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How to Reset Sony Headphones: Reset vs Factory Reset

By the CircuitFinds Editorial Team · Updated · 5 min read

How to Reset Sony Headphones: Reset vs Factory Reset

Quick answer: How to reset Sony headphones depends on which reset you need. A plain reset is a reboot that keeps your pairings and settings: on over-ear models like the WH-1000XM5, you press the power button and a second button together while charging. A factory reset, which Sony calls “initialize,” wipes all pairings and needs the headphones off with a longer hold.

Sony uses two words for two different things, and mixing them up costs you time. “Reset” is a restart. “Initialize” is the factory reset.

I’d always try the gentle one first. You lose nothing, and honestly it fixes more than people expect.

Why Your Sony Headphones Need a Reset

Most problems that send people looking for a reset fall into a few buckets:

  1. The headphones freeze or ignore buttons. A reset restarts the firmware and usually clears this.
  2. Bluetooth won’t connect or keeps dropping. Often the phone is the problem, not the headphones.
  3. One earbud goes silent on true wireless models like the WF-1000XM5.
  4. Settings act strangely after an update or app change.
  5. You’re selling or giving them away. That needs a full initialize so your pairings go with you, not with them.

Try These First (Sony’s Own Order)

Sony’s Help Guide for the WH-1000XM5 lists the steps in this order, and it’s the order I’d follow too:

  1. Look up the symptom in your model’s Help Guide and try the fix listed there.
  2. Charge the headphones. A low battery can cause odd behavior.
  3. Restart the phone, tablet or computer they’re connected to.
  4. Reset the headphones.
  5. Initialize them (factory reset).
  6. Check Sony’s support site for your model.

Don’t skip step 3. When you restart the phone first, you rule out a phone-side glitch without touching the headphones at all.

How to Reset Sony Headphones (Keeps Pairings)

A reset is a restart. Sony says pairing information and other settings are kept.

WH-1000XM5

  1. Plug the headphones into a wall outlet using the USB-C cable and a USB AC adapter, so they’re charging.
  2. Press the power button and the NC/AMB button at the same time.

The headset resets. That’s it, and in practice it’s quicker than finding the cable.

WH-1000XM4

  1. Connect the headphones to power so they’re charging.
  2. Press the power button and the CUSTOM button at the same time.

Sony’s guide for this model says the pairing information is not deleted.

WF-1000XM5 Earbuds

The earbuds reset through the charging case, and timing matters here.

  1. Put both earbuds in the case and leave the lid open.
  2. Press and hold the button on the back of the case for about 20 seconds or more.
  3. After about 15 seconds, the case light flashes orange for about 5 seconds, then turns off. Keep holding through the orange flashing.
  4. Once the light is off, release the button.

The trick is patience. Sony warns not to let go while the orange light is flashing, because releasing during that window is how you trigger the initialize procedure instead. That wipes your pairings.

How to Factory Reset Sony Headphones (Initialize)

Initializing returns volume and other settings to factory defaults and deletes all pairing information. My take: do this only when a reset didn’t help, or when the headphones are leaving your hands.

WH-1000XM5

  1. Turn the headphones off.
  2. Unplug the USB-C cable.
  3. Press and hold the power button and the NC/AMB button together for about 7 seconds.
  4. The blue light flashes 4 times when the initialize is done.

WH-1000XM4

  1. Turn the headphones off with the USB-C cable disconnected.
  2. Press and hold the power button and the CUSTOM button together for 7 seconds or more.
  3. The blue light flashes 4 times.

Sony notes that a software update you’ve installed stays in place. A voice guidance language you changed goes back to the factory language.

WF-1000XM5 Earbuds

  1. Put both earbuds in the charging case with the lid open. The case needs enough charge, or Sony says the initialize won’t start.
  2. Press and hold the button on the back of the case for about 15 seconds or more. The light blinks blue twice in a row, repeatedly, then starts flashing orange.
  3. Release the button within 5 seconds of the orange flashing starting.
  4. The case light flashes green 4 times when it’s complete.

No green flashes? It didn’t work, so Sony says to start again from step 2. You can also initialize these earbuds from the Sony | Headphones Connect app.

Other Sony Models

Button combos differ from model to model, and budget models don’t have the same buttons as the flagships. I’d look up your exact model in Sony’s Help Guide before you hold anything down. Guessing is how people end up initializing when they only meant to restart.

After a Factory Reset: Pair Again

This step trips up a lot of owners. After you initialize, Sony’s guides say to delete the headphones from your phone’s or laptop’s Bluetooth list, then pair them again as if they were new. Skip the delete and you’re asking an old, now-useless pairing record to work.

Using the app? Don’t forget your noise canceling and sound settings, because I think most people only notice they’re back to defaults a week later.

When to Contact Sony

If the headphones still misbehave after both a reset and an initialize, Sony’s guide says to consult your nearest Sony dealer or service center. At that point, I’d stop pressing buttons. Repeated resets won’t fix a failing battery, a damaged charging port or a faulty driver.

Contact Sony if you notice any of these:

  • The headphones won’t charge or turn on at all, even after a long charge
  • The case or headphones get unusually hot while charging
  • One side stays dead after an initialize
  • Physical damage, such as a swollen battery or water exposure

Want more help with earbuds and speakers? Browse our audio guides. If charging is the real issue, our power and storage section covers chargers and cables.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Do I Reset Sony Wireless Headphones?

For the WH-1000XM5, connect them to a charger and press the power and NC/AMB buttons together. For the WH-1000XM4, press power and CUSTOM together while charging. This keeps your pairings.

What’s the Difference Between Reset and Initialize on Sony Headphones?

Reset means restart, with everything kept. Initialize means factory reset, with every pairing gone.

Will Resetting My Sony Headphones Delete My Pairings?

A reset won’t. Only initializing deletes them.

Why Won’t My Sony WF-1000XM5 Earbuds Initialize?

The case may be low on battery. Sony says initialization won’t start if the case charge is too low. Charge it, then repeat the steps and watch for 4 green flashes.

Do I Need to Pair Again After a Factory Reset?

Yes. Remove the headphones from your device’s Bluetooth list first, then pair them again as a new device.

Last updated: November 10, 2026. Sources: Sony WH-1000XM5 Help Guide: resetting, Sony WH-1000XM5 Help Guide: initializing, Sony WH-1000XM4 Help Guide: initializing and Sony WF-1000XM5 Help Guide: resetting.