished, and your speaker is ready for setup.
Resetting SONOS Roam – Step-by-Step Instructions
If you can’t turn it on or off, resetting the speaker can be difficult, maybe even impossible. But you should try it anyway. If it won’t turn on/off, try pressing and holding the PLAY button and turning the speaker on. Or press and hold both buttons for 10 seconds. Furthermore, try pressing and holding the power button alone for about 10-15 seconds.
SONOS Roam Not Turning On – Quick Fix
The Battery Might Be Dead – Replace It
If nothing can bring your speaker back to life, you are probably dealing with some kind of hardware problem. Most probably, your battery is dead.
Replacing the battery is possible, but you have to do it yourself since SONOS doesn’t offer repair services.
When looking for a replacement battery, it’s important to find the one with the same power ratings.
SONOS Roam – Original Battery
You can find a few replacement batteries on Amazon. Their power ratings and capacities are not exactly the same, but according to customer reviews, they are compatible with SONOS Roam and work just fine.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Question: How do I turn on my SONOS Roam speaker?
- Answer: While the speaker is powered off, press the POWER button shortly to turn it on.
- Question: How do I power cycle my SONOS Roam?
- Answer: First, you need to turn it off by pressing the POWER button for about 5 seconds. You will hear a series of three tones. Do not release the power button after the first or second tone. Wait for the third one (the power-off tone). When the speaker turns off, wait for about 5-10 seconds. Then, press the power button shortly to turn the speaker back on.
- Question: Where is the SONOS Roam power button?
- Answer: The POWER button is located on the rear panel, right above the USB-C charging port. It’s the only button there, so you can’t miss it.
- Question: What is SONOS sleep mode?
- Answer: Sleep mode is designed to preserve battery and allow you to quickly turn your speaker back on. When you press the power button shortly, while the speaker is turned on, you will hear a single tone, and the speaker will go to sleep mode.
- When SONOS Roam is running on battery and not playing music, it will automatically go to sleep mode after 30 minutes (the Battery Saver feature).
- Note that putting the speaker to sleep mode is not the same thing as turning it off. The battery will still lose its charge when the speaker is in sleep mode. It will be fully drained in about 7 days.
- Question: How long does a SONOS Roam battery last?
- Answer: The advertised playtime of SONOS Roam is 10 hours.
- Question: Can I use my SONOS Roam while charging?
- Answer: Yes, you can use your SONOS Roam while charging without issues.
- Question: Can SONOS roam be turned off?
- Answer: Of course it can. Press and hold the power button for about 5 seconds. You should hear three tones before the speaker turns off. You can release the button after hearing the third tone.
- Question: Is SONOS Roam battery-powered?
- Answer: Yes, SONOS Roam has a built-in battery and can be used outdoors. However, before using it outdoors, you have to go through the initial setup using your phone and Wi-Fi connection.
- Question: Why does my SONOS Roam have a red light?
- Answer: If the STATUS LED is flashing red, your SONOS speaker hasn’t been set up within the 30-minute setup window. Restart it and start configuring the speaker afresh. If the BATTERY LED is flashing red, your SONOS speaker is suffering from a faulty condition, and you need to contact SONOS.
- Question: Can you use SONOS Roam without Wi-Fi?
- Answer: Yes, you can. SONOS Roam features Bluetooth connectivity and has a built-in battery, allowing you to use it outdoors without connecting the speaker to Wi-Fi. However, you need Wi-Fi for the initial setup. Also, you won’t be able to use the speaker’s smart features in Bluetooth mode.
Conclusion
Turning SONOS Roam ON and OFF can be confusing. There are instructions in the manual, but some people find them confusing. I hope this guide helped you understand all the functions of the POWER button and learn how to use it.
