Why won't my Sony WF-1000XM5 connect to my phone?

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Earbuds that won't connect are annoying. Let's fix it. Most WF-1000XM5 connection issues are simple to resolve once you know what to try.

Quick Fixes First

Before you start troubleshooting in earnest, try the obvious stuff:

Turn Bluetooth off and on. On your phone, flip Bluetooth off, wait 10 seconds, flip it back on. This fixes more connection issues than you'd expect.

Restart the earbuds. Put them in the case, close the lid, wait 30 seconds, open the lid. It's the earbud equivalent of rebooting your computer.

Check if they're connected to something else. If you have multipoint enabled, your earbuds might have auto-connected to your laptop or tablet instead of your phone. Check the Sony app to see what they're paired to.

Make sure they're charged. Low battery can cause weird connection behavior. If either earbud is below 10%, charge them first.

The Most Common Problem

Here's what usually happens: your phone and earbuds have mismatched pairing data. Your phone thinks it knows the earbuds, the earbuds think they know your phone, but something got corrupted along the way.

The fix is to delete the pairing and start fresh.

On Your Phone

iPhone: Settings > Bluetooth > tap the (i) next to WF-1000XM5 > Forget This Device

Android: Settings > Connected devices > tap the gear next to WF-1000XM5 > Unpair

On the Earbuds

1. Put both earbuds in the case
2. Keep the lid open
3. Press and hold the button on the back of the case for 5+ seconds
4. You'll see the LED flash blue twice repeatedly
5. They're now in pairing mode

Re-Pair

Go back to Bluetooth settings on your phone. WF-1000XM5 should appear in available devices. Tap it. If it asks for a code, enter 0000.

Done. This fixes probably 90% of connection issues.

The Nuclear Option: Factory Reset

If re-pairing doesn't work, try a full factory reset. This erases everything and returns the earbuds to their out-of-box state.

1. Earbuds in case, lid open
2. Hold the case button for about 20 seconds
3. Wait for the LED to flash white
4. Let go

Now the earbuds have forgotten everything. They'll enter pairing mode automatically when you take them out of the case.

Some Platform-Specific Stuff

iPhone users: After pairing, make sure you've also opened the Sony Headphones Connect app. Some features won't work until the app has connected at least once.

Android users: If you're using LDAC and having connection drops, try switching to "Prioritize Stable Connection" in the Sony app. LDAC pushes more data over Bluetooth, which can cause instability in some environments.

Samsung owners: Samsung's aggressive battery optimization can kill Bluetooth connections. If you're having issues, try disabling battery optimization for the Sony app.

When Nothing Works

If you've tried everything and it still won't connect:

• Make sure your earbuds have the latest firmware (check the Sony app)
• Try connecting to a different phone or device to see if the problem is your phone
• If nothing works, you might have a hardware issue. Contact Sony support