Bluetooth earbuds tend to last longer than their wired counterparts since they have fewer moving parts than wired earbuds. This can be attractive to a lot of people, but leaves them wondering how to make their new headphones work with all their devices.
Wired headphones have always been plug-and-play but Bluetooth headphones require a little more tech knowledge to get started.
Here’s how you can connect your Sony Bluetooth headphones with any device. Whether you use PC, Mac, Android, iPhone, or all of the above, this guide should get your Sony headphones connected!
How to Put Sony Earbuds in Pairing Mode
Sony has standardized the way their products interface with Bluetooth.
To put your Sony headphones into pairing mode, press and hold the power button for around seven seconds. The light indicator should start blinking either red/green or blue. This indicates that the headset is in pairing mode and you can release the power button.
Workstation Pairing
Many people pair devices with their workstations to allow them to listen to music or videos while working.
Once your earbuds are paired with your workstation you can use them to listen to music or videos while you work. For many people this improves workflow and focus.
So, it makes sense to want to pair your headphones with your workstation. It also helps keep you from disturbing anyone you might be living with while you’re working.
How to Pair Sony Earbuds with a Windows PC
If you’re trying to pair your earbuds with a Windows PC, you’ll want to start by putting the headphones into pairing mode by pressing and holding the power button for seven seconds.
Then you’ll want to hit the Windows Key and type “Bluetooth and Other Devices Settings” into the search bar. Select the option from best match.
Once you open the Bluetooth and other devices setup, start by finding the “Add Device” button. It should be at the top just below the switch to turn your Bluetooth connector on or off.
Click to open up the “Add Device” dialogue and select the “Bluetooth” option as this is the same dialogue you’ll use to pair your computer with any wireless device. So, you’ll want to get used to seeing it if you’re fond of using wireless devices!
After you select your Sony headphones they should pair automatically whenever you turn them on.
How to Pair Sony Headphones with MacOS Computers
MacOS computers use a similar system to Windows computers.
However, the Bluetooth option is in a different spot. It’s located in the status bar. If the Bluetooth option doesn’t show up in the status bar, you’ll need to turn the Bluetooth connector and the option for it to show up in the status bar on from the Control Center.
To find the Control Center, go to the Apple Menu and select “Bluetooth options.” Here you’ll find the “Show Bluetooth in Status Bar” option. Use this toggle button to turn the option on and off. Clicking on the Bluetooth option in the Status Bar acts as a shortcut to the computer’s Bluetooth options in the Control Center.
Once you’ve opened the computer’s Bluetooth options, you’ll be able to hit the connect button next to your Sony headphones and the computer will connect to the system.
Mobile Devices
Connecting Your Sony Earbuds to Android
Connecting your Sony earbuds to an Android device is easy as one-two-three. If Bluetooth is already on, you’ll see a Bluetooth symbol in the notification bar next to the other connectivity options.
If you’re unsure whether your Bluetooth is turned on, open the notification bar menu by dragging down the top of the screen. This will open the notification bar and its extended options. The Bluetooth symbol will be blue if it’s turned on.
You’ll want to pull the menu down again to get access to the full Bluetooth options as the symbol is a button to turn it on and off, not a shortcut to the menu. Tap the word “Bluetooth” beneath the Bluetooth symbol in the menu to open the Bluetooth options.
That will open the Bluetooth menu.
Select the name of your Sony headphones to pair them with your Android device. At this point, your headphones and Android are paired.
How to Pair Sony Earbuds with an iOS Device
Pairing Sony earbuds with an iOS device is relatively easy and similar to pairing them with an Android device. Start by going into your Apple settings and search for the Bluetooth settings.
Simply tap your Sony earbuds in the Devices menu and the device will pair to the Sony headphones.
“My Headphones Are Connected, But There Is No Sound”
There are many reasons you may experience soundlessness even though your headphones are connected. On some mobile devices, the device may automatically turn off media sounds because it’s assuming you’ve connected headphones for making a phone call.
Start by checking your headphone settings to ensure that media sounds are turned on if you can’t hear your music or videos when using your headphones.
Additionally, you may experience driver issues that result in your headphones not playing sounds when connected to an input device.
Troubleshooting Bluetooth Devices on Windows
Start by seeing if you can run the audio troubleshooter. Press the Windows key or open the start menu and search for “Find and Fix Problems with Playing Audio.” Select your headphones and run the troubleshooter to see if the system can fix the problem.
If your headphones don’t show up in the audio troubleshooter, you’ll need to download the drivers from the Sony website and manually install them as this indicates that the computer is not picking up the signal from your headphones correctly.
How to Troubleshoot Audio Issues on MacOS Devices
Most of the issues that occur between MacOS and headphones have to do with the computer accidentally selecting the wrong audio device as the default device. These can be easily corrected by changing your settings in the Apple settings.
Start by navigating to System Preferences and go to the Sound options. Click on your Sony headphones to activate them. Make sure they’re set to the Default device so that when they reconnect they’ll automatically be set to default device.
If you still have no sound in your headphones after you’ve activated them, head over to the Bluetooth Settings and remove the headphones from the device. Then re-pair the headphones and see if that clears up the issues.
How to Troubleshoot Audio Issues on Android Devices
Audio issues with Android devices are mostly caused by the media audio being turned off. Open up your audio mixer by hitting the volume buttons and then pressing the three dots at the top of the volume bar. This will open the volume mixer options.
Once you open the expanded options, there should be four separate sound bars. The third one is the media volume and the fourth one is the overall volume of the phone.
Swift Moves How-To’s:
Speaker Pairing: Marshall / Sony / Altec Lansing
Earbud/Headphone Pairing: Sony / Tozo / Aftershokz / JLab / Bose / JBL / Soundcore
Final Thoughts
The lack of standardization in Bluetooth connectivity can be frustrating as you try to navigate the unique waters of each device and how it interacts with other devices.
Sony has made this process simpler than other manufacturers by keeping most of their headphones similarly programmed. This means the pairing process is nearly identical regardless of the exact model that you own.
And if you are stuck, luckily learning new skills is just a Google search away nowadays and you’ll be back online using your favorite devices in no time!
