--- title: "How to Connect Sony Headphones to a Mac" description: "Pair Sony WH-1000XM4, XM5, XM6 and other 1000X headphones with a Mac or MacBook: pairing mode for each model, the System Settings steps and sound output." url: https://opensoundconnect.app/guides/connect-sony-headphones-to-mac language: en --- # Connect Sony headphones to your Mac Sony headphones pair with a Mac like any Bluetooth headphones. The only part that differs by model is how you put them in pairing mode. Applies to: [MDR-1000X](https://opensoundconnect.app/headphones/mdr-1000x), [WH-1000XM2](https://opensoundconnect.app/headphones/wh-1000xm2), [WH-1000XM3](https://opensoundconnect.app/headphones/wh-1000xm3), [WH-1000XM4](https://opensoundconnect.app/headphones/wh-1000xm4), [WH-1000XM5](https://opensoundconnect.app/headphones/wh-1000xm5), [WH-1000XM6](https://opensoundconnect.app/headphones/wh-1000xm6), [WH-1000XX](https://opensoundconnect.app/headphones/wh-1000xx) · Updated 2026-11-03 ## Short answer To connect Sony headphones to a Mac or MacBook: 1. Put the headphones in pairing mode. The first time, just turn them on. To add the Mac later, hold the pairing button (see your model below) until the indicator flashes. 2. On the Mac, open **System Settings → Bluetooth**, find the headphones under **Nearby Devices** and click **Connect**. 3. If a passkey is requested, enter **0000**. 4. Check that **System Settings → Sound → Output** shows the headphones. ## Connect them in macOS These steps are the same on a MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, iMac, Mac mini or any other Mac with macOS 15 Sequoia or later. 1. Put the headphones in pairing mode (the button for each model is below). Keep them within a meter or so of the Mac. 2. Choose Apple menu → **System Settings**, then click **Bluetooth** in the sidebar. Make sure Bluetooth is on. 3. Wait for your headphones to appear under **Nearby Devices**. They show their model name, for example WH-1000XM4; the WH-1000XX may appear as 1000X The Collexion. 4. Hold the pointer over the name and click **Connect**. If the Mac asks for a passkey, type **0000**. 5. When the headphones move to **My Devices** and say **Connected**, they're paired. Pairing mode ends after about five minutes. If the headphones don't appear in time, turn them off and start again. After the first pairing, you don't need System Settings to reconnect: open **Control Center**, click **Bluetooth** and click the headphones' name. Sony headphones remember up to eight devices; when you pair a ninth, the oldest is forgotten. ## Put your model in pairing mode The first time you turn on new headphones (or after a factory reset), they go into pairing mode by themselves. To pair them with a Mac when they already know another device, such as your phone, use the steps for your model. ### WH-1000XM6 and WH-1000XX (1000X The Collexion) These two have a separate **Bluetooth button**. Hold it for about 5 seconds until the indicator flashes. The [WH-1000XM6](https://opensoundconnect.app/headphones/wh-1000xm6) and [WH-1000XX](https://opensoundconnect.app/headphones/wh-1000xx) don't use the power button for pairing, which is the most common reason pairing "doesn't start" on them. ### WH-1000XM5 Start with the headphones switched off and hold the **power** button for about 5 seconds, a little shorter than on older models. See the [WH-1000XM5](https://opensoundconnect.app/headphones/wh-1000xm5) page for the controls Open Sound Connect shows for it. ### WH-1000XM4, WH-1000XM3, WH-1000XM2 and MDR-1000X Start with the headphones switched off and hold the **power** button for about 7 seconds. On the [WH-1000XM3](https://opensoundconnect.app/headphones/wh-1000xm3) the indicator then flashes blue twice, repeatedly; on the [MDR-1000X](https://opensoundconnect.app/headphones/mdr-1000x) it flashes blue and red. The [WH-1000XM4](https://opensoundconnect.app/headphones/wh-1000xm4) and [WH-1000XM2](https://opensoundconnect.app/headphones/wh-1000xm2) work the same way. The MDR-1000X also starts pairing on its very first use when you hold power for about 2 seconds. | Model | Button to hold | For about | | --- | --- | --- | | MDR-1000X, WH-1000XM2, WH-1000XM3, WH-1000XM4 | Power | 7 seconds | | WH-1000XM5 | Power | 5 seconds | | WH-1000XM6, WH-1000XX | Bluetooth | 5 seconds | Sony's Mac instructions list macOS 10.10 or later for the WH-1000XM4, 10.13 for the WH-1000XM3, 10.15 for the WH-1000XM5, 11 for the WH-1000XM6 and 12 for the WH-1000XX, so any recent Mac is fine. They still say System Preferences, which macOS now calls System Settings. ## Choose the headphones as the sound output macOS usually switches the sound to Bluetooth headphones as soon as they connect. If sound still comes from the Mac's speakers: 1. Open **System Settings → Sound** and choose the headphones under **Output**. 2. Or click **Control Center**, then **Sound**, and pick the headphones from the list. The headphones also have a microphone, which macOS can use for calls. If you'd rather keep music quality high during meetings, choose the Mac's built-in microphone under **System Settings → Sound → Input**; [why calls sound worse over Bluetooth](https://opensoundconnect.app/guides/sony-headphones-bad-call-audio-mac) explains the trade-off. If something else goes wrong, see [Sony headphones not connecting](https://opensoundconnect.app/guides/sony-headphones-not-connecting-mac) or [connected but no sound](https://opensoundconnect.app/guides/sony-headphones-connected-no-sound-mac). ## Using them with your phone too The WH-1000XM4, WH-1000XM5, WH-1000XM6 and WH-1000XX can stay connected to your Mac and your phone at the same time; older models switch between them. [Sony headphones with a Mac and an iPhone](https://opensoundconnect.app/guides/sony-headphones-mac-iphone) has the setup for each model. ## What Open Sound Connect adds Pairing gives you audio. macOS has no screen for the headphones' own settings, such as noise canceling, ambient sound, the equalizer or Speak-to-Chat; Sony's app for those, Sony | Sound Connect, runs only on phones. [Open Sound Connect](https://opensoundconnect.app/download) adds those controls to your Mac. It uses the pairing you just made, so there's nothing to pair again: 1. Open the app and choose **Allow** when macOS asks for Bluetooth access ([why it needs it](https://opensoundconnect.app/support/bluetooth-permission)). 2. With the headphones connected, the app connects to them by itself. If it doesn't, choose **Connect** or press ⌘K. 3. Use **My Device** (⌘1) for [noise canceling and ambient sound](https://opensoundconnect.app/features/noise-cancelling), **Sound** (⌘2) for the [equalizer](https://opensoundconnect.app/features/equalizer), and the menu bar for quick changes. Each model shows only the controls it supports; the [headphone pages](https://opensoundconnect.app/headphones) list them. If music plays but the app shows no headphones, see [connected but not detected](https://opensoundconnect.app/support/headphones-not-detected). **Still stuck?** Email [support@clevermechanisms.dev](mailto:support@clevermechanisms.dev) with your headphone model, your Open Sound Connect and macOS versions, and what happened. ## Common questions ### Why don't my Sony headphones show up in the Mac's Bluetooth list? They're probably not in pairing mode, or they're connected to another device. Hold the pairing button for your model until the indicator flashes, then look again under **Nearby Devices**. The [not connecting guide](https://opensoundconnect.app/guides/sony-headphones-not-connecting-mac) covers the other causes. ### Do I have to pair again every time? No. Once paired, connect them from **Control Center → Bluetooth** or let them reconnect when you turn them on. Pair again only if you chose **Forget This Device** or reset the headphones to factory settings. ### Can I pair Sony headphones with a Mac using a cable instead? The 3.5 mm cable plays audio without pairing, but Bluetooth turns off while it's plugged in, and the headphones' microphone isn't used over the cable. The USB port on these models is for charging only. See [wired and USB-C on a Mac](https://opensoundconnect.app/guides/sony-headphones-usb-c-wired-mac). ## Where to next - [Sony headphones not connecting to Mac](https://opensoundconnect.app/guides/sony-headphones-not-connecting-mac): Pairing mode, a competing device, a stale pairing, the Mac's Bluetooth and resetting each model, in order. - [Connected, but no sound](https://opensoundconnect.app/guides/sony-headphones-connected-no-sound-mac): When the Mac says Connected but nothing plays: the output device, app settings, volume, other devices and reconnecting. - [Allow Bluetooth access](https://opensoundconnect.app/support/bluetooth-permission): The one macOS permission the app needs, how to turn it back on, and how to reset it. - [Sony headphones with Mac and iPhone](https://opensoundconnect.app/guides/sony-headphones-mac-iphone): Multipoint by model, how playback moves between the two, pinning it to the Mac, and switching older models by hand. --- Open Sound Connect is independent software. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by Sony. Sony, DSEE, DSEE Extreme and LDAC are trademarks or registered trademarks of Sony Group Corporation or its affiliates. Apple, Mac, macOS, Finder, Safari, Xcode and App Store are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries and regions. The Bluetooth® word mark is owned by Bluetooth SIG, Inc. Other names are trademarks of their respective owners.