How to set a Sonos as your default Google Assistant speaker

It is now finally possible to set a Sonos speaker - or a Sonos group - as the default speaker for a Google Home or Nest device.

This means owners of the small and somewhat underpowered Google Home Mini or Nest Mini smart speaker can, by default, have music play default through a more capable Sonos speaker instead.

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Before the update, you would have to ask Google Assistant to play music on a certain device or in a certain group every time you wanted to use the Sonos. But now merely asking for the music is enough to have it play through the correct speaker.

This is most relevant to smart home owners who have Sonos speakers which lack their own Google Assistant integration (as opposed to the Sonos One and Sonos Beam).

To get everything set up, follow these instructions:

1. Open the Google Home smartphone app when connected to your home Wi-Fi network
2. Tap on the Google or Nest speaker or display you want to adjust
3. Tap on the cog icon in the top-right corner
4. Scroll down to the Device Settings section and tap on Default Speaker
5. Tap on the Sonos speaker or speaker group you want

Now, when you ask the Assistant on that particular GoogleNest device to play music, it will come from the Sonos speaker you selected. This essentially means you needn't buy a Sonos One to have a Google Assistant-controlled Sonos; instead, just sit your current speaker within earshot of a $50 Nest Mini, follow the above instructions, and Google will play music through the Sonos by default.

You can do this with all of the Google/Nest and Sonos speakers in your home, so you could have all Google devices play music through one Sonos, or get more granular depending on your setup.

Sonos One (Gen 2) - Voice Controlled Smart Speaker with Amazon Alexa Built-In - White