How to Connect Sony Headphones, Earbuds & Speakers to Bluetooth

As the original creator of the Walkman, it should come as no surprise that Sony offers a huge assortment of headphones, earbuds and Bluetooth speakers. And that makes providing advice on fixing Bluetooth pairing problems with Sony products a little bit tricky. Fortunately, Sony has ensured a great degree of consistency across its product line and the advice below should work for most Sony headphone and speaker models. Some models of earbuds also allow you to pair using NFC (Near Field Communications). Whichever way you choose, these are the steps you'll need to take to get your Sony product paired with your phone or laptop.

1a. Pair your Sony headphones, earbuds or speaker via Bluetooth

Most Sony products can be paired the traditional way by putting the item into pairing mode and connecting it to your phone or laptop via Bluetooth. Skip this section if you're pairing using NFC.

True Wireless Earbuds (models include WF-SP700N, WF-1000X, WF-1000XM3)

1. Place both earbuds in the charging case.
2. Remove the left earbud (or both earbuds for the WF-1000XM3) from the charging case (the indicator light should be flashing blue).
3. Press and hold the button on the left earbud (or both for the WF-1000XM3) for at least seven seconds then release it - the light should be flashing blue and red and you should hear a voice cue for "Bluetooth pairing".
4. Follow the steps below to pair your earbuds to your specific type of device.

Wireless Earbuds, Headphones and Speakers

1. If this is your first time pairing your headphones or speaker, they should enter pairing mode automatically when turned on. Else, with your Sony headphones or speaker turned off, press and hold the Power button for at least 7 seconds until the indicator light starts to quickly blink.
2. Follow the steps below to pair your earbuds to your specific type of device.

1b. Find your Sony device on your phone or laptop and pair them

Android. Go to Settings and turn on Bluetooth. In Bluetooth click “Pair new device”. When you see your Sony headphones or speaker come up in the list, tap it and it should be paired with your phone.

iPhone. Go to Settings and then Bluetooth. Turn on Bluetooth. Look for your Sony device under “OTHER DEVICES” and tap on it to connect.

MacOS. On your Mac, choose Apple menu > System Preferences, then click Bluetooth. Select your Sony device from the list, then click Connect. If asked, click Accept.

Windows 10. Open “Bluetooth & other devices” in the System Settings either by clicking on your Bluetooth button in the tool bar and selecting “Show Bluetooth devices”. If the Bluetooth button is hidden, you'll find it under the upward arrow on the task bar at the bottom of your display (see below).

When the Add a device window comes up, click “Bluetooth”. Look for your Sony device in the list and tap on it to connect. Alternatively, search for “Bluetooth” in your Windows search box. When the Bluetooth & other devices window comes up, make sure Bluetooth is on then click “Add Bluetooth or other device” and select your device from the list.

If you are asked for a PIN or passcode, use "0000". Once the devices are successfully paired, you should hear an audio confirmation of "Bluetooth connected". 

2. Pair your Sony earbuds via NFC

If your Sony earbuds support NFC connections (models include WF-SP700N, WF-1000X, WF-1000XM3), then you can use this method as an alternative to pairing via Bluetooth. It's not really any easier to pair via NFC, but may be a solution if you're having issues with the Bluetooth pairing method.

1. Turn on NFC on your smartphone (NFC is always on for iOS. For Android, open Settings -> Connected devices -> Connection preferences and turn on NFC).
2. Remove both the left AND right earbuds from the charging case.
3. Touch the back of your smartphone to the N-mark on the bottom of the charging case.
4. Follow the instruction on your smartphone to complete the pairing process.

Note: You cannot connect the earbuds to your smartphone via NFC when they are turned off. To turn them on, press and hold the buttons on the right and left earbuds for 2 seconds until the light flashes blue.

Troubleshooting your Bluetooth connection

If you have followed the steps above and your device still isn’t pairing, try clearing your existing paired devices on your phone or laptop and re-pair to your headphones or headset. If this doesn't work, get more ideas in our detailed guide on how to fix Bluetooth pairing problems. Also, note that some Sony speakers have a limit of 8 devices they can be paired to. If a new device is paired after 8 devices have already been paired, the earliest device that was paired will be replaced by the new one.

Looking for a new pair of headphones? Take a look at our picks for the best Bluetooth headphones under $50 and the Best True Wireless Earbuds.

[Image credits: Stewart Wolpin/Techlicious]

Topics

Music and Video, Headphones, Tips & How-Tos, Tech 101