WF-1000XM3 Some random neighbor keeps kicking me off my iPhone - Reset buds several times already

[apollostowel]

I am in dire dire need of help, some random neighbor, I have no idea who, has somehow connected a video-watching device to my wf-1000xm3 buds, and I can’t stay connected to my  no matter what I do. I’ve reset my buds several times already, following the directions to put them in their case and press on the left bud until the light starts and then stops flashing red. It doesn’t help. This random device still immediately connects to my buds, and kicks me off of whatever I’m trying to listen to within seconds.

How is this even allowed to happen? I can’t ask them to please stop because it’s a large building and I have no idea who’s doing this. I’ll just be listening to tunes, and suddenly I’m listening to whatever movie they’re watching. Wouldn’t resetting the buds erase all paired devices? Is there some better reset method, or have I found a ‘feature’? Please someone help!

[Peter_S.]

Hi apollostowel,

A factory reset should help in this matter indeed.

Probably you did not complete the whole reset.

You should lit your finger, when the light starts to blink red.

After you've lifted your finger the light should blink 4 times blue to complete the reset.

Hope this helps

Cheers

Peter

[apollostowel]

Oh thank you so much! I remember when I first got them, they immediately paired with something that wasn't me, and I had to figure out how to get them to pair with a new device. It obviously happened then, but I can't imagine they'd have enjoyed getting their audio hijacked, but they never bothered to unpair.

It actually took a few tries, the Headphone Connect app was... I dunno, but it crashed the earbuds several times where you hear them power down and the phone disconnect, but after the third try, it kept. Thanks!

[apollostowel]

Sadly, I think these are duds. I'm still getting random disconnects, and according to the rest of the internet, it's a known issue. I'm disconnecting so much that I can't even check the sound priority setting, I just get kicked out the app. And now they won't pair at all with anything. I think these buds are better known as the Sony Lemons.

[Win_88]

Hi @apollostowel

The headphones can only be paired to a new device if they are put in pairing mode. So it doesn't make sense that they will still be paired to another device after resetting them (deleting the pairing info), unless they were pun into pairing mode and the "culprit" connected his device to them again.

It's more likely that someone is messing with you if you live with other ppl, keep in mind that their range is a max of 10 meters, assuming there's nothing in the way.

If they stopped pairing to all devices, contact the service centre for repair:  01656 867347

Win_88

[apollostowel]

They only paired with the random device the once. What was happening is that this paired device (seemed like a tv) could kick me off, and that shouldn't have been able to happen. But there were were bigger issues. The earbuds were unable to maintain any sort of connection to any device after I finally got that initial reset to take. The situation deteriorated to the point that they couldn't maintain a connection long enough to even get through pairing with anything. 50+ factory resets didn't solve anything. Putting priority on connection stability and disabling auto-off didn't solve anything, although this pairing issue extended beyond the iphone, and to everything from an ipad, to a mbp, to an apple tv, to a bluetooth transmitter, to a Windows laptop, whatever you wanted to pair them to. They'd lose the connection between being recognized, and then trying to connect. Sometimes you'd get through pairing, and get to listen for maybe 5 seconds, before hearing 'Bluetooth ....disconnected.' These things were beyond flakey, I hope this was a one-off.

Obviously they were duds, they've been sent back for repair. They were officially the worst bluetooth device I've ever used, that can't be how they're intended to work, at least I hope not, or else this is gonna be a long process!

I have the wh-1000xm3s, and not a single issue, even enabling priority on sound in the Headphones Connect app.

[Win_88]

In that case, I'd arrange a repair with Sony: 01656 867347

Win_88

[apollostowel]

Yeah, I already said I’ve returned them for repair. We’ll see if the replacements are any better. I’m not terribly impressed with Sony’s non-replies.