Sonos says charge the Ace with the included USB-C PD cable on the USB-C port on the left ear cup next to the Power/Bluetooth button, and recommends a 15 W USB-C charger. The status light is orange while charging and solid green when full, and a full charge from 0 to 100 percent can take up to 3 hours. Fast charging works when the battery is below 10 percent using a USB-C PD charger and cable: 3 minutes of charging gives about 3 hours of listening, and the included cable supports it.
The battery level shows in your device's Bluetooth settings, the status bar or battery widget, and in the Sonos app's Sonos Ace info screen and under Settings, Headphones. Battery life is 30 hours of listening or 24 hours of call time with Aware Mode or Noise Canceling on. If the Ace will not respond, a forced reboot is a 10-second hold of the Power/Bluetooth button with the USB-C cable disconnected. A factory reset needs a powered USB-C cable connected part way through, so have a working cable and adapter ready.
Differential
Likely causes of “Sonos Ace headphones will not charge”, and how to tell them apart
- 1
A poor cable or adapter
What separates it The light never turns orange because the cable or the adapter is poor
How to confirm Use the included USB-C PD cable and a 15 W USB-C charger
- 2
A dirty or damaged USB-C port
What separates it The charging is intermittent because the USB-C port is dirty or damaged
How to confirm Check the port for lint and damage, and clean it gently with a dry wooden toothpick
- 3
A deeply depleted battery
What separates it The headphones seem dead because the battery is deeply depleted
How to confirm Charge for several minutes before pairing or setup
- 4
A frozen headset
What separates it The status light does nothing because the headset has frozen
How to confirm Disconnect USB-C and hold power for 10 seconds
- 5
A worn battery
What separates it The listening time has fallen because the battery is worn
How to confirm Check the level in the app and contact Sonos
Before you touch a setting
Record this first — changing settings destroys the evidence
- The headphone model and how long it has been in use
- The charger and cable, and what the status light does
- The battery level in the Sonos app
- Whether a forced reboot changed anything
Try in this order
0 of 7 completedUse the right cable
ReversibleUse the included USB-C PD cable, plugged into the port on the left ear cup of the headphones.
Use a suitable charger
ReversibleUse a suitable USB-C charger of about 15 W, since a weak adapter charges slowly or not at all.
Watch the light
ReversibleWatch the light, since orange means that it is charging, and solid green means that it is full.
Try fast charging
ReversibleTry fast charging, since below ten percent, three minutes on charge gives about three hours.
Force reboot
ReversibleForce a reboot by disconnecting USB-C and holding the Power and Bluetooth button for ten seconds.
Check the level
ReversibleCheck the level in the Sonos app, or in the Bluetooth settings of your device.
Contact Sonos
ReversibleContact Sonos Support if the headphones will not charge after these steps, giving them the model.
Model-specific
What is true of this model and not of its siblings
- Ace charging
- Sonos: USB-C PD cable, 15 W recommended, up to 3 hours to full, 3 minutes below 10 percent for 3 hours, orange charging light and solid green when full.
- Battery life
- Sonos lists 30 hours of listening or 24 hours of call time with Aware Mode or Noise Canceling on.
Stop boundary
When this stops being a self-service repair
- !If the light never turns orange on a known-good PD cable and adapter after a forced reboot, contact Sonos Support
- !If the earcup is hot or swollen, stop charging and contact Sonos
- !If the battery life falls sharply, contact Sonos
Evidence ledger
Sources behind this answer
USB-C PD cable, 15 W charger, lights, 3 hours, fast charging and 30 hours.
Forced reboot and the Power/Bluetooth button.
The Ace reset needs a powered USB-C connection.
Standard and force reboot for the Ace.
The company and its products.
Exact questions
Common questions
How long does the Ace take to charge?+
Up to 3 hours from 0 to 100 percent.
How fast is the fast charge?+
Charging for 3 minutes below 10 percent gives about 3 hours of listening.
Where is the port?+
On the left ear cup next to the Power/Bluetooth button.
Which charger should I use?+
Sonos recommends a 15 W USB-C charger and the included PD cable.
How do I see the battery?+
In the Sonos app, or your device's Bluetooth settings and battery widget.
What if it is frozen?+
Disconnect USB-C and hold the Power/Bluetooth button for 10 seconds.
Does the Ace Ultra charge the same way?+
Sonos has a matching Ace Ultra article.
How long does the Ace battery last?+
It gives 30 hours of listening, or 24 hours of call time with Aware Mode or Noise Canceling switched on, according to Sonos.
What does the Power and Bluetooth button do?+
A long press powers the Ace on or off, press and hold pairs it, and a ten second hold with USB-C disconnected forces a reboot.
What does the Content Key do?+
Slide it for volume, press once to play or pause, twice to skip and three times to go back to the previous song.
How do I answer a call on the Ace?+
Press the Content Key once to answer or end a call, and long press it to decline the call.
Where is the USB-C port on the Ace?+
It is on the left ear cup, next to the Power and Bluetooth button.