How to Use the Virtual Volume Knob (Two-Finger Twist)

# How to Use the Virtual Volume Knob (Two-Finger Twist) Sonos 27.1 brings the virtual volume knob to Android. iPhone users got it with the base Sonos 27 release; now both platforms have it. Here's what it is and how to use it. ## What the gesture is Instead of dragging a volume slider, you place two fingers on the screen and twist — clockwise to turn it up, counterclockwise to turn it down — like rotating a physical knob. It's the kind of interaction that sounds like a gimmick until you use it, because volume is something you adjust constantly and the slider was always a little fiddly, especially one-handed. ## How to try it 1. Make sure you're on Sonos 27.1 — [update instructions here](/posts/sonos-271-whats-new). On iPhone, any Sonos 27 build has it; on Android, you specifically need 27.1. 2. Open the Sonos app and start playing something. 3. Go to the Now Playing screen. 4. Place two fingers on the screen and twist. You should feel (well, see) the volume respond to the rotation. It takes one or two tries to get the motion right — think "turning a jar lid" rather than "pinching to zoom." ## Tips for getting it right - The twist works best with a relaxed, deliberate rotation. Quick flicks tend to register as pinches. - It adjusts the volume of whatever room or group is currently selected, just like the slider does. - If you're grouped across rooms, the knob controls the group volume — same behavior as before, just a nicer gesture. ## If it doesn't work on Android The most likely cause is that you're not actually on 27.1 yet — check Settings → About in the app. The knob is new to Android in this release, so an older build won't have it. If you're on 27.1 and the twist still does nothing, try it on the Now Playing screen specifically, and restart the app once. ## Why bother with a knob? Honestly? Because the slider was fine but forgettable, and volume is the single most-used control in the app. A gesture that's faster and more precise for the thing you do most is a genuine usability win, not a party trick. It's also the kind of detail that suggests Sonos is thinking about the daily experience again — which, after the 2024 redesign saga, is reassuring. ## Related - [The other 27.1 change: the queue fix](/posts/sonos-271-queue-fix) - [Everything new in Sonos 27.1](/posts/sonos-271-whats-new)