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Yes—the Sony WH-1000XM5 supports Bluetooth multipoint for two source devices at the same time. Pair the headphones with both devices, then use the Sony | Sound Connect smartphone app to enable Connect to 2 devices simultaneously under All device settings → Connection. You can then keep, for example, a phone and laptop connected and move audio between them without pairing again.
What the WH-1000XM5 two-device connection actually does
Multipoint keeps two Bluetooth source devices connected to the WH-1000XM5 concurrently. A source can be a smartphone, computer, tablet or Bluetooth music player. You do not need to disconnect and pair again every time you move from one source to the other.
The headphones still have a strict two-device simultaneous limit. Sony Support states, “Multipoint connection works with only two devices at a time.” The headset may remember additional paired devices, but it cannot maintain active multipoint connections to three or more sources. Connecting a third source can displace one of the existing connections.
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What you need before starting
- Two Bluetooth-capable source devices. A common combination is a phone and a laptop, but two phones or a phone and a Bluetooth music player also work when both support Bluetooth audio.
- The Sony | Sound Connect app on a smartphone. Sony’s current app name is Sony | Sound Connect. Sony does not provide a PC app for this setting, so enable multipoint from the smartphone app even if one of the two sources is a computer.
- The WH-1000XM5 charged and nearby. Keep the headphones close to the devices during initial pairing so that each pairing completes before you configure multipoint.
- Access to each device’s Bluetooth settings. Menu names vary by operating system and device maker, so the exact labels on your screens may differ from the examples below.
Do not confuse a remembered pairing with an active connection. The headphones can retain several devices in their Bluetooth history, but only two can be connected simultaneously through multipoint.
How do I connect my Sony WH-1000XM5 to two devices?
1. Pair the headphones with the first device
- Turn on the WH-1000XM5.
- Open the first source device’s Bluetooth settings and start a search for nearby devices.
- Select WH-1000XM5 from the available-device list and complete pairing. If the device asks you to confirm a code, accept the matching code shown on both screens.
- Play a short piece of audio to confirm that the first pairing works, then pause it.
The first source can be your phone, laptop or another Bluetooth audio device. The exact path to Bluetooth settings and the wording of the pairing controls depend on that device’s operating system.
2. Pair the second device
- Pause audio on the first source.
- Open Bluetooth settings on the second source and search for devices.
- Choose WH-1000XM5 and finish the pairing process.
- Leave both devices’ Bluetooth enabled. Do not remove the first pairing when adding the second one.
At this point the headphones may be paired with both sources without yet maintaining two active connections. The next setting turns on multipoint.
3. Turn on “Connect to 2 devices simultaneously”
- Install or open Sony | Sound Connect on a smartphone.
- Connect that smartphone to the WH-1000XM5. If the app does not see the headphones, first confirm that the phone’s Bluetooth settings show the headset as connected.
- In the app, open All device settings.
- Open Connection.
- Switch on Connect to 2 devices simultaneously.
The option is configured in the smartphone app. Sony says there is no PC app; the setting carries over when the headphones subsequently connect to a computer.
4. Select or confirm the other paired source in the app
Use the app’s connected-device controls to choose or confirm the second paired source. Sony’s general phone-and-computer instructions describe selecting the computer from the paired-device list and confirming both connections. Sony illustrates those general steps with WH-1000XM4 screens and notes that the procedure is generally the same across its headphones, so labels or screen layouts may not exactly match the WH-1000XM5 or your current app version.
When the two connections are active, both sources should show the WH-1000XM5 as connected. Keep the app open until you have confirmed the second connection; after setup, you can close the app and use the headphones normally.
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5. Test audio switching
- Start audio on the first source and confirm that you hear it through the headphones.
- Pause that audio completely.
- Start audio on the second source.
- If the second source remains silent, stop the first source’s media application rather than merely pausing its track, then try again.
Some devices continue a silent audio stream after playback appears to be paused. That stream can keep the headset focused on the first source and block the switch.
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Can I connect my XM5 to my phone and laptop at the same time?
Yes. Phone-plus-computer is the most common multipoint arrangement. Pair each device separately, enable the two-device option in Sony | Sound Connect, and then confirm the laptop in the app’s paired-device controls.
| Source combination | What to check during setup | How to move audio |
|---|---|---|
| Phone + laptop | Both devices must show the WH-1000XM5 as connected. On the laptop, select the headphones as the active audio output. | Pause or close the laptop’s media application before starting playback on the phone, or do the reverse. |
| Two phones | Pair both phones and confirm that the app lists both connections. Keep Bluetooth enabled on each phone. | Stop media on the current phone, then start media on the other. Check which phone has an active call or media session if switching is delayed. |
| Phone + Bluetooth music player | Use the player’s Bluetooth-audio output and confirm that the phone remains connected after the player joins. | Stop playback on the player before starting the phone’s audio, and restart the player only after the phone has released its stream. |
The pairing sequence is the same for these combinations, but each source’s Bluetooth and audio-output menus can use different names. Sony’s general instructions use XM4 examples for some phone-and-computer screens; treat those labels as guidance rather than guaranteed WH-1000XM5 or current-operating-system wording.
How to switch music between the two connected devices
Multipoint switching is controlled by the source devices’ playback state. The most reliable routine is:
- Pause the track, video or call-related media on the source that currently has audio.
- If the audio does not release, close that source’s music, video or conferencing application.
- Start playback on the other connected device.
- For a computer, open its sound or audio-output controls and select WH-1000XM5 if another speaker or headset is selected.
A second device can remain connected yet produce no sound if the first device is still sending an audio stream. A visible pause button is not always enough; closing the application is the practical remedy Sony recommends for this symptom.
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Use the following checks in order. They address the common case in which the second device reports a connection but the WH-1000XM5 continues to play—or remains silent—from the first source.
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Confirm multipoint is enabled
Open Sony | Sound Connect while the smartphone is connected to the headphones. Go to All device settings → Connection and verify that Connect to 2 devices simultaneously is on. If the switch is off, the headphones may connect to only one source even though both devices are paired.
Stop the first source’s audio application
Pause playback on the first device and close its music, video or conferencing app. Sony’s WH-1000XM5 support guidance specifically recommends this step because some devices continue silent streaming. A silent stream can hold the headset’s audio focus and prevent the second source from taking over.
Check the computer’s output device
If the computer is the silent source, open its sound settings and select WH-1000XM5 as the output. A computer can remain Bluetooth-connected while routing sound to built-in speakers, a monitor, a dock or another headset.
Check both connection indicators
Look at the Bluetooth settings on both sources and at the connected-device view in Sony | Sound Connect. If one source shows “paired” or “saved” rather than “connected,” select WH-1000XM5 on that source to reconnect it. The two-device switch must remain on while you do this.
Reconnect without deleting both pairings
- Pause and close audio applications on both sources.
- Turn Bluetooth off and back on for the source that failed to connect.
- In that source’s Bluetooth list, select WH-1000XM5 to reconnect.
- Return to Sony | Sound Connect and confirm that the other source is still listed as connected.
- Test one source at a time, releasing the first stream before starting the second.
Removing every pairing should be a later recovery step, not the first response to a switching problem, because it creates unnecessary setup work.
What if the second device will not connect at all?
The headphones are connected to a different source
Because only two sources can be connected simultaneously, an older device may still occupy one of the connection slots. Disconnect an unneeded source from its Bluetooth settings, then use the app’s connected-device controls to select the source you want to add.
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The second source is outside Bluetooth range
Bring the source close to the headphones during pairing and initial connection. Once both devices connect reliably, return them to their normal positions and test switching again.
The pairing record is stale
On the affected source, remove only the WH-1000XM5 entry, then pair it again. Keep the other source paired and connected if possible. After re-pairing, revisit All device settings → Connection in Sony | Sound Connect and confirm the two-device switch is still enabled.
The app is showing an older label
Older Sony help material may call the smartphone application Headphones Connect. Sony’s current support pages call it Sony | Sound Connect. Use the current app when available; the relevant control remains the two-device connection setting under the connection settings area.
How calls and media behave with multipoint
Multipoint allows both sources to remain connected, but it does not mix two audio streams. If one source starts a call or another high-priority audio session while the other is playing media, the headset’s active audio focus can change according to the source device and its application. For predictable behavior, pause media on the device you are not using and close applications that continue streaming in the background.
For a phone-and-laptop setup, decide which device should handle calls before you begin. Keep the other source’s media paused, and check the laptop’s output selection after joining a meeting or switching back to music. The exact call controls and priority behavior are determined by the operating systems and applications, not by a separate WH-1000XM5 multipoint menu.
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Important limits and practical expectations
- Two active sources maximum: Sony’s official multipoint guidance limits simultaneous connections to two devices. A third device can displace one of the current connections.
- Pairing is not simultaneous connection: remembering several devices does not mean the headphones are actively connected to all of them.
- Bluetooth is required on both sources: Multipoint applies to Bluetooth source devices; a non-Bluetooth computer or player cannot join without appropriate Bluetooth capability.
- The setup control is in the smartphone app: There is no PC version of Sony’s app for enabling this feature. Configure it from a connected smartphone, then use the headphones with the computer.
- Menus vary by platform and version: Bluetooth names, output selectors and connection labels differ across operating systems. Follow the function described here even when your device uses slightly different wording.
- Audio must be released by the first source: A second connection can be healthy while its audio is blocked by a continuing stream or by the computer routing sound elsewhere.
Recommended setup patterns
Phone plus work laptop
Pair the laptop and phone, enable multipoint in Sony | Sound Connect, then set the laptop’s output to WH-1000XM5. Before listening to phone media, pause or close the laptop’s meeting or media application. Before returning to the laptop, stop the phone’s media so it does not retain the audio session.
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Personal phone plus work phone
Pair both phones individually and confirm each appears as connected. When switching, stop media on the current phone first. If one phone silently retains an application’s audio session, close that application before starting audio on the other phone.
Phone plus dedicated music player
Pair the player and phone, then use the app to confirm both connections. Stop the player before using phone audio, and stop phone media before restarting the player. If either source drops, reconnect it from that source’s Bluetooth menu rather than repeatedly toggling the multipoint setting.
When to reset the setup
Reset the pairing arrangement only after checking the two-device switch, stopping the first source’s application and selecting the correct computer output. If one source still refuses to connect, remove the WH-1000XM5 entry from that source’s Bluetooth list and pair it again. If the problem affects both sources, remove the headset pairing from each device, pair the devices again one at a time, and then re-enable Connect to 2 devices simultaneously in Sony | Sound Connect.
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Rebuilding the pairings does not increase the two-device limit; it only clears stale connection records. Keep the source devices close to the headphones throughout the new pairing sequence.
Quick checklist
- Both source devices support Bluetooth audio.
- WH-1000XM5 is paired with each source.
- Sony | Sound Connect is installed on a connected smartphone.
- All device settings → Connection → Connect to 2 devices simultaneously is on.
- The second source is selected or confirmed in the app’s connected-device controls.
- Playback is paused or the audio application is closed on the source you are leaving.
- The computer, if used, has WH-1000XM5 selected as its audio output.
- No third source is occupying a connection slot.
Bottom line
The WH-1000XM5 can stay connected to two Bluetooth devices, but you must pair both sources and enable Connect to 2 devices simultaneously in Sony | Sound Connect. Once configured, switch sources by releasing playback on the first device and starting it on the second. If the second device connects without sound, close the first device’s audio app and verify the computer’s output selection; those two checks resolve the most common multipoint failure.
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