--- title: "Sony Headphones Mac Troubleshooter" description: "Pick what's going wrong with your Sony headphones on a Mac: pairing, sound, the microphone or the app. Get the checks to try first and the full guide." url: https://opensoundconnect.app/troubleshooter language: en --- # Sony headphones Mac troubleshooter Pick the problem that matches yours. You get the few checks that fix it most often, in the order to try them, and the guide with the rest. 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 Choose the group that fits (connecting, sound, microphone and calls, or the app) and then the symptom closest to yours. Try the checks from the top; each one rules out a cause. If they don't help, the linked guide goes further. ## How to use it Each answer starts with the most likely cause and the quickest fix, and ends with the more involved steps. Most problems turn out to be one of a few things: the headphones connected to another device, the wrong sound output on the Mac, or the call mode that Bluetooth switches to when the microphone is in use. The troubleshooter doesn't connect to or scan your headphones. It's a set of questions and answers that works for all seven supported models (the MDR-1000X and WH-1000XM2 to WH-1000XX) and, for the macOS steps, for most other Bluetooth headphones too. ## Pairing problems and app problems are different Your Mac's audio and Open Sound Connect's controls use separate connections. If you hear nothing, or the Mac can't find the headphones, start with **Connecting and pairing** or **Sound**. If music plays but the app doesn't show the headphones or a setting is missing, go to **The app and controls**: the fix is in Open Sound Connect or its Bluetooth access, not in the pairing. [How headphone control works on a Mac](https://opensoundconnect.app/guides/how-sony-headphone-control-works-mac) explains the difference. ## If nothing here matches 1. Open the **Activity** page (⌘7) in Open Sound Connect. It lists what your headphones reported, every change the app sent and whether it was applied, and any error, such as a timeout. 2. Choose **Export…** to save the log. 3. [Report the problem on GitHub](https://github.com/rolottr/open-sound-connect/issues) with your model, your macOS version and the exported log, or look through the existing issues for the same symptom. The [support page](https://opensoundconnect.app/support) lists the other ways to get help. ## Common questions ### Does the troubleshooter work for Sony headphones the app doesn't support? The macOS checks (pairing, sound output, microphone input) apply to most Bluetooth headphones. Steps that use Open Sound Connect apply only to the [seven supported models](https://opensoundconnect.app/headphones). ### Do I need Open Sound Connect to use these fixes? No. Most checks use System Settings and the headphones' own buttons. The app adds a few, like the connection-quality setting and the **Activity** log. ## 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. - [Headphones connected but not detected](https://opensoundconnect.app/support/headphones-not-detected): Audio works, but the app shows no headphones: permission, the control connection and what each screen means. - [Microphone not working on a Mac](https://opensoundconnect.app/guides/sony-microphone-not-working-mac): Fix a Sony headphone mic that doesn't work on a Mac: input, permissions, the meeting app and the cable. --- 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.