A reset sorts out a lot of odd behaviour on the Sony WH-1000XM5: unresponsive touch controls, pairing trouble, a stuck battery reading, or headphones that won't charge or switch on properly. There are two ways to do it.
- A restart (Sony calls it "reset") reboots the headphones and keeps your pairings and settings.
- A factory reset (Sony calls it "initialising") wipes all settings and pairings and returns the headphones to factory condition.
Try the restart first, then the factory reset if that doesn't help. These steps are taken from Sony's own support guide for the WH-1000XM5.
Where the buttons are
Both resets use two buttons on the left ear cup:
- POWER, the power button
- NC/AMB, the noise cancelling and ambient sound button
On older Sony models this second button was labelled differently (CUSTOM on the XM4, NC/Ambient on the XM3), but it does the same job.
Method 1: restart (keeps your settings)
- Plug the USB-C cable into the headphones so they're charging.
- With the cable still plugged in, press the POWER and NC/AMB buttons at the same time.
- The headphones reset.
- To carry on charging, unplug the USB-C cable and plug it back in.
Your pairings and settings are kept.
Method 2: factory reset (wipes everything)
- Turn the headphones off, and make sure the USB cable is not connected.
- Press and hold the POWER and NC/AMB buttons together for 7 seconds or more.
- The blue indicator light flashes four times, and the headphones reset to factory settings.
- On your phone, tablet or computer, delete "WH-1000XM5" from the list of Bluetooth devices.
- Pair the headphones again as if they were new.
Then open Sony's headphones app to set up your noise cancelling, equaliser and touch preferences again.
If the reset doesn't work
No flashing light during the factory reset
Check the headphones are fully off and unplugged before you start, and hold both buttons for the full 7 seconds. If the battery is completely flat, charge them first.
No response at all
Charge them for 15 minutes with a known-good cable and plug, then try the restart with the cable plugged in. If they're still dead, see Sony XM5 won't turn on.
The fault keeps coming back
A reset fixes software problems, not hardware. If the problem returns, see the guide for your symptom:
- Sony headphones not charging
- Sony XM5 battery replacement
- Sony headphones no sound on one side
- Sony headphones touch controls not working
Update the firmware
After resetting, check for a firmware update in Sony's headphones app. Keep the headphones charged and near your phone while it installs.
When it's time for a repair
If both resets and a firmware update haven't fixed it, it's likely a hardware fault: the battery, the charging port, the cable through the hinge, a driver or the board.
My Sony headphones repair (any fault) starts with a £4.99 assessment, then a quote before any work, and the £4.99 comes off the repair if you go ahead. If you already know what's wrong, there are fixed prices for a broken hinge, battery replacement and the charging port. If your XM5 hinge is creaking or has snapped, see Sony XM5 hinge broken.
Questions people ask
Does resetting the XM5 delete my pairings?
The restart, with the cable plugged in, keeps them. The factory reset, held for 7 seconds with no cable, deletes them.
How do I know the XM5 factory reset worked?
The blue indicator light flashes four times. Then remove the headphones from your device's Bluetooth list and pair them again.
Can I reset the XM5 from the app?
The two resets here use the buttons, so you don't need the app. You'll use the app afterwards to set your preferences again.
Is the XM5 reset the same as the XM4?
The steps are the same, but the XM5 uses the NC/AMB button where the XM4 uses CUSTOM. See how to reset Sony WH-1000XM4.
My recommendation
Restart first, factory reset second, then update the firmware. If the problem survives all three, it's hardware, and worth getting looked at before it gets worse.