Sony WH-1000XM5

The WH-1000XM5 is a new latest wireless headphones model released by Sony in 2022. If you can’t turn this device on, then you can take a look at this troubleshooting article at Seeking Tech to see how you can potentially fix your issue.

How to turn on the WH-1000XM5

In order to power on the Sony WH-1000XM5, you need to press and hold the power button located on the left ear cup for around 2 seconds.

If done correctly, you should see status indicator next to the power button flash a blue light twice. Your headphones should now be turned on and operable.

What to do if the WH-1000XM5 can’t turn on

If you can’t see the flashing blue lights to turn on your headphones, then you can try doing the following:

1. First off, we recommend that you try charging the battery of the WH-1000XM5. To recharge the headphones, make sure you are using the USB Type-C to USB Type-A cable that came included with the packaging box.

Plug the USB Type-C end of the cable to the USB Type-C port of the headphones and then the USB Type-A end on the USB Type-A end of the USB port of the charging device.

The status indicator next to the power button should be showing an orange light when the WH-1000XM5 is recharging. It can take around 3.5 hours to recharge the headphones battery to full.

If you are having issues trying to recharge this device, then we recommend that you check out this article to find some potential fixes.

2. It should be noted that the wireless headphones can’t be powered on while it is recharging.

Therefore, we recommend waiting until the charging process to complete first. Afterwards, unplug the headphones from the USB Type-C to USB Type-A cable and then try to turn it on by taking the aforementioned steps we laid out earlier in this article.

3. Keep in mind that the Sony WH-1000XM5 has a recommended operating temperature range of 0 °C to 40 °C (or 32 °F to 104 °F). If the headphones get too cold or too hot, then the device may not be able to turn on unless you move it to a more appropriate temperature.

4. If your headphones still won’t turn on, then you can try resetting it to see if doing so fixes the problem.

5. If a normal reset didn’t work, then you can do a full factory reset, which will return the headphones to its original factory settings.

To find out how you can reset and factory reset the Sony WH-1000XM5, we recommend that you take a look at this tutorial.

6. If the headphones still can’t power up after trying all of the aforementioned steps, then we recommend that you contact Sony for additional help.

There is a possibility that your WH-1000XM5 is damaged whether if its due to liquid damage, overheating, a dead internal battery as well as other problems.

If the product is still under warranty, then you might be able to get it repaired or replaced.

The WH-1000XM5 has a battery life of around 30 hours assuming that the internal battery is fully charged.

If you find that the battery life for the wireless headphones is shorter than expected, then you can take a look at this troubleshooting article at Seeking Tech to see how you can fix the battery drain issues.

1. The first step we recommend taking is to disable some features that you aren’t using.

In order to do so, you first need to download and install the “Sony | Headphones Connect” app on your smartphone or mobile device if you haven’t done so already.

Next, you need to connect the Sony WH-1000XM5 to the phone or mobile device.

Afterwards, open the “Sony | Headphones Connect” app and then disable any of the following:

• DSEE Extreme
• Speak-to-Chat
• Equalizer
• Voice Assistance
• Service Link
• Noise Cancellation
• Ambient Sound Mode

For best results, we recommend disabling all of the aforementioned features. Of course, you can also leave functions like Noise Cancellation enabled if you want to keep using it at the expense of a shorter battery life.

2. While you are using the “Sony | Headphones Connect” app, you may also want to make sure that the sound quality mode during Bluetooth playback isn’t set to prioritize sound quality.

3. In the same application, make sure that you have automatic power off setting enabled.

With this feature turned on, the headphones will automatically power off after 15 minutes of inactivity. As a result, you will save the battery from depleting.

4. The Sony WH-1000XM5 has a recommended operating temperature range of 0 °C to 40 °C (32 °F to 104 °F). If you use the headphones outside of that range, then the battery may end up holding less charge.

5. Furthermore, the product has a recommended charging temperature range of 5 °C to 35 °C (41 °F to 95 °F). If you try to recharge its battery outside of that range, then it may result in a lower-than-expected battery life.

6. If you haven’t used the WH-1000XM5 for more than 6 months, then its maximum battery capacity may have been temporary reduced due to over-discharge.

To fix this particular problem, we simply recommend that you use the headphones normally and then recharge it once the battery life gets low. After a few cycles of charging and discharging the internal battery, you should start seeing improvements when it comes to the battery life.

To prevent over-discharge, make sure you recharge the Sony WH-1000XM5 at least once every 6 months.

7. You should also make sure you have the latest firmware installed for your WH-1000XM5 as a new update may improve the battery usage efficiency. If you are running into issues trying to update your headphones, then we recommend that you take a look at this troubleshooting guide to see how you can fix your problem.

8. It is also very important to note that the internal battery of the WH-1000XM5 will wear out over time and lose its ability to hold a charge. As a result, the battery life will become worse.

In order to slow down the wear-and-tear of the battery, you can try taking the following precautionary steps:

• Try not to let the battery life of the WH-1000XM5 fall below 20%.
• You may also want to avoid recharging the headphones to more than 80%.
• Avoid using the device if the ambient temperature is outside the recommend range of 0 °C to 40 °C (32 °F to 104 °F).
• Avoid charging the WH-1000XM5 outside the recommended ambient temperature range of 5 °C to 35 °C (41 °F to 95 °F).
• As we stated above, recharge the battery at least once every 6 months.

If the battery capacity has been significantly reduced, then you will need to replace battery with a new on.

You can update the firmware of the WH-1000XM5 in order to fix bugs, improve performance and get new features.

If you are having trouble trying to download and install a new software version of the wireless headphones, then you can take a look at this troubleshooting guide at Seeking Tech to see what steps you can take in order to fix your issue.

How to update the firmware for Sony WH-1000XM5

In order to update the firmware for the WH-1000XM5, you need to take the following steps:

1. If you haven’t done so already, download the Sony | Headphones Connect app and then connect your headphones to a compatible smartphone or mobile device.

2. With the headphones connected and the application opened, the firmware should start to download automatically if there is a new update available.

What to do if the Sony WH-1000XM5 firmware update keeps failing

If the firmware update for the WH-1000XM5 keeps failing, then you can try doing the following:

1. If your smartphone or mobile device is connected to another Bluetooth product, then we recommend that you disconnect the other product.

This is because the WH-1000XM5 may not update if there are other products connected using Bluetooth Low Energy. Therefore, you should make sure that the headphones are the only Bluetooth device connected.

2. You should also make sure that you get a strong Bluetooth connection between the headphones and the phone/mobile device.

For the best results, try to move the WH-1000XM5 and the phone/mobile device as close as possible. You should avoid placing any solid objects in between the line of sight. Other wireless devices, such as a Wi-Fi router and other Bluetooth products, may also interfere with the communication.

3. Make sure that both the Sony WH-1000XM5 and phone/mobile device have enough battery life to go through the firmware update process.

4. If your smartphone or mobile device have multiple apps opened, then it may be causing the WH-1000XM5 firmware update to fail due to potential conflicts and/or a lack of free hardware resources.

In this case, we recommend that you close all the apps you have opened with the exception of Sony | Headphones Connect app before starting the update.

5. Furthermore, you may want to consider restarting the phone or mobile devices before attempting to update again.

6. You may want to consider disabling the automatic power off feature of the Sony WH-1000XM5. With this function enabled, the headphones will shut down after 15 minutes of inactivity. Therefore, you risk the wireless headphones turning off during the middle of the firmware update.

You should be able to disable the automatic power off feature in the Sony | Headphones Connect app.

7. Your smartphone or mobile device may also have an automatic power saving mode that may interfere with the firmware update of your WH-1000XM5. So, make sure you disable it.

The power saving mode may also be referred to as rest mode, sleep mode and other names.

If you still can’t update your Sony WH-1000XM5 wireless headphones after trying all of the aforementioned steps, then we recommend contacting Sony for additional support for your problem.

If your WH-1000XM5 doesn’t seem to be working as intended, or simply not working at all, then you might want to reset the wireless headphones. A factory reset may also be helpful when it comes to potentially fixing your problem.

About resetting the WH-1000XM5

By resetting the Sony WH-1000XM5, you will restart the headphones, which may help resolve the issue you are experiencing. By performing this action, the device will still remember your pairing information and customized settings.

How to reset the WH-1000XM5

In order to reset the Sony WH-1000XM5, we recommend that you take the following steps:

1. Before you start, make sure you have the USB Type-C to USB Type-A cable that came with your WH-1000XM5. While you can use a similar cable, it is not guaranteed to work when it comes to resetting the headphones.

2. Plug the USB Type-C end of the cable to the USB Type-C port of the WH-1000XM5.

3. Next, you need to plug the other USB Type-A end of the cable to a power source, which could be an USB AC adaptor or a device that supports USB charging.

4. Press the power button and NC/AMB button at the same time in order to reset the headphones. Both of these buttons are located on the left ear cup.

About factory resetting the WH-1000XM5

If a normal reset didn’t resolve your specific problem with the Sony the WH-1000XM5, then you might want to perform a factory reset. By doing so, you will delete the pairing information and customized settings you have on the headphones.

So, if you would like to use the product again, you will need to pair it to the device and then use the Sony | Headphones Connect app in order to change to the settings you want.

How to factory reset the WH-1000XM5

In order to factory reset the Sony WH-1000XM5, you need to do the following:

1. Before doing anything else, you should make sure that the headphones can be turned on as it needs to have enough battery life to complete the process.

To turn on the WH-1000XM5, press and hold the power button for 2 seconds.

2. After making sure that the device can be powered on, press and hold the power button for 2 seconds in order to turn it off.

3. With the headphones turned off, remove the USB Type-C to USB Type-A cable if you have it connected.

4. Next, you need to press and hold both the power button and NC/AMB button for 7 seconds.

5. If done correctly, you should see the status indicator in between the power button and NC/AMB button blink blue 4 times. This indicates that the factory resetting process has been completed.

If you want to use the Sony WH-1000XM5 again after the factory reset to the same device as before, you will first need to delete the pairing information for the headphones on the other device. Afterwards, you should be able to pair the WH-1000XM5 to the device and then use the Sony | Headphones Connect app to customize the various settings for the product.

The WH-1000XM5 features an internal battery that can be recharged. If you are having a hard time trying to charge the wireless headphones, then you can take a look at this troubleshooting tutorial at Seeking Tech.

1. If your WH-1000XM5 is not recharging at all, then the first step you can take is to make sure that you are using the USB Type-A to USB Type-C cable that came with the headphones. This is because other cables may not be compatible when it comes to charging the internal battery.

2. You should also make sure that you try to charge the device within a range of 59 °F to 95 °F (or 15 °C to 35 °C).

If the temperature gets too cold or too hot, then the battery may end up not being able to be charged.

3. Make sure that the USB Type-C end of the cable is connected securely to the USB Type-C port of the Sony WH-1000XM5.

4. If you are connecting the other end of the USB Type-A to USB Type-C cable to a USB AC adaptor, then you need to make sure that is securely USB Type-A end is connected to the adaptor.

5. Furthermore, the USB AC adaptor must have an output current that is at least 1.5 A.

6. If you haven’t done so already, you should also make sure that the USB AC adaptor is securely plugged into the power outlet.

7. Moreover, you can try using a different power outlet to see if you can get the headphones to charge.

8. If you are connecting the other end of the USB Type-A to USB Type-C cable to a USB Type-A port of another device, then you need to make sure that the other device is actually capable of acting as a power source.

9. You should make sure that the cable is securely connected to the USB Type-A port of the other device.

10. You need to make sure that the other device is completely turned on. The Sony WH-1000XM5 may not charge if the other device is put in rest mode, sleep mode, hibernation mode or any other similar low power state modes.

11. Moreover, make sure you connect the headphones to the other device directly. If you are using a USB hub or similar USB pass-through products, then it may cause charging issues.

12. If possible, you can try plugging the cable into a different USB Type-A port.

13. You can also try updating the firmware of the other device.

14. You may want to try a completely different device as well.

15. If your Sony WH-1000XM5 is still not recharging, then you can try resetting the headphones.

16. If resetting the WH-1000XM5 does not work, then you may want to perform a factory reset.

To see how you can reset and factory reset this product, we recommend that you take a look at this article.

17. If your headphones still can’t charge, then we suggest contacting Sony for additional support.

There is a possibility that the WH-1000XM5 may be defective to the point where it needs to be repaired or replaced.