--- title: "Keyboard Shortcuts for Sony Headphones on a Mac" description: "Switch noise canceling, ambient sound and scenes on Sony 1000X headphones from your Mac keyboard: every Open Sound Connect shortcut and the menu bar panel." url: https://opensoundconnect.app/guides/sony-headphones-keyboard-shortcuts language: en --- # Sony headphones from your keyboard Noise canceling on, ambient sound for a moment, your meeting scene: in Open Sound Connect, each is a keyboard shortcut away. 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 With Open Sound Connect as the active app on your Mac: - **⌥⌘N** noise canceling, **⌥⌘A** ambient sound, **⌥⌘O** off, and **⌥⌘W** wind reduction where your headphones have it. - **⌥⌘V** turns Focus on Voice on or off while in ambient sound. - **⌃⌘1** to **⌃⌘9** apply your first nine scenes. - **⌘1** to **⌘8** open the app's pages. The shortcuts are menu commands, so they work while the app is in front. From any other app, use the menu bar panel. ## Every shortcut | Keys | What it does | | --- | --- | | ⌥⌘N | Noise canceling | | ⌥⌘W | Wind reduction (only if your headphones report it) | | ⌥⌘A | Ambient sound | | ⌥⌘O | Noise control off | | ⌥⌘V | Focus on Voice on or off (in ambient sound only) | | ⌃⌘1 to ⌃⌘9 | Apply scene 1 to 9, in the order of the **Scenes** menu | | ⌘N | New scene, on the **Scenes** page | | ⌘R | Refresh Status: read battery and settings from the headphones again | | ⌘K | **Connect** the controls (also **Try Again** on the connection screen) | | ⇧⌘K | **Disconnect Controls**; audio stays connected | | ⌘1 | **My Device** | | ⌘2 | **Sound** | | ⌘3 | **Voice** | | ⌘4 | **Wearing** | | ⌘5 | **Scenes** | | ⌘6 | **Settings** page | | ⌘7 | **Activity** | | ⌘8 | **About** | | ⌘, | Settings (app preferences) | | ⌘Q | Quit Open Sound Connect | The noise control shortcuts are in the **Headphones** menu, and only the modes your headphones report are available. The same menu has an **Equalizer** submenu and DSEE and Speak-to-Chat switches, without shortcuts. More about the modes in [noise canceling on a Mac](https://opensoundconnect.app/features/noise-cancelling). ## Scenes on ⌃⌘1 to ⌃⌘9 A shortcut can apply several settings at once if you put them in a scene: noise control and the ambient level, the equalizer, DSEE, Speak-to-Chat and **Pause When Taken Off**. The first nine scenes in the **Scenes** menu get ⌃⌘1 to ⌃⌘9, so put the ones you use most at the top. The three starter scenes are a good first set: **Deep Focus**, **Out & About** and **Conversation**. See [scenes](https://opensoundconnect.app/features/scenes) for creating your own and for triggers that apply them by themselves. ## Keys inside the window - **Arrow keys** move the focused slider one step, such as the ambient level or an equalizer band. - **Return** saves and **Esc** cancels in the scene editor. - On **My Device**, the arrow keys turn the 3D model of your headphones and **Space** resets it. ## When the shortcuts work, and the menu bar These are the app's menu commands, so they work when Open Sound Connect is the active app; they aren't global hotkeys. To change something while you're in another app, click the headphones icon in the menu bar. The panel has: - the noise modes your headphones have, plus the ambient level and Focus on Voice in ambient sound; - an equalizer preset picker, and DSEE and Speak-to-Chat switches where your model has them; - every scene as a button; - a **Connect** button when the controls aren't connected. The icon dims when the headphones aren't connected. If you don't see it, turn on **Show in Menu Bar** in **Settings** (⌘6). ## Apple Shortcuts and Raycast Open Sound Connect doesn't currently provide actions for Apple's Shortcuts app or a Raycast extension. Two things work today: 1. **Change a key combination.** macOS lets you give any app's menu command a different shortcut: open **System Settings → Keyboard**, choose **Keyboard Shortcuts…**, then **App Shortcuts**, click the add button, choose Open Sound Connect and type the menu command's name exactly as it appears in the menu. 2. **Trigger the menu commands from another tool.** Any automation tool that can bring an app to the front and press a keyboard shortcut can switch noise control or apply a scene this way. For changes that should happen without a key press, scene triggers apply a scene when the headphones connect, on a schedule or when a chosen app comes to the front. ## The headphones' own buttons Your headphones' buttons and touch panel keep working while you use the app, and on some models you can choose what a button does from the **Wearing** page (⌘4). See [Sony touch controls on a Mac](https://opensoundconnect.app/guides/sony-touch-controls-mac). ## Common questions ### Do the shortcuts work when the app is closed or in the background? No. They're menu commands, so Open Sound Connect has to be the active app. When it's in the background, the menu bar panel gives you the same noise modes and scenes in one click. ### Is there a shortcut for volume or play/pause? Not in Open Sound Connect, which doesn't control volume or playback. Use your Mac's own volume and media keys, or the headphones' controls. ### Why doesn't ⌥⌘W or ⌥⌘V do anything? Wind reduction is available only on headphones that report it. Focus on Voice (⌥⌘V) works only in ambient sound, so switch to it first with ⌥⌘A. ## Where to next - [Scenes and automation](https://opensoundconnect.app/features/scenes): Save your settings as scenes and apply them with a click, a shortcut, on connect, on a schedule or by app. - [Noise canceling and ambient sound](https://opensoundconnect.app/features/noise-cancelling): Switch noise canceling, ambient sound and off from the menu bar or keyboard, with the ambient level and Focus on Voice. - [Touch controls on a Mac](https://opensoundconnect.app/guides/sony-touch-controls-mac): Turn the touch panel on or off, change what the button does, and fix gestures that don't respond on a Mac. --- 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. 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