Solved Sony headphones Wh-1000xm4 audio cuts off on my PC windows 11, yet the sound bar shows its still playing, I just don't receive the sound input.

Roddy · Jul 16, 2025

I occassionaly had this issue, but rarely (have em for three years) on my PC. However this past week it started happening like even few times an hour. I hear a quiet staticky sound before it cuts off - sometimes it starts working again but usually I have to turn off bluetooth and turn it back on or disconnect and connect. I updated all my drivers, tried turning off hands-free telephony, i turned off the setting that turns off the device to save power, I ran troubleshoot; but nothing. Only odd thing i noticed is that during trouble shoot, I can't hear the test "beep" I am supposed to hear during, even when my audio is working at the time. Weird thing is that it happens only on my PC: Windows 11, Lenovo Legion 15IRH8. Is buying new headphones my only option? I just find it weird it works on my phone but not PC. Any advice is appreciated, I am a noob when it comes to electronics. I'll provide further info if needed.

abactuon · Jul 16, 2025

Settings > Bluetooth & device

Do they work with a wired connection ?

Roddy · Jul 16, 2025

abactuon said:
Settings > Bluetooth & device

View attachment 139546

Do they work with a wired connection ?

Not sure how to reply to replies, hopefully this way. Anyway I actually never tried to use them wired and I'm afraid I don't have the wire on me right now. I'd propably be able to get it on Monday

glasskuter · Jul 16, 2025

Welcome to the forum.

Roddy said:
it happens only on my PC: Windows 11,

But are any of the devices the headphones works with Windows devices??? If not test with another Windows device??

You are not alone. There are reports since 2023 across the web with that same model, same issue.

If you haven't already, Try applying new firmware update 4/7/25 to see if it makes any difference. https://www.sony.com/electronics/su...nes-bluetooth-headphones/wh-1000xm4/downloads
Sony | Sound Connect must be installed according to the support page.

I am not a fan of Reddit but see if any of these suggestions help.

https://www.reddit.com/r/SonyHeadphones/comments/w2p3js/sony_wh1000xm4_cutting_out_on_windows

Dru2 · Jul 16, 2025

Just a reminder..... even though Windows 11 supports Bluetooth, it relies on the Bluetooth hardware built into the board or added as a dongle. What that means.... Windows BT won't work properly if the hardware is faulty or missing drivers.

Also, make sure Airplane Mode is off.

Roddy · Jul 16, 2025

Dru2 said:
Just a reminder..... even though Windows 11 supports Bluetooth, it relies on the Bluetooth hardware built into the board or added as a dongle. What that means.... Windows BT won't work properly if the hardware is faulty or missing drivers.

Also, make sure Airplane Mode is off.

Im not AS much of a noob to leave airplane mode on haha, anyway are you suggesting some bluetooth driver might be faulty? I don't know how else to check since they all say they are updated, I also considered buying a dongle but I'm hesitant since alot of reviews say it reduces the quality of the sound. Thanks for the reply : )

Roddy · Jul 16, 2025

glasskuter said:
Welcome to the forum.

But are any of the devices the headphones works with Windows devices??? If not test with another Windows device??

You are not alone. There are reports since 2023 across the web with that same model, same issue.

If you haven't already, Try applying new firmware update 4/7/25 to see if it makes any difference. https://www.sony.com/electronics/su...nes-bluetooth-headphones/wh-1000xm4/downloads
Sony | Sound Connect must be installed according to the support page.

I am not a fan of Reddit but see if any of these suggestions help.
https://www.reddit.com/r/SonyHeadphones/comments/w2p3js/sony_wh1000xm4_cutting_out_on_windows

I currently don't own any other windows devices, but I think when I had my older laptop, it occasionally happened aswell, just not as often as now. (Or did it start when i upgraded to windows 11? One of those lol, I cant remember.) I factory reset my headphones and updated them, and it happened less frequently in the last 4 hours.

I actually checked the reddit posts beforehand but everything that was suggested didn't help me, unfortunately. Do you reckon upgrading to wh-1000xm5 or 6 would be better? What a bummer such great headphones have to have these issues, at least they started showing 3 years late lol. Im currently testing them again with my phone and tommorow I'll try to use my airpods with the PC to see if its the PC's issue, if not, I'll have to say goodbye to the headphones i guess. Thanks for the reply : )

Dru2 · Jul 16, 2025

Roddy said:
Im not AS much of a noob to leave airplane mode on haha, anyway are you suggesting some bluetooth driver might be faulty? I don't know how else to check since they all say they are updated,

I would suggest you check your motherboard vendor for the latest drivers. If the driver is updated the issue may be elsewhere. Also not uncommon for BT devices themselves to act up. I wish I could provide more but there is no "one fix solves all" answer here.

Roddy said:
I also considered buying a dongle but I'm hesitant since alot of reviews say it reduces the quality of the sound. Thanks for the reply : )

Well just remember some sound is better than no sound.

Anyway, for me, I never look to Bluetooth for premium sound. And yes, I have Bluetooth headphones in the form of the Bose NC 700 phones, and have zero issues with them, but they're just my travel phones.

Good luck.

abactuon · Jul 16, 2025

In Linux you can see how BT works, I don't know how to do it in Windows.
You can try to enable

abactuon · Jul 16, 2025

You can verify the connection

Bluetooth Tweaker

Bluetooth Tweaker Page

www.bluetoothgoodies.com

abactuon · Jul 16, 2025

off-topic

It depends on the specific country but it is possible to buy a Chinese fake. It looks very similar, but the inside is different.

Edwin · Jul 17, 2025

Any distinctive settings in the Sony app?

Roddy · Jul 17, 2025

Edwin said:
Any distinctive settings in the Sony app?

View attachment 139561

yep i put the second option, so far no cutting out happening today, I'm hoping it got magically fixed

IT_Bubblehead · Dec 17, 2025

Roddy said:
I occassionaly had this issue, but rarely (have em for three years) on my PC. However this past week it started happening like even few times an hour. I hear a quiet staticky sound before it cuts off - sometimes it starts working again but usually I have to turn off bluetooth and turn it back on or disconnect and connect. I updated all my drivers, tried turning off hands-free telephony, i turned off the setting that turns off the device to save power, I ran troubleshoot; but nothing. Only odd thing i noticed is that during trouble shoot, I can't hear the test "beep" I am supposed to hear during, even when my audio is working at the time. Weird thing is that it happens only on my PC: Windows 11, Lenovo Legion 15IRH8. Is buying new headphones my only option? I just find it weird it works on my phone but not PC. Any advice is appreciated, I am a noob when it comes to electronics. I'll provide further info if needed.

Not sure if anyone is checking this thread anymore. I just went through the same/similar issue where all of a sudden my Sony WH1000XM4 headphones just randomly cut out, but the audio was still playing.

Long story short: Something happened in the last few updates with my Bluetooth driver. I bought a $20 Bluetooth adapter on Amazon (ASUS USB-BT500), and all my issues went away.

Somewhere between audio and Bluetooth, Windows decides its audiographs are full or something lol, so it doesn't actually turn off your audio services — HENCE no errors. So most of my troubleshooting just went in circles for a few days.

Longer post is on Reddit, Username there is ChampionshipSalty735 -

https://www.reddit.com/r/sony/comments/1doyaov/sony_wh1000xm4_randomly_stops_playing_any_sound

Solved Sony headphones Wh-1000xm4 audio cuts off on my PC windows 11, yet the sound bar shows its still playing, I just don't receive the sound input.

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