---
slug: sony-1000xm4-battery-failure
title: "Sony WF-1000XM4 Battery Failure"
date: "2024-08-25T15:13:15-04:00"

pics:
  sony-wtf:
    css: "image"
    tip: "Quadruple-tap to adjust volume."
    sources:
      - "/files/posts/sony-wf-1000xm4-battery-failure/sony-wtf.webp"
      - src: "/files/posts/sony-wf-1000xm4-battery-failure/sony-wtf.png"
        width: 807
        height: 408
---

I have owned my [Sony WF-1000XM4 bluetooth headphones][wf-1000xm4] for 2
years.  Over the past few weeks the battery life has dropped from ~7
hours to less than 1 hour.

Apparently this is a common problem:

- [Rising Number of Unexpected Sony WF-1000XM4 Explosions Are Haunting
  Users (headphonesty.com)][headphonesty-article]
- [WF-1000XM4 - Severe Battery Issues (reddit.com)][reddit thread]

I follwed the recommendation in the [reddit thread][] and contacted
[Sony support][].  After a brief chat they offered to email a shipping
label and repair the headphones at no cost.

If you own a pair of [WF-1000XM4s][wf-1000xm4] and the battery life
decreases suddenly or they get very warm while charging, then you
should:

1. Stop using the headphones immediately because they [could
   explode][headphonesty-article].
2. [Contact Sony support][sony support] and ask for a repair or a
   replacement.

Sony should cover the cost even if the headphones are no longer under
warranty (mine weren't); the battery life for a pair of 2-year-old
bluetooth headphones should not deteriorate so abruptly.

**Update (2024-08-26):** I don't know how long the [WF-1000XM4][] repair
will take, so I bought a pair of [WF-1000XM5s][wf-1000xm5].

Overall the [WF-1000XM5s][wf-1000xm5] are a moderate improvement over the
[WF-1000XM4s][wf-1000xm4]; the audio quality is better and the earbuds
and case are smaller.

Unfortunately the [Headphones Connect phone app][app] has gotten worse.

Previously the phone app tried to railroad you into signing up for an
unnecessary Sony online account during setup.  Now you also have to
opt-out of integrations with a handful of third-party services (which I
don't use).  Sony also removed the option to control the volume by
double- and triple-tapping the left earbud.

Instead, double- and triple-tapping the left earbud can only be used to
activate the third-party integrations (which I don't use).  You can
still adjust the volume by tapping the earbuds, but only by
quadruple-tapping (!?!):

{{< pe-figure "sony-wtf" >}}

[wf-1000xm4]: https://electronics.sony.com/audio/headphones/truly-wireless-earbuds/p/wf1000m4-Black
  "Sony WF-1000XM4 bluetooth headphones"
[gadgets]: {{< relref "posts/2024-07-13-gadgets-of-the-ages" >}}
  "Gadgets of the Ages"
[headphonesty-article]: https://www.headphonesty.com/2024/02/samsung-wf-1000xm4-explodes-case/
  "Rising Number of Unexpected Sony WF-1000XM4 Explosions Are Haunting Users (headphonesty.com)"
[reddit thread]: https://www.reddit.com/r/SonyHeadphones/comments/x7mx2n/wf1000xm4_severe_battery_issues/
  "WF-1000XM4 - Severe Battery Issues (reddit.com)"
[rmaed]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Return_merchandise_authorization
  "Return merchandise authorization (RMA)"
[sony support]: https://www.sony.com/electronics/support/wireless-headphones-bluetooth-headphones/wf-1000xm4
  "Sony WF-1000XM4 support"
[app]: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sony.songpal.mdr&hl=en_US
  "Headphones Connect (play.google.com)"
[wf-1000xm5]: https://electronics.sony.com/audio/headphones/truly-wireless-earbuds/p/wf1000xm5-b
  "Sony WF-1000XM5 bluetooth headphones"