bluetooth do¨t appear

Put the Sony earphones into pairing mode—not merely powered on—disconnect them from any phone they previously used, and then add them through Windows 11 Bluetooth settings.

Pair the Sony earphones

1. Temporarily turn off Bluetooth on nearby phones or tablets so the Sony device does not reconnect to them automatically.
2. Put the earphones into pairing mode:
   • WH-1000X headband models only: hold the Power button for approximately 5–7 seconds, until the indicator flashes rapidly or the pairing announcement plays. For the WH-1000XM4, Sony specifies about seven seconds.
   • WF-1000X earbuds: pairing controls vary by model, so use that model’s pairing procedure rather than the WH Power-button method.
3. In Windows 11, open Start → Settings → Bluetooth & devices and turn on Bluetooth.
4. Select Add device → Bluetooth, then wait for the Sony model name.
5. If both a normal name and an LE_ name appear for a supported WH model, select the normal name—for example, WH-1000XM4, not LE_WH-1000XM4. If only the LE entry appears initially, wait several seconds for the regular entry. ^1^

Keep the earphones charged, close to the computer, and in pairing mode while Windows searches. ^2^

If they still do not appear

1. In Settings → Bluetooth & devices, turn Bluetooth off, wait 10 seconds, and turn it on again.
2. If an old Sony entry is listed, select its … menu, choose Remove device, and repeat pairing.
3. Open the Get Help app, search for Bluetooth troubleshooting, and run the automated Bluetooth troubleshooter.
4. Open Settings → Windows Update → Check for updates, install available updates, and restart the computer. ^2^
5. If necessary, install the latest Bluetooth driver from the computer manufacturer:
   • Right-click Start → Device Manager.
   • Expand Bluetooth.
   • Right-click the Bluetooth adapter and select Update driver → Search automatically for drivers.
   • If Windows finds nothing newer, download the Windows 11 Bluetooth driver from the PC manufacturer’s official support site and install it. ^3^

If the Bluetooth switch itself is missing

Hold Shift while selecting Start → Power → Shut down, wait one minute, and turn the PC back on. This performs a complete power cycle rather than a normal restart. If the switch remains missing or disabled after installing the PC manufacturer’s Bluetooth driver, contact that manufacturer’s support because the adapter may require model-specific driver or firmware troubleshooting. ^4^

As a final model-specific option, Sony documents resetting or initializing supported 1000X models. Initialization clears saved pairing information, so use the instructions for the exact model only. ^5^

If discovery still fails, provide the exact Sony model—such as WH-1000XM4, WH-1000XM5, or WF-1000XM5—and the computer model, because the pairing and reset controls differ between WH headphones and WF earbuds.

References

1. The WH-1000XM4 headphones won't pair with a computer or the computer ...
2. [Windows 11](https://support.microsoft.com/windows/hardware/bluetooth/troubleshoot-bluetooth-not-connecting-in-windows)
3. [Windows 11](https://support.microsoft.com/windows/hardware/bluetooth/fix-bluetooth-problems-in-windows#general-bluetooth-troubleshooting-in-windows-11)
4. [Windows 11](https://support.microsoft.com/windows/hardware/bluetooth/fix-bluetooth-disappeared-in-windows#summary)
5. The headphones cannot pair with the device, or cannot connect with the ...