Most Sony WH-CH520 connection failures are caused by pairing mode being entered incorrectly, another previously paired device reconnecting first, an old Bluetooth record on the phone or computer, or a full eight-device pairing list. Keep the headphones charged and within 1 m (3.2 ft) of the source, use the correct pairing procedure, remove stale records, then reset or initialize only if necessary. Sony’s documented button sequences below are for the WH-CH520. The supplied Sony procedures do not establish that the same combinations work on the WH-CH530, so WH-CH530 owners should confirm the button layout and reset sequence in that model’s own guide.
What the symptoms usually mean
Use the symptom rather than repeatedly retrying the same connection attempt. The table separates a pairing problem (the source cannot add the headphones) from a connection problem (the headphones were paired but connect to the wrong device or stop playing).
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| What you see | Likely cause | First action |
|---|---|---|
| The headphones do not appear in Bluetooth search | The WH-CH520 is not in pairing mode, is too far away, is low on charge, or pairing mode timed out. | Charge it, place it within 1 m (3.2 ft), enter pairing mode again, and complete the selection within five minutes. |
| It connects to a different phone, tablet or computer | That device is still nearby and has automatically reconnected. | Disconnect Bluetooth on the other device before pairing with the intended source. |
| The source shows an old WH-CH520 entry but connection fails | The source’s saved record no longer matches the headphones’ pairing data. | Forget or delete the old entry, then pair again. |
| New devices cannot be added | The headphones can retain eight paired devices; a ninth replaces the oldest by connection date. | Remove unused records from the source devices, or initialize the headphones and rebuild the list. |
| The headphones remain unusable after initialization | There may be a hardware or unresolved software fault. | Follow Sony’s escalation advice and contact the nearest Sony dealer. |
Before you try to pair
Do these checks once, in order. They prevent a failed attempt from being mistaken for a defective headset.
- Turn the WH-CH520 on.
- Make sure the phone, tablet, computer or other source has Bluetooth enabled and is awake rather than sleeping.
- Charge the headphones sufficiently. Sony specifically lists adequate charge as a condition for pairing.
- Put the headphones and source within 1 m (3.2 ft) of each other while pairing.
- Move or disconnect any previously paired device that might reconnect automatically. The last-used device can take the connection before the intended source gets a chance.
If a connection simply dropped, start the connection again from the source’s Bluetooth settings instead of assuming that the headphones have entered pairing mode. Pairing mode is for adding a device; reconnecting to an already remembered device is a separate operation.
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Put the WH-CH520 into pairing mode
First pairing after purchase or initialization
- Turn on the WH-CH520.
- For the first pairing after purchase, or after a factory initialization, the headphones enter pairing mode automatically.
- Open the source device’s Bluetooth settings and start a device search.
- Select “WH-CH520” when it appears and complete the on-screen pairing request.
Keep the source within 1 m (3.2 ft) and finish the operation within five minutes. Sony says pairing mode is cancelled after five minutes and the headphones turn off. If the listing disappears, turn the headphones on again and repeat the search rather than waiting for it to return.
Pairing a second or later device
- Turn on the headphones.
- Press and hold the headphones’ Bluetooth button for about five seconds.
- Wait for the headphones to enter pairing mode, then search from the new source.
- Choose “WH-CH520” and complete pairing within five minutes.
The five-second hold is the important difference from first pairing. A short press or a normal power-on does not necessarily start discovery for another source. If another remembered device connects during this process, disconnect that device first and hold the Bluetooth button for about five seconds again.
Connect from the intended phone or computer
With pairing mode active, use the source’s normal Bluetooth device list and select the entry named “WH-CH520.” Keep only the intended source active while you do this. If the source asks for confirmation, accept it; if it asks for a passcode that you did not expect, cancel and repeat the search after removing the stale record as described below.
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Stop the headphones from choosing the wrong device
The WH-CH520 can remember multiple sources, and Sony warns that automatic reconnection to the last-used device can prevent the intended source from connecting. This is common when a phone, tablet and computer are all within range.
- Identify the device that keeps winning the connection.
- On that device, disconnect WH-CH520 or temporarily turn off its Bluetooth.
- On the intended source, open Bluetooth settings and start pairing or reconnecting.
- After the intended source is connected, turn Bluetooth back on on the other device only if you need it. If it immediately takes over again, disconnect it before each switching operation.
Only one paired device can play audio through the headphones at a time. Having several devices stored is supported, but it is not simultaneous multi-source playback.
Forget a stale WH-CH520 record
Deleting the saved entry is the next step when the source lists WH-CH520 but refuses to connect, repeatedly reports a failed pairing, or shows a record left over from an earlier setup.
- Open the source device’s Bluetooth settings.
- Find the saved entry for “WH-CH520.”
- Choose the device-management command labelled Forget, Remove, Delete, Unpair or its equivalent.
- Turn Bluetooth off and back on, or reopen the device list, so the source performs a fresh scan.
- Put the headphones in the correct pairing mode and select “WH-CH520” again.
The exact wording varies among operating systems, but the objective is the same: remove the old record rather than merely toggling its connection switch. This step is mandatory after initialization because initialization deletes the headphones’ own pairing information while the source may continue to retain its old entry.
Reset the WH-CH520 without deleting pairing data
Sony distinguishes a reset from an initialization. The reset is the less destructive option and is appropriate when the headphones behave abnormally but you do not yet need to erase every paired device.
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- Connect the USB cable to the headphones so they are charging. Sony’s instructions refer to the USB Type-C connection.
- Leave the cable connected.
- Press Volume + and Volume − simultaneously.
- When the reset has been performed, disconnect and reconnect the USB Type-C cable to resume normal charging.
This procedure does not serve as a replacement for forgetting a stale source record, and it is not the factory initialization sequence. If the source still shows the old entry and connection remains impossible, remove that entry and pair again. If the reset has not corrected the behavior, proceed to initialization.
Initialize the WH-CH520 to factory settings
Initialization restores factory settings and deletes the headphones’ pairing information. It is the appropriate recovery when the pairing database is confused, when you have reached the device limit and cannot manage the old sources, or when the documented reset did not solve the problem.
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- Turn the WH-CH520 off.
- Disconnect the USB cable. The cable must not remain connected for this procedure.
- Press and hold Power and Volume − together for at least seven seconds.
- Watch for the blue indicator to flash four times. That four-flash pattern indicates that initialization has completed.
- On every phone, tablet or computer that still lists WH-CH520, delete or forget the old Bluetooth entry.
- Turn the headphones on. They enter pairing mode for the fresh setup; select “WH-CH520” from the intended source within 1 m (3.2 ft).
Do not substitute the reset sequence for initialization: pressing Volume + and Volume − while the USB cable is connected is Sony’s reset instruction, whereas Power plus Volume − for at least seven seconds with USB disconnected is the factory-initialization instruction. If the blue indicator does not flash four times, turn the headphones off, verify that the cable is disconnected, and repeat the hold for the full seven seconds or longer.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Understand the eight-device limit
Sony states that the WH-CH520 can be paired with up to eight devices. The limit concerns remembered pairings, not the number of devices that can physically be nearby.
- Devices one through eight can remain in the pairing list.
- When a ninth device is paired, the device with the oldest connection date is overwritten.
- Although multiple devices may be paired, audio playback comes from only one paired device at a time.
If a frequently used source seems to have vanished after adding another device, pair it again. To avoid unexpected replacement, forget unused WH-CH520 records on the source devices, or initialize the headphones and add only the sources you still use.
Decision tree for a failed attempt
Nothing appears in the scan
- Confirm the headphones are on and charged.
- For a later device, hold the Bluetooth button for about five seconds; for first pairing after purchase or initialization, simply turn the headphones on.
- Place the source within 1 m (3.2 ft).
- Complete the search within five minutes. If pairing mode timed out, start it again.
- Temporarily disable Bluetooth on nearby remembered devices so one cannot auto-connect.
The source sees WH-CH520 but will not complete pairing
- Forget or delete the old WH-CH520 record on that source.
- Restart the source’s Bluetooth search and put the headphones back into pairing mode.
- If the problem began after many devices were added, account for the eight-device limit. Initialization is the documented way to clear the headphones’ pairing data completely.
It pairs, then immediately disconnects
- Check whether a different remembered device has auto-connected. Disconnect that device first.
- Keep the headphones and source close during the initial connection.
- If the source retained an old record, forget it and perform a fresh pairing.
- If these steps do not help, use the reset procedure with USB connected, then retry. Initialization is the next escalation.
It connects but there is no audio from the intended source
Check which paired device currently owns the connection. The WH-CH520 can play audio from one paired device at a time, so a second source may be connected or may have taken over automatically. Disconnect the unwanted source, then reconnect the source whose audio you want to hear.
What WH-CH530 owners should do
The documented button combinations in this guide come from Sony material for the WH-CH520. The supplied Sony references do not provide a verified WH-CH530 reset or initialization sequence, so do not press the WH-CH520 controls on a WH-CH530 merely because the model names look similar.
You can still apply the source-side diagnosis: charge the headset, keep it within 1 m (3.2 ft), prevent another remembered device from auto-connecting, remove a stale Bluetooth record, and follow the WH-CH530 help guide’s own instructions for entering pairing mode, resetting and initializing. Confirm the exact model name printed on the headset and in the Bluetooth list before choosing a procedure. If the WH-CH530 remains unusable after its model-specific initialization, contact the nearest Sony dealer.
When to stop troubleshooting
Sony’s help guidance says to consult the nearest Sony dealer if the headset does not operate correctly even after initialization. Record what happened—whether the blue indicator flashed four times, whether the source could see WH-CH520, and which sources had been forgotten—so the dealer can distinguish a pairing-database problem from a hardware fault. Do not keep repeating initialization if the documented indicator never appears or the headphones cannot power on normally.
Quick Recap
Compact recovery checklist
- Charge the headphones and wake the source.
- Keep both within 1 m (3.2 ft).
- Disconnect any other device that auto-connects.
- Use automatic pairing for first setup; hold Bluetooth for about five seconds for a second or later device.
- Finish within five minutes.
- Forget the old WH-CH520 record if the source lists one but will not connect.
- Reset with USB connected by pressing Volume + and Volume − together.
- If necessary, initialize with USB disconnected by holding Power and Volume − for at least seven seconds until the blue indicator flashes four times.
- Forget WH-CH520 on the source after initialization and pair again.
- If initialization still does not restore operation, contact the nearest Sony dealer.
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