Tobias Gesellchen
76dc390b2a
Prompted by writing a #614 self-test guide (on-device install walkthrough) and by helping fully revert a real speaker a factory reset didn't fully clean up. New soundtouch-cli commands (cmd/soundtouch-cli/cmd_setup.go): - `setup sync` — wraps POST /api/setup/sync/{deviceId}, the same operation as the web UI's Devices -> Sync Data button. Read-only towards the speaker (presets/recents/sources into the datastore); never writes back. - `setup revert` — wraps setup.Manager.RevertMigration, the same operation as the web UI's "Revert to Defaults" button. Restores SoundTouchSdkPrivateCfg.xml/hosts/resolv.conf from their .original backups and strips the AfterTouch CA cert from the trust bundle. No --service-url needed; pure SSH against the speaker. Deliberately leaves SSH persistence and account pairing untouched, matching the web UI button (use `setup remote-services --remove` / `account unpair` for those). Both are thin wrappers with no new business logic, matching the existing migrate/pair/reboot pattern. Tests added for setup sync's HTTP plumbing (auth-retry, device-scoped URL, error propagation); no CLI-level test for setup revert, consistent with reboot/migrate/pair also having none -- RevertMigration itself is already tested in pkg/service/setup/setup_test.go. Documentation gaps closed: - ON-DEVICE-INSTALL-WALKTHROUGH.md never showed the Migrate step at all -- jumped from install/reboot straight to the pairing QuickFix as if the speaker were already pointed at itself. Added an explicit Migrate step (web-UI and CLI paths), a CLI alternative for the pairing QuickFix, a no-USB-stick `enable-ssh` (#471) alternative to the physical stick procedure, and a "testing a pre-release build" section for cross- compiling and manually swapping an unreleased binary (soundtouch-cli deploy step included, mirroring the already-covered soundtouch-service swap). - MIGRATION-GUIDE.md's "never use localhost" Target Domain warning had no on-device exception, even though loopback is exactly correct there since the speaker and the service are the same machine. Added the callout, and the same enable-ssh alternative to its SSH-enablement step. - DEVICE-INITIAL-SETUP.md's AP-mode Wi-Fi provisioning commands were macOS-only (networksetup, dns-sd) with no Linux/Windows equivalents, unlike the rest of the docs. Added nmcli/netsh wlan alongside. - CLI-REFERENCE.md's entire `setup <subcommand>` group was undocumented (--help was the only reference) -- wrote a full "Setup & Migration" section covering all 16 subcommands, and added the also-undocumented `account unpair` to the existing Music Service Account Management section.
AfterTouch
Bose SoundTouch Toolkit
Independent project. Not affiliated with, endorsed by, sponsored by, or otherwise connected to Bose Corporation. See Disclaimer for the full statement.
The Bose Cloud Has Shut Down
Bose shut down SoundTouch cloud services on May 6, 2026. Presets, music service browsing, and stereo pairing no longer work through Bose's infrastructure. AfterTouch restores all of these — no Bose infrastructure required.
See the Survival Guide for the full picture, or jump straight to Downloads to get the tools.
Tools
soundtouch-service — AfterTouch
A local server that replaces the Bose cloud ("AfterTouch"). Once your speaker is redirected to it, you have full control without any Bose cloud dependency. The built-in web UI at http://localhost:8000 handles all setup — no config files needed to get started.
Not sure which approach fits your situation? See the Deployment Overview — it compares running AfterTouch on a Raspberry Pi or other always-on host against running it directly on the SoundTouch speaker, with links to step-by-step walkthroughs for each path.
Getting started:
Already migrated before May 6 — your presets and credentials are preserved. AfterTouch picks up where the Bose cloud left off.
Starting fresh (or after a factory reset) — create a local account, configure your speakers, and start using them immediately.
Redirecting your speaker
The service needs a stable address on your local network (e.g. soundtouch.fritz.box or soundtouch.local). The speaker must then be redirected to resolve the Bose cloud hostnames to that address. Two supported methods:
| Method | How it works | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| XML redirect | Upload a config XML via the Web API | Surgical; covers only registered endpoints; best for testing |
| DNS/DHCP | Serve custom DNS on your network | Covers all devices at once; requires port 53 and TLS |
The web UI walks you through each method. DNS redirect requires HTTPS — the service manages its own CA certificate and the web UI guides you through trusting it on each speaker.
Note: A hosts-file method (direct SSH edits to
/etc/hosts) also exists in the codebase but is deprecated and not exposed in the web UI.
Enabling SSH via USB stick
Some setup steps require SSH access to the speaker. Enable it once per device: create a file named remote_services on a FAT-formatted USB drive (the drive may need its bootable flag set — see SoundCork issue #172), and insert it while the speaker is powered on. After reboot, root SSH is available with no password.
See Device Initial Setup and Migration Guide for step-by-step instructions.
soundtouch-backup
Backs up your Bose cloud account (presets, paired devices, music sources) and each speaker's local state before the shutdown. Run soundtouch-backup all to capture everything in one step; it authenticates with the Bose cloud, then polls each paired speaker over the local network.
See the soundtouch-backup README for usage.
soundtouch-cli
Command-line control of any SoundTouch device: play/pause/volume, presets, source selection, multiroom zones, device discovery, and more. Works entirely over the local network — no cloud dependency. Well-suited for scripting and home automation.
See the CLI Reference for full usage, and the Downloads page to get the soundtouch-cli build for your OS.
soundtouch-player
Formerly
soundtouch-web. Thesoundtouch-webbinary, Docker image, and install script are no longer published; please usesoundtouch-player. (If you still run the binary under its old name, it prints a rename notice and works as before.)
A standalone, LAN-resident web UI for device control — play, pause, volume, preset selection, real-time status — served from a local Go binary. Because it reaches speakers directly on your network and can delegate cloud-only features (e.g. TTS) to a remote AfterTouch service via --service-url, it stays useful when soundtouch-service runs off-LAN (for example in the cloud), where the embedded /app player cannot reach your speakers.
See the soundtouch-player README for usage.
Go library
pkg/client provides a Go API for all SoundTouch device endpoints: media control, volume, presets, sources, zones, real-time WebSocket events, and device discovery. Use it to build your own integrations.
go get github.com/gesellix/bose-soundtouch
See the API Reference and pkg.go.dev for documentation.
Documentation
- Getting Started
- Survival Guide
- Migration Guide
- Device Initial Setup
- Migration & Safety Guide
- CLI Reference
- SoundTouch Service Guide
- HTTPS & CA Setup
- API Reference
Related projects
- SoundCork (Deborah Kaplan et al.) — Python service interception; pioneered the cloud emulation approach this project builds on
- SoundCork Stockholm App — Companion app for SoundCork
- SoundTouch Plus (Todd Lucas) — Home Assistant integration; extensive undocumented API documentation
- ÜberBöse API (Julius) — API research and advanced endpoint discovery
- Bose SoundTouch Hook (Adrian Böckenkamp) —
LD_PRELOADhooking for reverse engineering device internals
Support
- Bug reports: GitHub Issues
- Questions & discussions: GitHub Discussions
Star this project ⭐ if you find it useful!
Contributing
Issues and pull requests welcome — code, documentation, bug reports, and feature ideas all land in the same place. By submitting a contribution you agree to license it under MIT. For significant changes please open an issue first to discuss the approach. See CONTRIBUTING.md for the full guide.
Support the project
If this toolkit kept a speaker (or several) of yours alive past the Bose cloud shutdown and you want to give back, GitHub Sponsors is open. No expectation — everything in this repo stays MIT regardless.
Disclaimer
This is an independent open-source project. Bose and SoundTouch are registered trademarks of Bose Corporation in the United States and other countries. This project is not affiliated with, endorsed by, sponsored by, or otherwise connected to Bose Corporation.
The toolkit exists solely to restore functionality of Bose SoundTouch speakers after the official cloud service shutdown on May 6, 2026. Reverse engineering for the sole purpose of interoperability is permitted under EU Directive 2009/24/EC, Article 6 ("Decompilation"), and comparable provisions in other jurisdictions.
The optional Stockholm frontend integration (STOCKHOLM_DIR) requires
the user to supply the Stockholm web-app sources themselves; no Bose
code is redistributed in this repository.
The software is provided AS IS, without warranty. Use at your own risk.
License
MIT — see LICENSE.