To pair either headset, charge it, keep the headset and source device within 1 m (3.2 ft), put the headset into Bluetooth pairing mode, then select the correct Sony entry in the source device’s Bluetooth settings. The WH-CH520 appears as WH-CH520; the WH-CH530 appears as WH-CH530 series. A compatible Google TV or Android TV must support Bluetooth A2DP for direct TV pairing.
The complete pairing procedure
The WH-CH520 and WH-CH530 use essentially the same Bluetooth sequence. The differences that matter are the name shown in the device list and the exact Sony model covered by the guide.
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- Charge the headset and place it close to the phone, laptop, or television—Sony specifies within 1 m (3.2 ft) while pairing.
- Turn on the headset. On first use, it enters pairing mode automatically.
- For a second or later device, press and hold the headset’s Bluetooth button for about five seconds or longer.
- Wait for the blue indicator to flash twice repeatedly and for the voice prompt to say “Pairing.”
- Open the source device’s Bluetooth settings and start a search for nearby devices.
- Select WH-CH520 for that model or WH-CH530 series for the other.
- If a passkey is requested, enter 0000. Most devices do not ask for one.
- Wait for the connected or paired status and play a short test sound. If a computer lists several audio outputs, choose the Sony headset as the active output.
Pairing registers the source device with the headset. A notification sound indicates that the Bluetooth connection has completed.
Prepare the headset before searching
Charge and reduce the distance
A low battery or excessive distance can make the headset disappear from the scan list. Charge the headset first and keep it beside the device you are configuring. Sony’s distance guidance is no more than 1 m (3.2 ft) during pairing; you can move the devices farther apart after the connection is established.
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Make sure the headset is actually in pairing mode
Simply turning on a headset that has already been paired does not always start a new pairing session. First-use setup is automatic after power-on. When adding another phone, computer, or television, hold the Bluetooth button for approximately five seconds. The repeated double blue flashes and the spoken word “Pairing” are the confirmation that the headset is discoverable.
Pairing with a phone
Android and other Bluetooth phones
- Turn on Bluetooth in the phone’s settings.
- Choose the control that searches for, adds, or pairs a new Bluetooth device.
- Put the Sony headset into pairing mode as described above.
- Tap WH-CH520 or WH-CH530 series when it appears.
- Enter 0000 only if the phone displays a passkey request.
- Accept the pairing request and wait for the connected status.
Phone manufacturers use different labels for the same controls, so look under the phone’s Bluetooth settings rather than relying on a single universal menu path. Keep the Bluetooth settings screen open until the Sony name appears.
When the phone says the headset is paired but not connected
Tap the saved Sony entry and choose its connect control. If it immediately disconnects, check whether the headset has connected to another nearby device that it used previously. Turn Bluetooth off on that other device or move it away, then try the phone again.
Pairing with a laptop or desktop computer
Use the computer’s Bluetooth settings
- Open the operating system’s Bluetooth settings and turn Bluetooth on.
- Choose the command to add a Bluetooth device or search for nearby devices.
- Hold the headset’s Bluetooth button for about five seconds if this is not the first device being added.
- Select the model name shown by the scan: WH-CH520 or WH-CH530 series.
- Provide 0000 if the computer requests a passkey.
- After the status changes to connected, open the computer’s sound controls and select the Sony headset for output.
Sony’s instructions describe the Bluetooth-device part of the process and direct users to their computer documentation for operating-system-specific labels. The wording may therefore differ between Windows, macOS, ChromeOS, and Linux, but the required actions are the same: enable Bluetooth, start a device search, choose the Sony entry, and select it as the audio output.
If the computer connects for calls but not music
Many computers expose more than one Bluetooth audio route. In the sound output selector, choose the Sony headset rather than the computer’s speakers or another connected device. If an application has its own audio-device selector, choose the same Sony output there as well. This is an output-selection issue, not a different pairing method.
Can the WH-CH520 or WH-CH530 connect directly to a TV?
Check the television’s Bluetooth profile first
Direct TV pairing depends on the television, not only on the headphones. Sony states that its supported TV path is limited to Google TV and Android TV models that support the Bluetooth Advanced Audio Distribution Profile (A2DP). A television that has Bluetooth for remotes, keyboards, or game controllers may still lack Bluetooth audio support.
Pair on a compatible Google TV or Android TV
- Open the television’s Bluetooth accessory or Bluetooth-audio settings.
- Put the headset into pairing mode. For an additional device, hold the Bluetooth button for about five seconds until the indicator flashes blue twice repeatedly and the voice says “Pairing.”
- Start the television’s accessory search.
- Select the appropriate Sony listing: WH-CH520 or WH-CH530 series.
- Complete the on-screen confirmation. Enter 0000 only if the television asks for a passkey.
- Play content and confirm that the television routes sound to the headset.
Menu names vary by television model and software version. Look for terms such as Bluetooth accessories, audio output, or headphones rather than assuming that every TV uses the same path.
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If the television does not support Bluetooth A2DP, it cannot make a direct audio connection to these headphones. A separate Bluetooth audio transmitter connected to an available TV audio output is the relevant workaround. The transmitter becomes the Bluetooth source: put the WH-CH520 or WH-CH530 into pairing mode, start pairing on the transmitter, and follow the transmitter manufacturer’s instructions for selecting and routing TV sound. A transmitter does not add Bluetooth audio controls to the TV’s own menus, so its compatibility with the TV’s optical, analog, or other output must be checked separately.
WH-CH520 and WH-CH530: what changes and what does not
| Item | WH-CH520 | WH-CH530 |
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth name shown during search | WH-CH520 | WH-CH530 series |
| First-use behavior | Powering on enters pairing mode automatically | Same basic first-use sequence |
| Pairing an additional device | Hold the Bluetooth button for about five seconds or more | Hold the Bluetooth button for about five seconds or more |
| Pairing indicator | Blue indicator repeatedly flashes twice | Blue indicator repeatedly flashes twice |
| Voice prompt | “Pairing” | “Pairing” |
| Passkey when requested | 0000 | 0000 |
| Direct TV requirement | Google TV or Android TV with Bluetooth A2DP | Google TV or Android TV with Bluetooth A2DP |
The practical decision is therefore simple: identify the exact listing name and verify that the target TV supports Bluetooth A2DP. The button timing, indicator behavior, optional passkey, and general phone or computer procedure are materially the same.
Why the headset does not appear in the device list
It is not in pairing mode
Look for the repeated double blue flashes and the “Pairing” voice prompt. If they do not occur, turn the headset off and on for a first-use attempt, or hold the Bluetooth button for about five seconds when adding another device. Starting a scan without putting the headset into this state will not make it discoverable as a new device.
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- HIGH QUALITY SOUND: Great sound quality customizable to your music preference with EQ Custom on the Sony | Headphones Connect App.
- LIGHT & COMFORTABLE: The lightweight build and swivel earcups gently slip on and off, while the adjustable headband, cushion and soft ear pads give you all-day comfort.
- CRYSTAL CLEAR CALLS: A built-in microphone provides you with hands-free calling. No need to even take your phone from your pocket.
- MULTIPOINT CONNECTION: Quickly switch between two devices at once.
It is too far away or not charged
Charge the headset and repeat the search with the source device within 1 m (3.2 ft). Keep the headset and source device in the same room while completing the initial connection.
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Search for the exact entry used by the model. A WH-CH520 will not be listed as “WH-CH530 series,” and a WH-CH530 will not use “WH-CH520” as its normal Bluetooth name. If several Sony entries are present, identify the one that matches the headset’s model.
The source device’s scan is stale
Exit and reopen the Bluetooth settings, switch Bluetooth off and back on, and start a fresh search. Keep the headset in pairing mode while the scan runs; pairing mode can end before a delayed search is completed.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why it keeps connecting to the wrong device
The headset may automatically reconnect to the last-connected nearby device. This is common when a previously paired phone, laptop, or tablet still has Bluetooth enabled. Turn Bluetooth off on that device or move it away from the headset, then begin pairing from the intended source. Once the unwanted connection is removed, the intended device can complete its own connection.
Delete old pairing information and start again
When a saved entry is damaged, duplicated, or associated with the wrong device, Sony’s documented recovery is to delete the headset’s pairing information from the source device and pair again.
- Open the source device’s Bluetooth settings.
- Find the saved Sony headset entry.
- Choose the control labeled forget, remove, unpair, or delete, depending on the operating system.
- Turn Bluetooth off and on again if the old entry remains visible.
- Put the headset into pairing mode by holding the Bluetooth button for about five seconds.
- Search again and select the correct model name.
- Enter 0000 only if requested.
Deleting the entry on one phone or computer does not remove saved entries on other devices. If several nearby devices have used the headset, repeat the removal on the device that keeps reclaiming the connection.
Passkeys, prompts, and connection status
When to enter 0000
The passkey is optional from the user’s perspective: enter 0000 only when the phone, computer, TV, or transmitter explicitly asks for one. Do not enter a different code based on a guess, and do not treat the absence of a prompt as an error.
How to tell whether pairing succeeded
A completed pairing normally produces a notification sound and changes the source device’s status to connected or paired. A device can remain saved as paired while not actively connected, so test with audio and inspect the selected output on a computer or television.
TV-specific failure checks
- No headset appears: confirm that the TV supports Bluetooth audio through A2DP, not merely Bluetooth accessories.
- The TV finds the headset but will not complete setup: remove an old Sony entry from the TV, put the headset back into pairing mode, and search again.
- The headset pairs but TV sound remains on speakers: change the TV’s audio-output setting to the connected Bluetooth headset.
- The TV has no Bluetooth-audio option: use a compatible external Bluetooth audio transmitter connected to a TV audio output.
- Another device takes the connection: disable Bluetooth on the nearby phone or computer that was last connected, then retry.
These checks cannot make an incompatible television support A2DP; they only distinguish a pairing problem from a missing TV capability.
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Keeping Sony support information current
Sony’s WH-CH520 support page lists a Help Guide, firmware update version 1.0.6 released on February 5, 2026, and Sony Sound Connect software released on September 7, 2026. Support downloads and release details can change, so use Sony’s current WH-CH520 support page when checking firmware or software. Firmware and companion software are separate from the Bluetooth pairing steps: install them only when needed, then repeat the normal device search if the headset has been removed and re-added.
Quick Recap
One-minute pairing checklist
- Headset charged.
- Source device within 1 m (3.2 ft).
- Correct pairing mode confirmed by repeated double blue flashes and the “Pairing” prompt.
- Correct listing selected: WH-CH520 or WH-CH530 series.
- 0000 entered only when requested.
- Computer or TV audio output changed to the Sony headset when necessary.
- Bluetooth disabled on the last-connected nearby device if it keeps taking the connection.
- Old pairing entry deleted and pairing repeated if the connection remains stuck.
- TV checked for Google TV or Android TV Bluetooth A2DP support before attempting direct pairing.
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