Home Technical Issues How to Set Up the SteelSeries Sonar Overlay

How to Set Up the SteelSeries Sonar Overlay

Last updated on Sep 02, 2026

This guide shows how to initialize and use the SteelSeries Sonar overlay by setting a hotkey. The Sonar overlay does not appear by default: it only initializes once a volume shortcut is pressed.

  1. Download SteelSeries GG

    Download the installer from https://steelseries.com/gg/downloads/gg/latest/windows and install it.

  2. Create an account

    No email confirmation is needed. Choose I don't have a SteelSeries account, fill in the form and click Create Account.

    SteelSeries GG login screen with the option to create a new account

    SteelSeries account creation form

  3. Open the settings

    In SteelSeries GG, click Settings in the bottom-left corner.

    Settings entry at the bottom left of SteelSeries GG

  4. Enable Sonar

    Under GG Services, turn on the Sonar toggle.

    Sonar toggle under GG Services in the SteelSeries GG settings

  5. Set a volume shortcut

    Go to Sonar → Shortcuts and assign a key to Master - Volume Up, for example F1.

    Sonar Shortcuts page with F1 assigned to Master - Volume Up

  6. Press the hotkey

    Press the key you assigned. The volume overlay appears in the top-right corner of the screen and the Sonar overlay is now active.

    Sonar volume overlay in the top-right corner of the screen