Embodiments described herein involve configuring a playback device based on the detection of a barrier in proximity to the playback device. One embodiment may involve receiving proximity data that includes an indication of a barrier that is proximate to a playback device; detecting that the barrier is within a threshold proximity to a first speaker of the playback device based on the indication of the barrier proximate to the playback device; in response to the detecting, setting a playback configuration of the playback device; and causing the playback device to play an audio content according to the playback configuration.