Sony Headphones Not Connecting? Causes and Fixes

This guide is for Sony headphones and earbuds that won't connect, won't show up in your Bluetooth list or won't pair. It follows the order of Sony's own Help Guide pages and belongs to the Sony Headphones Problems and Fixes set. Headphones that connect and then drop out have a separate guide, linked under Still not working? below.

For another brand, start with Bluetooth headphones not connecting instead.

Why Won't My Sony Headphones Connect?

Sony headphones most often won't connect because they reconnected to the last device they used instead of yours. Sony's troubleshooting pages name these causes, most common first:

• The last device grabbed them. Sony's WF-1000XM5 guide: "If the headset automatically connects to the last connected Bluetooth device, you may fail to connect the headset to other devices via a Bluetooth connection."
• Bluetooth is off, or the phone is asleep. Sony's first checks are the headset power, the Bluetooth switch and the device's sleep mode.
• They aren't in pairing mode. Pairing mode is canceled after 5 minutes, and earbuds can't enter it with the case lid closed or an eartip loose.
• The phone kept old pairing data. After an initialize or repair, a device that still holds the pairing may refuse to pair.
• An LE Audio device is nearby (WF-1000XM5). It can connect by itself when pairing mode starts.
• The battery or case is low. Charging is part of step 1 in Sony's troubleshooting list.

Reset and initialize sit at the end of every Sony list, so save them for last.

How to Fix Sony Headphones That Won't Connect

These follow the order of Sony's Help Guide; reset and initialize come last.

Fix 1: Disconnect the Last Device They Used

To stop the last device from taking over, disconnect the headphones there first:

1. Check that your Sony headphones are on and your phone's Bluetooth is on. If the phone is in sleep mode, wake it.
2. On the phone or laptop the headphones used last, disconnect them or turn its Bluetooth off.
3. On your phone, tap the model name in Bluetooth settings.

Sony's WH-1000XM5 guide adds one more check here: if the Bluetooth connection has been terminated, make the connection again from your phone.

Fix 2: Turn Them Off, Charge Them, Turn Them On

Sony's first troubleshooting step restarts the power: with a charge for headphones, with the case for earbuds:

1. Headphones: "Turn the headset off, charge it, and then turn it on again." (WH-1000XM6). The WH-1000XM5 can't be turned on while charging, so remove the USB Type-C cable first.
2. Earbuds: set both in the case, close the lid once, then open it and take them out (WF-1000XM6). Sony's WF-1000XM5 guide also says to charge the charging case, and notes that you "may be able to resolve some issues by setting the headset units into the charging case".

If they won't take a charge at all, see Sony headphones not charging.

Fix 3: Restart Your Phone or Computer

Restart the phone or computer you're connecting to; Sony's WH-1000XM6 step 2 reads "Restart the device being connected such as your computer or smartphone." Sony's WF-1000XM5 pairing page adds that you then pair the headphones with it again.

Fix 4: Delete Them and Pair Again

Deleting the old pairing clears data that can block a fresh connection:

1. Delete the headphones from your device's Bluetooth list. iPhone: Settings > Bluetooth, tap the More Info button next to them, then Forget this Device. Android: tap Settings next to their name, then Forget.
2. Bring the headphones within 1 m (3.2 ft) of the device.
3. Start pairing mode. WH-1000XM6: hold the (Bluetooth) button for about 5 seconds or more. WF-1000XM6, WF-1000XM5, WF-C510: lid open, hold the case's pairing button for about 5 seconds or more. Other models are in How to Connect and Pair Sony Headphones With Any Device.
4. Tap the model name, and enter 0000 if a passkey is requested.

On an iPhone, Apple notes that forgetting an accessory unpairs it on all devices signed in to your Apple Account.

Fix 5: Used LE Audio Before? Turn That Device's Bluetooth Off

A device that used LE Audio can grab WF-1000XM5 earbuds: Sony says it "may be automatically connected with the headset when the headset enters pairing mode". Turn off Bluetooth on that device, then pair the new one. Bluetooth LE Audio for earbuds and headphones explains the standard.

Fix 6 (Last): Reset, Then Initialize

Reset first, and initialize only if the headphones still don't work properly. Sony's WH-1000XM6 list puts one step before both: search the Sony support site from the menu of the Sony | Sound Connect app. Sony resets the headset when it "cannot be turned on or cannot be operated even when it is turned on". Sony keeps the two apart: after a reset, "The pairing information and other settings are retained", while initializing restores factory settings and "deletes all pairing information". After an initialize, delete the headphones on your phone and pair them again. How to Reset Sony Headphones has the buttons for each model.

Sony Not Connecting by Device and Model

The six fixes apply to every model; these extra checks depend on what you pair with and which Sony you own.

Won't Connect to an iPhone, MacBook or Laptop

iPhone: after an initialize or repair, an iPhone that "retains pairing information for the headset" may refuse to pair, so forget them first (Fix 4). Mac: Sony's WH-1000XM6 guide needs macOS 11 or later and the computer speaker set to ON; in "OFF" mode, "no sound can be heard from the headset". Windows: Sony says to "delete the headset pairing information on your computer and perform pairing again". Step-by-step pages: How to Connect Sony Headphones to a Windows PC and How to Connect Sony Headphones to Android.

Sony Earbuds Won't Pair (WF-1000XM5, WF-C510, WF-C500)

Sony earbuds with a case button only enter pairing mode with the lid open and both earbuds seated. The WF-1000XM5 guide says pairing mode fails "if the headset is not set securely in the charging case, such as when the earbud tips are not properly attached". Charge the case, seat both earbuds, close the lid once and open it again, then hold the pairing button for about 5 seconds or more (WF-1000XM5, WF-C510). The WF-C500 uses the buttons on both earbuds instead, held for about 5 seconds.