Sony WH-1000XM5 Noise Cancelling Not Working? (Easy Fix)

sony wh-1000xm5 noise cancelling not working

If your Sony WH-1000XM5 noise cancelling not working, stay with us throughout this guide!

The Sony’s Noise Cancelling feature is enhanced with Ambient Sound Control, and when your options are not configured correctly, you won’t hear the difference.

So, in this guide, we’ll walk you through the correct configuration and troubleshooting of the noise cancellation on the XM5.

If your XM5 Noise Cancelling feature is not working, start by switching from AMB to NC by using the NC/AMB button.

If there is no difference, adjust the AMB settings through the Sony Connect app and factory reset your headset.

We’re only scratching the surface, so continue reading!

How to Turn on Noise Cancelling on Sony WH-1000XM5?

turn on noise cancelling sony wh-1000xm5

When your Sony WH-1000XM5 headset is new or initialized, the Noise Cancelling feature is on by default.

Hence, you don’t need to do anything in the app, since the option is already enabled. 

However, there are different modes, including Ambient Sound Control and Noise Cancelling, that you can switch by using the NC/AMB button.

So, if you’re wondering whether the noise cancelling is enabled or not while listening to music through the headset press the NC/AMB button.

If you don’t hear the difference, press the button again, which will cycle through AMB → NC → OFF. 

If you press the button three times consecutively, but you cannot hear the effectiveness of the noise cancelling, it’s probably not working, so continue reading…

Sony WH-1000XM5 Noise Cancelling Not Working – Quick Fix!

Tip: Follow the steps consecutively!

1. Switch from Ambient Sound to NC

switch from ambient sound to nc

If you haven’t configured the Ambient Sound Control through the Sony Connect app, you may not hear a significant difference in the noise cancelling.

So the first step is to try switching from Ambient Sound Control to Noise Cancelling on your XM5s by pressing the NC/AMB button.

Here’s what happens when you press this button multiple times:

  • Press once → Ambient Sound Mode ON → Press again → Noise Cancelling function ON → Press again → AMB + NC OFF.

So, cycle through the modes, and you should immediately hear when the noise cancelling is on as your background noises would disappear.

If you’re in a quiet room, try to produce some noise by turning on your TV or playing music through a different device.

If you hear no noise reduction with the Noise Cancelling enabled, then adjust your Ambient Sound options in the Sony Connect app…

2. Adjust the Ambient Sound Control

adjust the ambient sound control

If your Sony WH-1000XM5 noise cancelling is not working, the next and most important step is to adjust the Ambient Sound Control.

This feature allows you to adjust the noise cancelling to a specific level based on the environment, hence you must ensure that not all noises are allowed.

To configure the Ambient Sound Control, you need to open the Sony Connect app, where your headset is paired, and go to the “Sound” tab.

In there, you must enable the Ambient Sound Control and expand the Noise Cancelling tab.

What you will see is a Noise Cancelling slider, which stretches from one end to another.

So, by moving the slider to the right, you allow more noise, while keeping it to the left enhances the effectiveness of the Noise Cancelling.

Tip: Try setting the slider all the way to the left, and test if the XM5’s cancelling is now working!

3. Use the Noise Cancelling Optimizer

use the noise cancelling optimizer

Well, sometimes, the effectiveness of the Noise Cancelling on your XM5 could be weak or even indistinguishable, based on your face shape, hairstyle, and the way you wear the headset.

So, there is an option “NC Optimizer”, which you can use to personalize the XM5’s noise cancelling.

Here’s how to use the noise cancelling optimizer:

  1. Open the Sony Connect app on your phone.
  2. Select the Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones.
  3. Navigate to the “Sound” tab and scroll down.
  4. Find the “Noise Cancelling Optimizer” pane.
  5. Tap “START” and follow the on-screen steps.

When the NC Optimizer automatically adjusts your cancelling options, check if the effectiveness of the feature is now working.

If not, perhaps the NC optimizer causes the fault in the first place.

4. Reinstall Your “Sony Connect App”

reinstall your “sony connect app”

If you’ve used the Sony Connect app NC Optimizer, this is what might have caused the problem with the Noise Cancelling on your XM5s.

Hence, to revert all settings to default and check if the cancelling will start working, we recommend uninstalling and reinstalling Sony’s application.

  • On iOS, tap and hold the Sony Connect app from the main screen and select “Remove This App” to uninstall it, before getting it back from the App Store.
  • On Android, go to the Google Play Store, tap your profile, uninstall Sony Connect, and get the back by searching it through the magnifying glass.

When you have the application cleanly installed, ensure that your XM5 is paired to your phone’s Bluetooth and sign into the app to complete the pairing.

When ready, go to “Sound”, verify that Ambient Sound Control is enabled, and drag the Noise Cancelling slider all the way to the left.

Tip: Try different levels of the Ambient Sound Control to check if you will hear differences in the Sony XM5’s noise cancelling feature.

5. Factory Reset the Sony WH-1000XM5

factory reset the sony wh-1000xm5

If you’ve tried all the steps so far, but the noise cancelling not working on Sony WH-1000XM5, the problem most likely comes from the Sony Connect app.

So, the next step is to perform a factory reset, which will ultimately address underlying issues with the XM5 that impact the NC.

Warning: This method will unpair, and reset all your Sony XM5’s settings to default!

Here’s how to factory reset Sony WH-1000XM5 in easy steps:

  1. First, connect the Sony WH-1000XM5 to the power.
  2. Use the supplied USB-C cable with a USB adapter.
  3. Then, press and hold the Power + NC/AMB buttons.
  4. Hold both buttons continuously for about 7 seconds.
  5. Your Sony WH-1000XM5 headset will factory reset.

When your Sony WH-1000XM5 is reset, the headset will be unpaired from your source device and from the Sony Connect app.

So, first, pair the headset to your mobile’s Bluetooth and then with the app. When ready, configure the Noise Cancelling feature and test if it’s now working.

Reminder: Boost the noise cancelling to the maximum by dragging the slider under “Ambient Sound Control” all the way to the left.

6. Verify the Ear Cups are Fully Sealed

verify the ear cups are fully sealed

Well, if nothing works and the Noise Cancelling on your Sony XM5 is not working correctly, perhaps you’re wearing the headset improperly.

The most important thing in order to hear the effectiveness of the noise cancelling is to ensure that the headset’s ear cups are fully sealed.

Hence, for people wearing a pair of glasses, this might be a challenging task, but if needed, tighten the ear cups to your ears and then try switching from AMB to NC. 

If the noise cancelling is not working in any variety, it’s not unlikely that the headset is defective!

Final Steps? – If you cannot get the NC to work on your Sony WH-1000XM5, contact Sony Customer Service for more help or try to claim your warranty!

Wrapping Up

Well, if your Sony WH-1000XM5 noise cancelling not working, try switching from AMB to NC, adjusting the Ambient Sound to the maximum cancelling, and try using the optimizer.

If nothing helps, reset your headphones and verify the ear cups are fully sealed.

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