Sony WH-1000XM5 is connected via Bluetooth but it won't be recognized as an audio output/input

Hi, unfortunately I couldn't try any of your solution because the device doesn't appear in the Audio section as it is not recognized as an output device

Here are some steps to troubleshoot and resolve the issue:

1. Check Bluetooth Device Settings

• Go to Bluetooth & Devices Settings:
  • Open Settings > Bluetooth & devices.
  • Confirm that the Sony WH-1000XM5 shows as connected.
• Verify Device Roles:
  • Click on your headphones under "Audio" devices.
  • Ensure the options for Audio and Microphone are both toggled on.

2. Check Sound Output/Input Settings

• Go to Sound Settings:
  • Right-click the speaker icon in the taskbar and select Sound settings.
  • Under the Output section, check if the Sony WH-1000XM5 is listed. If it’s listed but not selected, select it as the output device.
• Input (Microphone):
  • Scroll down to the Input section and select the Sony WH-1000XM5 as the input device if it is not already.

3. Update Bluetooth Drivers

• Update Bluetooth Drivers:
  • Open Device Manager by right-clicking the Start button and selecting Device Manager.
  • Expand the Bluetooth section, right-click your Bluetooth adapter (e.g., Intel Bluetooth), and select Update driver.
  • Choose Search automatically for drivers.
• Update Audio Drivers:
  • Expand the Sound, video and game controllers section.
  • Right-click on your audio driver (e.g., Realtek or similar), and select Update driver.

4. Reinstall Bluetooth Device

• In Device Manager, under Bluetooth, find the entry for your Sony WH-1000XM5, right-click, and select Uninstall device.
• Then, disconnect the headphones from Bluetooth via Settings > Bluetooth & devices and pair them again from scratch.

5. Set the Headphones as Default Device

• In Sound Settings, click on More sound settings (at the bottom right).
• In the Playback tab, find your Sony WH-1000XM5, right-click, and choose Set as Default Device.
• Repeat the same for the Recording tab to ensure the microphone is also set as the default input device.

6. Bluetooth Audio Profiles

• Your PC may be defaulting to the wrong Bluetooth audio profile. WH-1000XM5 supports A2DP (high-quality audio) and HFP/HSP (for calls).
• Make sure Windows is using the A2DP profile for audio. You can force this by selecting the Stereo option in Sound Settings > More sound settings > Playback tab. Right-click the WH-1000XM5 and choose Properties, then under the Advanced tab, ensure that the highest-quality format is selected.

Yes I did.

I don't know at this point if it is worth to try with a third party adapter.

Thank you for trying another headset.

I suspect that it is related to driver. Let's try to make sure you have the correct driver first.

This is the official link from manufacturer for your audio driver: https://download.msi.com/dvr_exe/mb/realtek_aud...

And here is for Bluetooth driver: https://download.msi.com/dvr_exe/mb/amd_bt_driv...

Both files are .zip file format, so make sure you extract them first, then go into the folder, run the setup.exe file to install. Do that for both.

Then restart the computer and let me know how that goes, then we can determine if we need to do anything else.

I tried resetting and factory reset but nothing changed. It just stays there as connected and ready to use but no possibility to use it as audio output