Customer reviews from sony.com
Sony - Refurbished Excellent - WF-1000XM5 True Wireless Noise Cancelling Earbuds - Black
Average customer rating
3.6
(89 Reviews)
Rating breakdown 89 reviews
5 Stars
42
4 Stars
10
3 Stars
10
2 Stars
10
1 Star
17
53%of customers recommend this product.
(
34 out of
64)
Customer Reviews for Sony - Refurbished Excellent - WF-1000XM5 True Wireless Noise Cancelling Earbuds - Black
Customer Rating
3
Bad connection feature
on August 28, 2025
Posted by: CasualMusicEnjoyer
Sony, please fix your multi-devices connection. The headphones are so good, it's really a waste that when your headphones are connected to several devices, it's disconnecting and reconnecting every 5 mins. Otherwise great product, but if i knew this issue before i wouldn't buy it tbh.
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
Response from sony.comBy Fred, Sony North America Customer Support, August 28, 2025
Hello CasualMusicEnjoyer,
Thank you for considering Sony products.
We're very sorry to hear about the trouble you're experiencing with the multipoint connection on your WF-1000XM5 earbuds. This is not the experience we want you to have, and we sincerely apologize for the inconvenience.
To address this, please try the following troubleshooting steps:
Update the firmware to version 5.0.2. You can find the update file and instructions on our support website: https://www.sony.com/electronics/support/wireless-headphones-bluetooth-headphones/wf-1000xm5/software/00296561
Reset the headset. Follow the instructions here: https://helpguide.sony.net/mdr/2963/v1/en/contents/TP1000783924.html
Initialize the headset to restore factory settings. The instructions are available here: https://helpguide.sony.net/mdr/2963/v1/en/contents/TP1000783925.html
After completing these steps, please try setting up the multipoint connection again using the guide below: https://www.sony.com/electronics/support/articles/00249936
Should the issue persist after you have followed these steps, please contact us at socialsupport@am.sony.com. To help us assist you more efficiently, kindly include the following details in your message:
- Name:
- Sony Username:
- Model Number:
- Description of the Issue:
- Telephone Number:
We sincerely appreciate your patience and understanding as we work to resolve this matter.
Best regards,
-Fred
Thank you for considering Sony products.
We're very sorry to hear about the trouble you're experiencing with the multipoint connection on your WF-1000XM5 earbuds. This is not the experience we want you to have, and we sincerely apologize for the inconvenience.
To address this, please try the following troubleshooting steps:
Update the firmware to version 5.0.2. You can find the update file and instructions on our support website: https://www.sony.com/electronics/support/wireless-headphones-bluetooth-headphones/wf-1000xm5/software/00296561
Reset the headset. Follow the instructions here: https://helpguide.sony.net/mdr/2963/v1/en/contents/TP1000783924.html
Initialize the headset to restore factory settings. The instructions are available here: https://helpguide.sony.net/mdr/2963/v1/en/contents/TP1000783925.html
After completing these steps, please try setting up the multipoint connection again using the guide below: https://www.sony.com/electronics/support/articles/00249936
Should the issue persist after you have followed these steps, please contact us at socialsupport@am.sony.com. To help us assist you more efficiently, kindly include the following details in your message:
- Name:
- Sony Username:
- Model Number:
- Description of the Issue:
- Telephone Number:
We sincerely appreciate your patience and understanding as we work to resolve this matter.
Best regards,
-Fred
Written by a customer while visiting sony.com
Posted by: dhill44241
Gender:Male
Verified Purchase:Yes
Purchased WF-1000XM5 wireless noise cancelling headphones (buds). Nothing but problems trying to register. I entered model number (YY2963) and system would not accept. Used reference guide # (WF-1000XM5) to get it to accept. I was trying to find a user manual which did not come with the product. No luck so far. Since I haven't got a user manual I can't get it set up to use so I can't truly answer your questionaire.
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
Response from sony.comBy Fred, Sony North America Customer Support, August 29, 2025
Hello dhill44241,
Thank you for considering Sony products.
We sincerely apologize for the difficulties you've faced with the product registration and for the missing user manual. We understand how frustrating this can be, and we want to help you get your new WF-1000XM5 earbuds set up and working properly. We'll be sure to pass this feedback along to our development team to prevent this issue in the future.
To help you get started, you can find the user manual online. It's available at the link below: https://www.sony.com/electronics/support/wireless-headphones-bluetooth-headphones/wf-1000xm5/manuals
Should you require assistance with the setup process, please do not hesitate to contact our support team directly. We are committed to ensuring you have an excellent experience with your new earbuds. You may reach us through the following link: https://us.esupport.sony.com/support/s/support-contact?language=en_US&category=headphones
Best regards,
-Fred
Thank you for considering Sony products.
We sincerely apologize for the difficulties you've faced with the product registration and for the missing user manual. We understand how frustrating this can be, and we want to help you get your new WF-1000XM5 earbuds set up and working properly. We'll be sure to pass this feedback along to our development team to prevent this issue in the future.
To help you get started, you can find the user manual online. It's available at the link below: https://www.sony.com/electronics/support/wireless-headphones-bluetooth-headphones/wf-1000xm5/manuals
Should you require assistance with the setup process, please do not hesitate to contact our support team directly. We are committed to ensuring you have an excellent experience with your new earbuds. You may reach us through the following link: https://us.esupport.sony.com/support/s/support-contact?language=en_US&category=headphones
Best regards,
-Fred
Written by a customer while visiting sony.com
Customer Rating
3
Did I Get A Defective Pair?
on August 28, 2023
Posted by: Robert4
Gender:Male
I'm disappointed with the performance of the WF-1000MX5 in crowded areas.
For context, I had been using the Galaxy Buds Pro (I mostly used those at the gym). I also had been using the Sennheiser IE 300 (exclusively at home or out running errands).
I owned the WF-1000XM4 previously (I lost that pair, unfortunately). Those were my all-around earbuds. Their sound quality was good enough for me to use them at home or out and about and the ANC made them great for the gym.
Positive Features
The main reasons I decided to buy these earbuds were the sound quality and the ANC. Those features are great.
The ANC does not block all external noise—the technology is not there yet, so take the marketing with a grain of salt—but it is an upgrade from my Galaxy Buds Pro. It has been a while since I last used the WF-1000XM4, but I would say it is an improvement from that model as well.
The sound quality is great. I'm not an audiophile by any means, but I can't complain. I only had to tweak the EQ a little to get the sound profile I prefer.
Issues I Have Encountered
I have had terrible connection issues at my gym, even when my phone is nearby. To be blunt, it has been an extremely annoying experience. When I listen to music, they start to "glitch". I would be listening to a song and suddenly one of the earbuds skips playback for a split second. The earbuds take turns doing that for some reason, which is distracting and bothersome.
It seems to happen more often in some sections of the gym than others. I have had that issue a couple of times at home, but it's not nearly as frequent (or annoying). I have never had any issues with the Galaxy Buds Pro at that gym. I only recall one incident when the WF-1000XM4 did something similar, but it was good after I initialized them.
Things I have tried to solve this issue—with no success so far:
- I have initialized the earbuds a few times.
- I have reset the earbuds a couple of times using the case.
- I have played around with the features on the app (prioritized a stable connection, disabled DSEE Extreme, speak-to-chat, the voice assistant, the touch sensor function, head gestures...)
- I have also played around with the Bluetooth settings on my phone (tested different audio codecs, unpaired the earbuds, tried changing some features in the developer settings...).
- I found the following troubleshooting guide by Sony, but it has not helped so far: https://helpguide.sony.net/mdr/2963/v1/en/contents/TP1000779959.html
- I have reset the earbuds a couple of times using the case.
- I have played around with the features on the app (prioritized a stable connection, disabled DSEE Extreme, speak-to-chat, the voice assistant, the touch sensor function, head gestures...)
- I have also played around with the Bluetooth settings on my phone (tested different audio codecs, unpaired the earbuds, tried changing some features in the developer settings...).
- I found the following troubleshooting guide by Sony, but it has not helped so far: https://helpguide.sony.net/mdr/2963/v1/en/contents/TP1000779959.html
I can't tell if it is a software or hardware issue. I have the 2.0.1 version of the software at the moment. Hopefully, it's a software issue that they can solve with an update.
Now into a minor issue, the volume control. I can change the step volume on my phone—adjust the rate at which the volume is changed. Mine is set to 1 step (ie. when I turn the volume up it goes from 47 to 48 instead of from 47 to 52). This allows me to find my preferred volume for whatever I'm listening to. For some reason, these earbuds do not respond to that setting. So, I often find myself listening at a higher or lower volume than I would want. I had the same issue with the WF-1000XM4 model, but have not had it with any other pair. It's a minor annoyance, I honestly do not know if it is a software issue, but I'm hopeful (or delusional) that it is something they can fix.
Suggestions
I would rather be able to create and save different settings as "modes" to choose from instead of having the app decide for me with the adaptive sound control feature.
I would love to be able to customize the touch sensor functions instead of having to choose from the presets.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Response from sony.comBy Sony North America Customer Support, August 30, 2023
Hello Robert4,
Thank you for your time writing this review and for sharing your experience. While we're happy that you like the sound quality and ANC feature of the WF1000XM5, we're sorry to hear that you are having some connection issues with headphone especially when you are inside the gym. We also want to thank you for taking the initiative to troubleshoot the unit using our Help Guide. At Sony, we are always looking to improve our product quality and features. We have noted your input and will be sure to forward this feedback to the appropriate department.
We'd like to make sure you are taken care of. May we contact you to help and get more information? If so, please email the below information to socialsupport@am.sony.com.
Apologies if you disclosed some of this information in your review and to customer service, we just want to ensure that we have your accurate details at the time of communication.
Full Name:
BBY Username:
Telephone Number:
Model Number:
Additional Information regarding your experience with the WF1000XM5:
If you have any questions or need any assistance, you can reach out to one of our agents through this link:
https://us.esupport.sony.com/support/s/service?language=en_US. who would be glad to help.
Thank you for sharing your feedback.
Regards,
Marco
Thank you for your time writing this review and for sharing your experience. While we're happy that you like the sound quality and ANC feature of the WF1000XM5, we're sorry to hear that you are having some connection issues with headphone especially when you are inside the gym. We also want to thank you for taking the initiative to troubleshoot the unit using our Help Guide. At Sony, we are always looking to improve our product quality and features. We have noted your input and will be sure to forward this feedback to the appropriate department.
We'd like to make sure you are taken care of. May we contact you to help and get more information? If so, please email the below information to socialsupport@am.sony.com.
Apologies if you disclosed some of this information in your review and to customer service, we just want to ensure that we have your accurate details at the time of communication.
Full Name:
BBY Username:
Telephone Number:
Model Number:
Additional Information regarding your experience with the WF1000XM5:
If you have any questions or need any assistance, you can reach out to one of our agents through this link:
https://us.esupport.sony.com/support/s/service?language=en_US. who would be glad to help.
Thank you for sharing your feedback.
Regards,
Marco
Written by a customer while visiting sony.com
Posted by: Sam W
Gender:Male
Verified Purchase:Yes
These are some of the best sounding ear buds I have used, they’re comfortable and hold a very long charge when in use. I have to play with them a bit more to find out all of its features but as of right now I’m very happy with the product.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Response from sony.comBy Sony North America Customer Support , September 11, 2023
Hi Sam W,
Thank you for reaching out to us today! We're always happy to hear from you. We appreciate the review and we're glad to hear that you like the sound quality, comfortable design and battery performance of the headphones. The WF-1000XM5 features cutting-edge technology to deliver premium sound quality and the best truly wireless noise-canceling performance on the market. With a specially designed driver unit, for wide frequency production, deep bass and clear vocals, these headphones are designed to immerse you in a sound so good, it feels like you’re in the studio with your favorite artists. We're glad that you're happy with your purchase and thank you for choosing Sony!
-David
Thank you for reaching out to us today! We're always happy to hear from you. We appreciate the review and we're glad to hear that you like the sound quality, comfortable design and battery performance of the headphones. The WF-1000XM5 features cutting-edge technology to deliver premium sound quality and the best truly wireless noise-canceling performance on the market. With a specially designed driver unit, for wide frequency production, deep bass and clear vocals, these headphones are designed to immerse you in a sound so good, it feels like you’re in the studio with your favorite artists. We're glad that you're happy with your purchase and thank you for choosing Sony!
-David
Written by a customer while visiting sony.com
Posted by: DWrek
Gender:Male
Verified Purchase:Yes
I’ve had these headphones for almost a month and I’ll take them over the Airpods Pro and I even have an iPhone. Don’t get me wrong the Airpods Pro hold up but Sony headphones have a better overall performance & quality into the headphones. Guides you to what’s the best suggested apps to use for best audio quality for your headphones. I really enjoy them a lot, including the audio automatically adjusting to your surroundings whatever room you go into. Also good for parents for when you’re not tryna have the noise cancellation or for when you are ^_^
I would recommend this to a friend!
Response from sony.comBy Sony North America Customer Support, September 18, 2023
Hi DWrek, We're pleased to hear that you are enjoying the overall performance & quality. The WF-1000XM5 feature cutting-edge technology to deliver premium sound quality and the best noise-cancelling performance on the market. Real-time audio processors and high-performance mics power the specially designed driver unit, for wide frequency reproduction, deep bass and clear vocals. They are designed to immerse you in a sound so good, it feels like you’re in the studio with your favourite artists. The WF-1000XM5 headphones raise the bar for distraction-free listening and clarity. Thank you for choosing Sony. Erin
Written by a customer while visiting sony.com
Posted by: Yellownan617
Gender:Male
Verified Purchase:Yes
The sound quality doesn't seem to be that good as advertised from what the people that in talking to rely to me....they say I sound staticky when Talkin...idk if there's anything that can be done and they were 300 smh....
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
Response from sony.comBy Sony North America Customer Support, September 21, 2023
Hi Yellownan617,
We are really sorry if our WF-1000XM5 didn't live up to your expectations. This is definitely not the news we'd like to hear from you. If the size of the earbud tips does not match the size of your ear canals or the headset is not worn properly in your ears, tap operations or Speak-to-Chat speech detection may not work correctly, or you may not obtain the correct sound qualities, noise canceling effects, or call performance. To troubleshoot your audio issues, please follow the steps on these links:
https://helpguide.sony.net/mdr/2963/v1/en/contents/TP1000779956.html
https://helpguide.sony.net/mdr/2963/v1/en/contents/TP1000779964.html
I hope this helps.
Should you need more information/technical assistance with our product, please feel free to contact us and we'll be more than happy to assist you. You may send us an email at socialsupport@am.sony.com with the following:
Name:
Sony.com Username:
Model Number:
Issue:
Telephone Number:
We value you, and thank you for choosing Sony.
Sincerely,
Romeo
Sony Social Support
We are really sorry if our WF-1000XM5 didn't live up to your expectations. This is definitely not the news we'd like to hear from you. If the size of the earbud tips does not match the size of your ear canals or the headset is not worn properly in your ears, tap operations or Speak-to-Chat speech detection may not work correctly, or you may not obtain the correct sound qualities, noise canceling effects, or call performance. To troubleshoot your audio issues, please follow the steps on these links:
https://helpguide.sony.net/mdr/2963/v1/en/contents/TP1000779956.html
https://helpguide.sony.net/mdr/2963/v1/en/contents/TP1000779964.html
I hope this helps.
Should you need more information/technical assistance with our product, please feel free to contact us and we'll be more than happy to assist you. You may send us an email at socialsupport@am.sony.com with the following:
Name:
Sony.com Username:
Model Number:
Issue:
Telephone Number:
We value you, and thank you for choosing Sony.
Sincerely,
Romeo
Sony Social Support
Written by a customer while visiting sony.com
Customer Rating
3
Quality doesn't quite measure up to Apple's
on October 26, 2023
Posted by: Chehera
Gender:Male
I bought these to replace my 1st gen airpods pro since i had heard the sound quality was better than Apple's. While the sound was good (and i do like the ability to change EQ) a lot of the little things do not measure up. The case feels flimsy and breakable. Switching between paired devices is rather clunky. bluetooth connectivity isn't very good, it was getting spotty while i was walking with my phone in my hand. I will say i like the ability to change the volume from the buds themselves, but overall i expected better from this product.
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
Response from sony.comBy Sony North America Customer Support, October 27, 2023
Hi Chehera,
While we are glad to hear your satisfaction with the customizable sound settings through the Sony Headphones Connect app and control features of the WF-1000XM5, we are really sorry if you are experiencing issues. We greatly appreciate your feedback with the build quality of the charging case. As for switching between paired devices, if you are pertaining to the multipoint connection function of the headphones, please refer to the below:
When you connect the headset to 2 devices simultaneously with multipoint connection, depending on the connected device, the device may keep sending the silent signal even if the playback of the music or video is stopped. In this case, the headset remains connected with the device, and the connection may not be changed to another device. If the sound from the second device cannot be heard after the playback is stopped on the first device, operate in the following order and check whether the situation has improved.
• Check with the “Sony | Headphones Connect” app that the setting of [Connect to 2 devices simultaneously] is on.
• Stop the playback of the application on the first device.
• Shut down the application on the first device.
• Select the device you want to play from [Manage Connected Device] of [Device Currently Being Connected] on the “Sony | Headphones Connect” app, and then start playback.
And for the audio issue or sound cuts out issue, the following article may help resolve this problem:
https://www.sony.com/electronics/support/articles/00232102
If the issue persists, please refer to the following Help Guide links to refresh the content of your headphones:
https://helpguide.sony.net/mdr/2963/v1/en/contents/TP1000783924.html
https://helpguide.sony.net/mdr/2963/v1/en/contents/TP1000783925.html
I hope this helps.
Should you need more assistance or information with our product, please email us at socialsupport@am.sony.com with the following details so we can best assist you.
Name:
BestBuy Username:
Model Number:
Issue:
Telephone Number:
We value you, and thank you for choosing Sony.
Best regards,
Romeo
Sony Social Support
While we are glad to hear your satisfaction with the customizable sound settings through the Sony Headphones Connect app and control features of the WF-1000XM5, we are really sorry if you are experiencing issues. We greatly appreciate your feedback with the build quality of the charging case. As for switching between paired devices, if you are pertaining to the multipoint connection function of the headphones, please refer to the below:
When you connect the headset to 2 devices simultaneously with multipoint connection, depending on the connected device, the device may keep sending the silent signal even if the playback of the music or video is stopped. In this case, the headset remains connected with the device, and the connection may not be changed to another device. If the sound from the second device cannot be heard after the playback is stopped on the first device, operate in the following order and check whether the situation has improved.
• Check with the “Sony | Headphones Connect” app that the setting of [Connect to 2 devices simultaneously] is on.
• Stop the playback of the application on the first device.
• Shut down the application on the first device.
• Select the device you want to play from [Manage Connected Device] of [Device Currently Being Connected] on the “Sony | Headphones Connect” app, and then start playback.
And for the audio issue or sound cuts out issue, the following article may help resolve this problem:
https://www.sony.com/electronics/support/articles/00232102
If the issue persists, please refer to the following Help Guide links to refresh the content of your headphones:
https://helpguide.sony.net/mdr/2963/v1/en/contents/TP1000783924.html
https://helpguide.sony.net/mdr/2963/v1/en/contents/TP1000783925.html
I hope this helps.
Should you need more assistance or information with our product, please email us at socialsupport@am.sony.com with the following details so we can best assist you.
Name:
BestBuy Username:
Model Number:
Issue:
Telephone Number:
We value you, and thank you for choosing Sony.
Best regards,
Romeo
Sony Social Support
Written by a customer while visiting sony.com
Posted by: Erinln74
Gender:Female
Verified Purchase:Yes
I bought this item 3 days ago and I can’t get over how comfortable they are as well as sounding amazing! I found AirPods would begin to hurt after a couple hours. I can use these all day and have no issues. I have had no issues with connecting to my iPhone and I wish I had found these earlier!!
I would recommend this to a friend!
Response from sony.comBy Sony North America Customer Support, November 10, 2023
Hi Erinln74,
Fantastic! You've made a great choice! We are truly happy to hear your satisfaction with the very comfortable fit design, exceptional sound, and superb performance of your new WF-1000XM5. The WF-1000XM5 features cutting-edge technology to deliver premium sound quality and the best noise-cancelling performance on the market. Real-time audio processors and high-performance mics power the specially designed driver unit, for wide frequency reproduction, deep bass and clear vocals. They are designed to immerse you in a sound so good, it feels like you’re in the studio with your favorite artists. The WF-1000XM5 headphones raise the bar for distraction-free listening and clarity.
Thank you so much for the perfect star review and for choosing Sony!
Romeo
Fantastic! You've made a great choice! We are truly happy to hear your satisfaction with the very comfortable fit design, exceptional sound, and superb performance of your new WF-1000XM5. The WF-1000XM5 features cutting-edge technology to deliver premium sound quality and the best noise-cancelling performance on the market. Real-time audio processors and high-performance mics power the specially designed driver unit, for wide frequency reproduction, deep bass and clear vocals. They are designed to immerse you in a sound so good, it feels like you’re in the studio with your favorite artists. The WF-1000XM5 headphones raise the bar for distraction-free listening and clarity.
Thank you so much for the perfect star review and for choosing Sony!
Romeo
Written by a customer while visiting sony.com