How to Connect Sony WH-1000XM4 Headphones to Your Device

The basic connection process for Sony WH-1000XM4

The Sony WH-1000XM4 connects to your phone, computer, or tablet through Bluetooth pairing, which means the headphones and your device exchange a one-time handshake so they recognize each other afterward. The first time you connect, you hold the power button for about seven seconds until the LED flashes blue and white — this puts the headphones into pairing mode. Then you open your device's Bluetooth settings, find "WH-1000XM4" in the list, and tap it. The headphones will beep and show a steady blue light once they're paired.

After that first pairing, the headphones automatically reconnect to the last device they were paired with whenever you turn them on. If you want to switch to a different device — say from your phone to your laptop — you turn the headphones off and on again while near the new device, then select them in that device's Bluetooth menu. The headphones can remember up to eight paired devices, so you don't have to repeat the full pairing process each time you switch.

Key Takeaways

Hold the power button for seven seconds to enter pairing mode; the LED will flash blue and white.
Open your device's Bluetooth settings and select "WH-1000XM4" from the available devices list.
Once paired, the headphones automatically reconnect to that device when you turn them on nearby.
The headphones can pair with up to eight devices, but only connect to one at a time.
To switch between paired devices, turn the headphones off and on again, then select them in the new device's Bluetooth menu.

Putting the headphones into pairing mode

The WH-1000XM4 enters pairing mode when you hold down the power button (located on the left ear cup) for about seven seconds without releasing. You'll hear a voice prompt say "Bluetooth pairing" and the LED indicator on the right ear cup will flash in a pattern of blue and white. This flashing pattern is the headphones' way of broadcasting their presence to nearby devices — they're essentially saying "I'm here and ready to connect."

If the headphones are already powered on and paired to another device, holding the power button for seven seconds will still enter pairing mode, but they'll disconnect from the current device first. The pairing mode stays active for about five minutes, so you have a reasonable window to find and select the headphones in your device's settings. If the five minutes pass without a connection, the headphones will exit pairing mode and return to their normal state.

Finding and selecting the headphones in your device's Bluetooth menu

On an iPhone or iPad, go to Settings, then Bluetooth, and make sure Bluetooth is turned on. You'll see a list of available devices — the WH-1000XM4 will appear as "WH-1000XM4" (or sometimes "Sony WH-1000XM4" depending on your iOS version). Tap that name, and your device will attempt to connect. You may see a pairing request pop-up asking you to confirm; tap "Pair" if it appears.

On an Android phone, the process is similar: open Settings, go to Connected Devices or Bluetooth (the exact name varies by manufacturer), turn Bluetooth on if it's off, and look for "WH-1000XM4" in the list of available devices. Tap it to connect. On Windows, go to Settings > Bluetooth & Devices > Add Device, select Bluetooth, and choose the headphones from the list. On Mac, open System Preferences > Bluetooth, wait for the headphones to appear, and click "Connect."

What to do if the headphones don't appear in the list

If you don't see the WH-1000XM4 in your device's Bluetooth menu after holding the power button for seven seconds, the headphones may not have entered pairing mode. Try again: make sure the headphones are powered on (you should see a blue LED), then hold the power button for a full seven seconds and watch for the blue-and-white flashing pattern. If you still don't see it, the battery may be too low — plug the headphones into a USB-C charger for at least 15 minutes and try again.

Another common issue is that your device's Bluetooth is turned off or in airplane mode. Check your device's settings to confirm Bluetooth is on and airplane mode is off. If you're on a phone, also check that you haven't accidentally turned on a "Do Not Disturb" mode that blocks Bluetooth connections. On some Android devices, you may need to grant the Bluetooth app permission to access your device's location — go to Settings > Apps > Permissions and check Bluetooth permissions if the headphones still won't show up.

Reconnecting to a device you've already paired

Once the WH-1000XM4 has been paired to a device, you don't need to enter pairing mode again. straightforward turn the headphones on by pressing the power button once, and they'll automatically search for and connect to the last device they were paired with. This usually takes three to five seconds. You'll hear a voice prompt say "Connected" or see the Bluetooth icon appear on your device's screen.

If the headphones don't automatically reconnect, make sure your device's Bluetooth is turned on and the headphones are in range (typically within 30 feet for the WH-1000XM4). If Bluetooth is on but the connection still doesn't happen, manually open your device's Bluetooth settings and tap the headphones' name to connect. If the headphones connect to a different device than you expected, it means they're remembering a different device as their "last paired" device — you can change this by turning them off and on while near the device you want them to prefer.

Switching between multiple paired devices

The WH-1000XM4 can be paired to up to eight devices at once, but it can only play audio from one device at a time. To switch from one device to another, turn the headphones off completely, then turn them back on while near the device you want to connect to. The headphones will reconnect to whichever device they find first. If you want more control over which device they connect to, you can manually disconnect them from your current device's Bluetooth settings, then turn the headphones off and on near the device you want to use.

If you want to unpair the headphones from a device entirely (so they no longer try to reconnect to it), go to that device's Bluetooth settings, find "WH-1000XM4" in the list of paired devices, and select "Forget" or "Remove." The headphones will still be paired to your other devices, but that specific device will no longer recognize them. You can re-pair them to that device later by going through the full pairing process again.

Troubleshooting connection problems

If the headphones connect but then when ready disconnect, or if the connection keeps dropping, the issue is usually interference or a weak signal. Move closer to your device and away from other wireless devices like microwaves, routers, or cordless phones. If you're in a crowded area with many Bluetooth devices (like an airport or coffee shop), try moving to a quieter location. You can also try "forgetting" the headphones from your device's Bluetooth settings and pairing them again from scratch — this often clears up connection glitches.

If the headphones connect to one device but won't connect to another, check that the second device's Bluetooth is actually on and that the headphones are in range. Some devices have a setting that prevents multiple Bluetooth connections at once; check your device's Bluetooth settings to see if there's an option to allow multiple connections. If you're trying to connect to a computer, make sure the computer's Bluetooth is enabled in its system settings — some laptops have a physical Bluetooth switch or a keyboard shortcut that turns it off.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to put the headphones in pairing mode every time I use them?

No. Once you've paired them to a device, they automatically reconnect when you turn them on nearby. You only need to enter pairing mode the first time you connect to a new device, or if you want to pair them to a device they've never connected to before.

Can I connect the headphones to two devices at the same time?

The WH-1000XM4 can be paired to eight devices, but it only plays audio from one at a time. If you want to switch between devices, you turn the headphones off and on near the device you want to use, and they'll reconnect to it.

What if I forget which device the headphones are currently paired to?

Turn the headphones on and they'll automatically connect to the last device they were paired with. If you want to connect to a different device instead, turn them off and on again while near that device, and they'll connect to it instead.

How do I know if the headphones are in pairing mode?

The LED on the right ear cup will flash in a blue and white pattern, and you'll hear a voice prompt say "Bluetooth pairing." If you see a steady blue light instead, the headphones are already connected to a device.

Can I pair the headphones to a device that doesn't have Bluetooth?

No. The WH-1000XM4 only connects via Bluetooth, so your device must have Bluetooth built in or have a Bluetooth adapter connected to it. Devices without Bluetooth cannot connect to these headphones.

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