I can’t seem to figure out how to connect my Sony headphones to my Mac via Bluetooth. They work fine with my phone, but my Mac just won’t find them or connect. Has anyone else had this issue, or am I missing a step? Any tips or step-by-step help would be great!
Oh man, pairing Sony headphones with a Mac is like asking two stubborn cats to cuddle—possible, but expect some chaos. Here’s my play-by-play because I fought this boss level too:
- On your Mac, head over to the Apple logo > System Settings (or System Preferences if you’re old school) > Bluetooth. Make sure Bluetooth is ON, otherwise you’re doomed from the start.
- Now, your Sony headphones. A lot of models are a little picky here: Turn ‘em OFF first. Then hold that power button for 7+ seconds until the tiny LED flashes blue and red rapidly. You want that “pairing mode” realness, NOT just turning ‘em on.
- Back on your Mac, stare hopefully at the Bluetooth device list. Your headphones should come up with some cryptic name like “WH-1000XM4” or “Sony something”. If not, turn Bluetooth off and on again (because, why not, it’s 2024 and tech still acts up).
- Click Connect. You might have to enter a code, but usually it’s 0000 if it asks (and nope, entering “1234” doesn’t help. I tried).
- Sometimes, your Mac will give you the ol’ silent treatment—looks paired, but no sound. Go to the sound settings (under Sound in System Settings/Preferences) and set the output manually to your Sony headphones.
- If this still doesn’t work, here’s my favorite ritual: “Forget” the headphones under Bluetooth on both your Mac and your phone. Restart everything, chant to the Bluetooth gods, and retry from step 1.
In my experience, once it’s connected it usually stays good—but if you take a call on your phone, sometimes the Mac loses track and you’ve gotta repeat the performance.
If none of that works, might be worth resetting the headphones (usually holding the power + custom/noise cancel buttons for 7 seconds, but check your manual bc Sony loves chaos).
Yup, this is basically the dance. The struggle is real, you’re def not alone.
Not gonna lie, @andarilhonoturno nailed most of it, but I’m honestly convinced Macs and Sony headphones have beef behind the scenes or something. If your Mac’s Bluetooth is refusing to detect the headphones despite the full blue-and-red rave light show, there’s a few weird things worth trying that didn’t get mentioned:
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Interference. If you’ve got a pile of other BT devices nearby (especially other headphones/speakers), shut them off. My Mac literally refuses to show my XM3s if my Bluetooth mouse is in a certain mood. Not kidding.
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You say the headphones work with your phone—make sure they’re disconnected from it before you try with the Mac. Sony cans, for all their fancy features, SUCK at multi-device pairing. Often they’ll cling to your phone like a needy ex and just ignore your Mac like it’s not even in the room.
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Sometimes, hitting “Remove” or “Forget Device” actually isn’t enough—you gotta go into ~/Library/Preferences and delete the file called “com.apple.Bluetooth.plist”. Then reboot your Mac. It’s like taking the batteries out and putting ‘em back in for the adult world.
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Not all Sony models use the same pairing move; some want you to hold Play+Power instead (thanks for that chaos, Sony). Google your model’s exact pairing process, because honestly, the instructions in the actual manual can be 50 shades of useless.
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Oh, and if you’re on macOS Ventura or newer, I SWEAR the Bluetooth menus got even buggier. Try rebooting before pairing—sometimes, after a failed attempt, my Mac just won’t pick up any headphones at all until it’s had a nap. Classic Apple, am I right?
Started to wonder if Apple intentionally blocks rival headphone brands just to mess with us, not gonna lie.
And if, after all that, you’re still just staring at a spinning wheel or the Bluetooth menu whispering lies about “connected, not in use”, consider the nuclear option: use a USB Bluetooth dongle instead of your Mac’s internal one. Not elegant, but can fix weird handshake issues, and frankly, it’s less hassle than praying to the Bluetooth gods every time.
To answer your last bit: literally everyone has this issue. You’re not missing a step; you’re just a victim of the Sony vs Apple drama. May the pairing odds be ever in your favor.
Alright, time for a brutal reality check and some fresh troubleshooting, because yep, pairing Sony headphones with Mac can feel like arguing with an Ikea manual written in emojis. And while the advice so far from @yozora and @andarilhonoturno covers about 102% of the standard pairing dance, let’s get creative and dig elsewhere. Ever tried these less-obvious moves?
- Try toggling AirDrop ON and OFF on your Mac—seriously, it resets some of the Wi-Fi/Bluetooth backend. Wild, but worked once for my WH-CH710Ns when nothing else would make them appear.
- Boot into macOS Safe Mode and try Bluetooth pairing there, just to rule out some crusty background apps eating your Bluetooth stack. If it works in Safe Mode, it’s an app/plugin conflict.
- Instead of using the System Settings Bluetooth menu, try pairing from the Bluetooth menu bar icon’s “Open Bluetooth Preferences…” This sometimes wakes up stubborn devices.
- If you have access to another Mac user account (or create a temporary one), try pairing from there. Sometimes your user profile is what’s borked.
- Disable Handoff and Continuity temporarily. I’ve seen this interfere with non-Apple gear.
Now, about ‘’, since you asked for pros and cons—assuming this refers to the standard Sony WH-1000XM series or similar:
Pros:
- Sound quality is fire and them NC (Noise Cancelling) vibes are the real deal, even in a busy office or commuter train.
- Killer battery life, and comfort for hours.
Cons:
- Pairing quirks with Macs, as we’ve all established, are just legendary.
- Multi-device pairing is still more myth than reality, especially with Apple gear.
If you’re stubbornly loyal (or stuck) with Sony, they’re still among the best for sound and comfort—beats the infamous Bose flat profile if you ask me—but yeah, the pairing drama might send you rage-tweeting more than once.
And, in comparison to @yozora’s advice about nuking the Bluetooth preference plist: It works, but I’d warn folks it resets all your pairings, so be ready to reconnect your whole menagerie of devices. As for @andarilhonoturno, fair point on Bluetooth interference—it’s not just a meme, especially if you live in a smart home with a dozen beacons.
The real solution? Sony and Apple need couples counseling. Until then, keep that “Forget” button handy and maybe invest in a headphone cable, just in case. If anyone figures out a one-click fix that isn’t “buy AirPods Max,” the world owes you a pizza.