Sony WH-1000XM4 Not Charging? (7 Best Methods to Fix!)

If your Sony WH-1000XM4 not charging and the LED is not blinking, we’ve got you covered!

The Sony WH-1000XM4 headphones, use a USB-C to USB-A cable and preferably a USB-A adapter to connect to a wall outlet and charge.

If your headset is not charging, this guide will walk you through all the steps you need to undertake in detail, and help you fix your problem.

When the Sony WH-1000XM4 is not charging, start by trying different charging methods, such as connecting to a wall outlet directly.

If you can’t get the headset charging, check the power equipment, and perform a factory restoration.

How to Know if Sony WH-1000XM4 is Charging?

Sony WH-1000XM4 has a small LED indicator light on the bottom of the left earbud, and when the headset is charging, the light blinks in red.

When the headset is fully charged, the red LED turns off, as an indication that the battery is 100% filled.

So, if you’re not seeing the LED indicator blink in red when plugged in, there is a charging issue, so continue reading to review the best-working solutions.

How to Fix Sony WH-1000XM4 Not Charging Problem?

Tip: Go through the steps chronologically!

1. Forcefully Charge the Headset

We’re going to start this guide with a weird, but apparently, working solution against charging problems on Sony WH-1000XM.

Well, we can’t quite explain why this works, but holding the power button on the headset, while plugging the charger into the source, fixes the problem.

Here’s how this goes:

1. First, unplug your USB-C cable.
2. Find and hold the Power button. 
3. While holding, connect the cable.

It’s actually that easy! This should instantly resolve your problem and your Sony WH-1000XM should start charging immediately.

If this doesn’t help, however, there is a lot to go through…

2. Inspect Your Charging Method

The next and most important step is to check your charging method, and perhaps switch things up a bit, to test and localize the problem. 

2.1 Use a Power Outlet + Adapter

If you’ve been attempting to charge your Sony WH-1000XM4 through a USB port on your PC, well this is not the optimal approach.

We strongly recommend getting a 240 Volts power brick and connecting your headphones to the power outlet, which might be the best way of charging.

2.2 Connect Headphones Directly

If your Sony WH-1000XM4 is still not charging, ensure that you’re plugging it directly into the power outlet without third-party connectors.

Those involve power dividers, extenders, power surge protectors, and all sorts of smart plugs.

2.3 Try a Different Power Source

The primary reason why the Sony WH-1000XM4 is not charging could be due to the electrical outlet, especially if the voltage is insufficient.

That’s why, one of the first steps against the issue is to plug the Sony headphones into a different wall outlet, preferably located in a different room.

Well, if there has been a recent power outage, or blown fuse, all the outlets in this room won’t work.

So, if your Sony WH-1000XM4 is not charging in a different room as well, you can exclude this possibility and move on with the following steps…

3. Check the Charging Equipment

So, the next step if your Sony Headphones WH-1000XM4 not charging, would be to closely inspect the charging equipment.

This involves the USB-C to USB-A cable and the power brick.

3.1 Inspect the USB Charging Cable

The USB-C to USB-A charging cable can get faulty at multiple key points, hence you need to closely inspect the cable’s body and both connectors.

If you see rips, cuts, kinks, or bends, be sure that the charging issue comes from the USB cable, so replacement might be necessary.

3.2 Inspect the USB Power Adapter

The power adapter could also prevent your Sony WH-1000XM4 from charging, especially if the two-prong connector is bent or the pins are missing.

So, if you notice melted plastic, or burnt odor, know that the brick might have been lethally damaged, so you might need a replacement.

Note: You can test charging your Sony WH-1000XM4 via any compatible USB-A power brick!

4. Clean the USB-C/A Charging Ports

The next very important step to undertake is to inspect and possibly clean the USB-A port on the power adapter and the USB-C port on your Sony WH-1000XM4.

When these ports are dirty, clogged, and obstructed, the connectors won’t plug all the way in, preventing the voltage flow.

So let’s get into cleaning!

4.1 Clean the Headphones Port

The Sony WH-1000XM4 headphones USB-C port is located right beneath the logo on the right ear cup.

We recommend shining a flashlight onto the port to check for any dust accumulation and cleaning it by using a toothpick and an old toothbrush.

4.2 Clean the Power Brick Port

Similarly to the headphones port, the USB-A port on the power adapter plays a vital role, so you need to clean this as well.

Again, using a toothpick, scrub the debris out, and use a toothbrush to get everything out of the port, verifying that the charging cord’s connector will plug correctly.

Warning: NEVER use liquids to clean your device’s ports!

5. Factory Reset Your Headphones

By now, all evidence leads to a software problem with your Sony WH-1000XM4, if we exclude the possibility of a hardware fault that you cannot see.

So, the next step against the charging problem would be to perform a factory reset, before the headphones battery drains completely.

Here’s how to factory reset the Sony WH-1000XM4 in easy steps:

1. First, disconnect the headphone’s charging cable.
2. Then locate the Power and the CUSTOM buttons.
3. Press both buttons simultaneously for 7 seconds.
4. The indicator should flash four times in blue color.
5. This means that the Sony headset is now initialized.

When the factory reset is ready, retry charging your headphones to check if the issue is gone!

6. Disable the USB Suspend Setting

Well, if you’ve identified that your Sony WH-1000XM4 is charging well through a power outlet, but you cannot charge them through a USB port, it’s a settings problem.

Windows computers can suspend USB ports when they are not in use, so if this option is enabled, you won’t be able to charge your Sony WH-1000XM4 headset.

Here’s how to disable the USB suspend setting on Windows:

1. From the Start menu, go to “Edit Power Plan.”
2. Click on “Change advanced power settings.”
3. Then, expand the USB settings from the pane.
4. Expand the “USB selective suspend setting.”
5. Switch “Setting:” from “Enabled” to “Disabled.”

That’s it. Now reboot your computer, and connect your Sony WH-1000XM to the USB port to check whether they will now charge.

If not, we strongly recommend charging your headset via a power source or try via different USB ports.

7. Reconnect the Headset’s Battery (Advanced)

According to some users, the charging problem on the Sony WH-1000XM happens because the internal battery manager thinks that the battery is dead.

In reality, however, this is a glitch that can be solved by reconnecting the battery, located inside the right Sony WH-1000XM ear pad.

So, if your Sony WH-1000XM4 not charging red light is on, but not blinking, and you would like to give it a shot, we’ve prepared in-depth instructions to reconnect the headset’s battery.

Warning: Disassembling the headset voids the warranty!

1. Remove the ear pad from the right earphone.
2. Gently take out the foam under your ear pad.
3. Then, undo the 4 screws holding the housing.
4. Gently remove the outer ear cup from the unit.
5. Be careful not to tear the touch sensor’s ribbon.
6. Disconnect the battery connector for 5 minutes.
7. Then, reconnect the battery and reassemble.
8. Charge the headphones until the LED goes out.

That’s it. The charging problem should now be gone, especially if you were dealing with a bug or glitch with the internal battery manager.

However, if the issue remains, contact Sony Support.

Wrapping Up

Hence, if the Sony WH-1000XM4 not charging, try different charging methods, forcefully charge the headphones, and perform a factory reset.

If you cannot charge your headset through a USB port, disable the “USB Suspend Setting.”

We hope this guide was helpful so follow us for more!