Sonos's Ace pairing article is short and exact: press and hold the Power/Bluetooth button on the left earcup until the status light flashes blue, choose Sonos Ace in your device's Bluetooth list, and a solid blue light with a chime means paired. Holding it while already on makes the headphones power off and on before pairing mode. To use all features, set the headphones up in the Sonos app (Get started, Headphones, Add; or Settings, Headphones, Add Headphones), letting the headphones charge for a few minutes first.
Multipoint lets two devices stay connected but is off by default and enabled in the app after setup and registration. When powered on, the Ace looks for a previously connected device and joins the nearest of several. After a factory reset you must first forget the headphones in your device's Bluetooth list before reconnecting. If it will not pair, force reboot with a 10-second hold with USB-C disconnected, then a factory reset that needs a powered USB-C connection.
Differential
Likely causes of “Sonos Ace headphones will not pair or connect”, and how to tell them apart
- 1
Not in pairing mode
What separates it The headphones do not appear in Bluetooth because they are not in pairing mode
How to confirm Hold the Power/Bluetooth button until the light flashes blue
- 2
A stale entry on your device
What separates it The headphones connect to nothing because of a stale entry on your device
How to confirm Forget the headphones in your device's Bluetooth settings, and then pair them again
- 3
A low battery
What separates it The setup fails because the battery is too low
How to confirm Charge the headphones for a few minutes, and then try again
- 4
Connected to another device
What separates it The headphones will not offer pairing because they are connected to another device
How to confirm Disconnect the other device, or turn on multipoint, so that both can stay connected
- 5
A frozen headset
What separates it There is no light response because the headset has frozen
How to confirm Force a reboot, and reset the headphones only if that does not help
Before you touch a setting
Record this first — changing settings destroys the evidence
- The headphone model and the device you pair with
- The status light: flashing blue, solid blue or none
- Whether it was reset and whether you forgot it on the device
- Whether the Sonos app is used and its version
Try in this order
0 of 6 completedCharge briefly
ReversibleCharge the headphones briefly, for a few minutes, so that the battery can support pairing.
Enter pairing mode
ReversibleEnter pairing mode by holding the Power and Bluetooth button, until the light flashes blue.
Pair
ReversiblePair by choosing Sonos Ace in your device's Bluetooth list, once it appears, and then test again to see whether it helped.
Forget old entries
ReversibleForget old entries, since a reset headset must be forgotten on the device before it pairs.
Set up in the app
ReversibleSet up in the app, by choosing Add Headphones in the Sonos app, and then test again to see whether it helped.
Reset if needed
ReversibleReset if needed, using Sonos's reset steps, with a powered USB-C cable, and then test again to see whether it helped.
Model-specific
What is true of this model and not of its siblings
- Pairing
- Sonos: hold the Power/Bluetooth button on the left earcup until the status light flashes blue; solid blue with a chime means paired.
- Multipoint
- Sonos says the Ace and Ace Ultra support Bluetooth multipoint to two devices at once, disabled by default.
Stop boundary
When this stops being a self-service repair
- !If it never flashes blue after a forced reboot and a reset, contact Sonos Support
- !If the phone sees no Bluetooth devices, fix the phone first
- !If setup in the app fails, contact Sonos
Evidence ledger
Sources behind this answer
Pairing mode, multipoint, reconnecting and stopping auto-connect.
Pairing, then setup in the Sonos app.
Pairing mode and the forced reboot.
The Ace reset with a powered USB-C cable.
The company and its products.
Exact questions
Common questions
How do I pair the Sonos Ace?+
Hold the Power/Bluetooth button on the left earcup until the light flashes blue, then choose it in Bluetooth settings.
How do I know it paired?+
A solid blue light and a chime.
Can I connect two devices?+
Yes with multipoint, which is off by default and enabled in the app.
What if I reset it?+
Forget it on your device before pairing again.
Which device does it join?+
The headphones join the nearest previously connected device, when they power on.
How do I stop auto-connecting?+
Remove the headphones from your device's list of remembered connections.
What if the light does nothing?+
If the light does nothing, charge the headphones, and then force a reboot.
Does the Ace Ultra pair the same way?+
Yes, the Ace Ultra pairs the same way, and Sonos's article covers both models.