The fastest way to pair your Sony WH-1000XM4
The Sony WH-1000XM4 uses standard Bluetooth pairing, which means the process is the same whether you're connecting to a phone, laptop, or tablet. The headphones remember up to eight devices, so once you pair them once, they'll reconnect automatically when you turn them on near that device again. To connect to a new device for the first time, you'll put the headphones into pairing mode, then search for them on the new device and confirm the connection.
The entire process takes about two minutes. The headphones don't need to be charged fully, but they should have enough battery to stay on during pairing — at least 10 percent is safe.
Key Takeaways
- Put your Sony WH-1000XM4 into pairing mode by holding the power button for seven seconds until you hear a voice prompt saying "pairing".
- On your new device, open Bluetooth settings and look for "WH-1000XM4" in the list of available devices, then tap it to connect.
- The headphones will remember this device and reconnect automatically the next time you turn them on nearby.
- If the headphones don't appear in your device's Bluetooth list, hold the power button for another seven seconds to reset pairing mode.
How to put the headphones into pairing mode
The Sony WH-1000XM4 has a power button on the left ear cup. Hold it down for seven seconds without releasing. You'll hear a voice say "pairing" or "Bluetooth pairing", and the LED light on the right ear cup will flash blue and white alternately. This means the headphones are now discoverable — any device within about 30 feet can see them.
If you don't hear the voice prompt after seven seconds, the headphones may already be paired to another device. In that case, hold the power button for another seven seconds. This resets the pairing mode and clears the connection to the previous device temporarily.
Pairing mode stays active for about five minutes. If you don't complete the connection on your new device within that window, the headphones will exit pairing mode and you'll need to start over.
Finding and connecting on your new device
Once the headphones are in pairing mode, open the Bluetooth settings on your new device. On an iPhone or iPad, go to Settings > Bluetooth and wait for the list to populate. On an Android phone, go to Settings > Connected Devices > Bluetooth (the exact path varies by manufacturer). On a Windows laptop, go to Settings > Devices > Bluetooth & Other Devices. On a Mac, go to System Preferences > Bluetooth.
Look for "WH-1000XM4" in the list of available devices. Tap or click it. Your device will send a connection request to the headphones, and you should hear a voice say "connected" within a few seconds. The LED light will stop flashing and stay solid blue, which means the pairing is complete.
Some devices will ask you to confirm a PIN code. If you see this prompt, enter 0000 (four zeros). This is the default PIN for Sony headphones and works on all models.
What to do if the headphones don't appear in the list
If you've waited 30 seconds and the WH-1000XM4 still doesn't show up in your device's Bluetooth list, the headphones may not be in pairing mode. Turn them off completely by holding the power button for three seconds until you hear a power-off sound. Then hold the power button again for seven seconds and listen for the "pairing" voice prompt before checking your device's Bluetooth list again.
If the headphones still don't appear, restart your device's Bluetooth. On a phone, go to Bluetooth settings and toggle it off, wait five seconds, then toggle it back on. On a laptop, do the same in your Bluetooth settings. Then put the headphones back into pairing mode and try again.
If you've tried this twice and the headphones still won't appear, the Bluetooth chip in either the headphones or your device may have a problem. Try pairing with a different device (a friend's phone, for example) to narrow down whether the issue is with the headphones or your device.
Switching between devices you've already paired
Once you've paired the Sony WH-1000XM4 to a device, you don't need to repeat the pairing process. The next time you turn on the headphones near that device, they'll reconnect automatically within about 10 seconds. This works for all eight devices the headphones can remember.
If you have multiple devices nearby and the headphones connect to the wrong one, turn off Bluetooth on the device you don't want to use. Then turn the headphones off and back on — they'll connect to the next available device in their memory. You can also manually disconnect by going to that device's Bluetooth settings and tapping "Forget This Device" or "Remove", then turning the headphones off and back on.
Clearing old devices from the headphones' memory
The Sony WH-1000XM4 remembers eight devices. If you've paired more than eight devices over time, the oldest one gets replaced automatically. If you want to manually clear a device before that happens — for example, if you sold an old phone — you can reset the headphones' pairing list entirely.
To reset all paired devices, hold the power button for 10 seconds. You'll hear a voice say "power off" and then "pairing". This clears every device from memory and puts the headphones back into pairing mode. You'll need to pair them again with each device you want to use.
There's no way to remove a single device without clearing all of them. If you only want to stop the headphones from connecting to one specific device, use that device's Bluetooth settings to forget the headphones instead.
Troubleshooting a connection that keeps dropping
If the headphones connect but then disconnect after a few seconds, or if they connect and then when ready reconnect, the issue is usually interference or a weak signal. Move closer to your device — Bluetooth works best within 15 feet and with a clear line of sight. If you're in a crowded area with many other Bluetooth devices (like an airport or office), move to a quieter spot and try again.
If the connection is still unstable, forget the headphones from your device's Bluetooth settings and pair them again from scratch. This clears any corrupted pairing data. On your device, go to Bluetooth settings, find the WH-1000XM4, and tap "Forget" or "Remove". Then put the headphones back into pairing mode and pair them again as if it were the first time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to put the headphones in pairing mode every time I want to use them?
No. Once you've paired them to a device, they reconnect automatically the next time you turn them on near that device. You only need pairing mode when connecting to a new device for the first time, or when you've reset the pairing list.
Can I pair the headphones to two devices at the same time?
The Sony WH-1000XM4 can only play audio from one device at a time, but some devices support simultaneous connection. If both devices are nearby and connected, the headphones will play from whichever one sends audio first. To avoid confusion, turn off Bluetooth on the device you're not using.
What if I forgot which devices I've already paired?
There's no way to see the list of paired devices on the headphones themselves. The easiest way is to check your device's Bluetooth settings — if the WH-1000XM4 appears there, it's already paired. If you want a fresh start, hold the power button for 10 seconds to reset all pairings.
Why do the headphones keep connecting to my old phone instead of my new one?
The headphones connect to whichever paired device is closest and has Bluetooth turned on. If your old phone is still in range and powered on, the headphones will prefer it. Turn off Bluetooth on the old phone, or go into its Bluetooth settings and forget the headphones. Then turn the headphones off and back on — they'll connect to your new phone instead.
Can I pair the headphones to a device without Bluetooth?
No. The Sony WH-1000XM4 only connects via Bluetooth. If your device doesn't have Bluetooth built in, you can buy a USB Bluetooth adapter (sometimes called a Bluetooth dongle) that plugs into a USB port, but this is rarely necessary on modern devices.