The Sony WH-1000XM4 is a brilliant pair of headphones with one well-known weak spot: the swivel. It's the small plastic part on each side that lets the ear cup turn and fold. When it snaps, the ear cup flops about, won't stay where you put it, or comes away from the band and hangs by its cable.
If that's happened to yours, the rest of the headphones are very likely fine. The sound, the noise cancelling and the electronics live inside the ear cups, and none of them is damaged by a broken swivel. It's a one-part repair, and a Sony hinge repair replaces it with a genuine Sony part where available.
Here's what breaks, what to do straight away, and the options for getting them fixed.
What breaks on the XM4
Each side of the XM4 headband ends in a slider that you pull out to adjust the size. At the bottom of each slider is the swivel, a moulded plastic hanger that holds the ear cup and lets it rotate flat or fold inwards for the case. A small U-shaped metal clip locks the swivel into the hinge.
The plastic part of the swivel is what cracks. Owners describe it in much the same way each time: the swivel snapped on the right, the hinge cracked and the ear cup is now loose, or the cup hangs off the band but the sound still works. That last part is common. Until the cable is damaged, they often keep playing perfectly with a broken swivel.
Signs it's on its way out
- Creaking from one side when you move or adjust the headphones
- A hairline crack on the swivel near where it meets the slider
- An ear cup that feels looser than the other, or rotates too freely
- The cup won't stay folded or keeps popping back
A swivel that's cracking won't heal, so if you can see a crack it's better to deal with it before it lets go.
Why the XM4 swivel breaks
The XM4 folds. The ear cups swivel flat and fold inwards into the headband to fit the case. That means the swivel moves every time the headphones go in and out of the case, on top of every time they go on and off your head. Pull them off one-handed by one ear cup, or let them dangle round your neck with the cups twisted, and the strain all goes through that small piece of plastic.
Sony treats it as wear or damage rather than a fault, but it's a common enough failure that the swivel is one of the most sold replacement parts for these headphones.
Stop wearing them for now
The cable that links the two ear cups runs through the swivel. When the swivel has broken, the cable takes the weight of the ear cup and gets bent and pulled every time you move. That's how a broken swivel turns into "no sound in the left ear" a few weeks later.
Keep them in the case until they're fixed. If you have to use them, handle them gently and support the loose cup.
Will Sony repair it under warranty?
Sony's standard manufacturer warranty on headphones is one year, though some retailers and promotions have offered longer. Owners frequently report Sony refusing hinge and swivel claims as physical damage, even inside that year. The XM4 was released in 2020, so most pairs are now well outside Sony's warranty anyway.
Your contract is with the retailer, though, and UK consumer law can give you more than the manufacturer's warranty does. If yours are relatively new, read Sony hinge broken: warranty and your consumer rights before you accept a refusal.
Your options
Sony's paid repair
Sony will repair the XM4 out of warranty for a fee. Owners in the UK and Europe report paying around £80 to €100 for headband and swivel repairs on recent XM models. You'll be without them while they go to a service centre, and Sony's official parts supplier has not listed the XM4 swivel for sale to the public, so you can't easily do it yourself with a Sony-supplied part.
Do it yourself
Replacement XM4 swivels are widely sold online, mostly aftermarket copies, with genuine reclaimed ones harder to find. There's a step-by-step guide on iFixit. The job means removing the ear pad, opening the ear cup, taking out the hinge screws, lifting the swivel out without straining the cable, and fitting the new one with its metal clip. On the right-hand side the main board has to be moved to reach the screws. It's within reach if you've done small electronics repairs before, but it's fiddly, and a pinched or nicked cable can leave you with a dead side.
I've written an honest guide to fixing an XM4 hinge yourself if you want to know what you're taking on.
An independent repair
You post them to me, I replace the broken swivel with a genuine Sony part where available, check the cable and test everything before they come back. My Sony headphones hinge repair is a fixed price, one side or both, with a 12-month warranty.
Replace them
The XM4 is now a couple of generations old, so if yours also have a worn battery and flat ear pads, it's worth weighing up a newer pair. See is it worth repairing Sony headphones for the sums, and how much Sony headphone repair costs for a full price comparison.
Why glue and tape don't last
Glue on a swivel almost always fails. The joint moves every time the headphones fold or go on your head, and a glued crack splits again along the same line. Glue that gets into the swivel can also stop it turning, or stick to the cable. Tape holds the cup in place for a day or two but doesn't take the strain off the cable.
If you've already glued it, don't worry. The whole swivel is replaced, so the glue comes out with it. Mention it when you book.
How I repair an XM4 swivel
- I remove the ear pad and open the ear cup.
- I take out the hinge screws and lift the broken swivel out, keeping the cable free of strain.
- I fit a genuine Sony swivel where available, reclaimed from another pair and inspected before it goes in. It's in very good condition but may show light signs of wear.
- I refit the metal locking clip and check the cable through the hinge for kinks, nicks or breaks, repairing it if needed.
- I reassemble the ear cup and run a full bench test: both drivers, noise cancelling, microphones, touch controls, Bluetooth and charging.
Do both sides need doing?
Not always, but check the other side carefully. Both swivels have done the same work for the same length of time. If the second one creaks, feels loose or shows a crack, it makes sense to replace both in one go: it costs less than two separate repairs and saves posting them twice.
Questions people ask
Can a snapped XM4 swivel be repaired?
Yes. The swivel is a separate part and can be replaced. As long as the cable hasn't been badly damaged, the headphones work exactly as before afterwards.
My XM4 ear cup is loose but the sound still works. Is it OK to keep using them?
It's best not to. The cable runs through the hinge and is now carrying the weight of the ear cup. Keep using them and it can break inside, which turns a simple repair into a bigger one.
How long does an XM4 hinge repair take?
The repair itself is under an hour on the bench. The rest is postage there and back. You'll get an email at each stage.
Is the replacement swivel a genuine Sony part?
Yes. I fit genuine Sony swivels where available, reclaimed from other headphones and inspected before they go in. They may show light signs of wear, and they're covered by the same 12-month warranty as every repair.
Is the XM4 swivel the same as the XM3 or XM5?
No. Each generation has its own design. The XM3 tends to crack at the headband, and the XM5 breaks at a different hinge bracket. See Sony XM3 headband cracked and Sony XM5 hinge broken.
My recommendation
If your XM4 swivel has snapped, put them away, don't glue them, and check whether you're still within any warranty or your consumer rights first. If not, replace the swivel with a genuine part before the cable gives up too, and look hard at the other side while they're open.
If you'd like me to do it, book a Sony headphones hinge repair and post them in.