Sony Xperia 1 VII Problems: Shutdown Defect, IMEI Check, Fixes

The phone was fine at lunch. By the afternoon it had switched itself off, and now holding the power button does nothing. Of all the Sony Xperia 1 VII problems, that one matters most, because Sony has admitted a manufacturing defect behind it and replaces affected phones for free. Whether yours qualifies comes down to a 15-digit number you can find in under a minute, even on a phone that won’t start.

Other faults (a reboot loop after an app install, drain, a slow camera) are usually software, and you can sort those out yourself.

What Sony admitted about the motherboard

In July 2025, shortly after launch, Sony confirmed that some Xperia 1 VII units could shut down unexpectedly, restart, or fail to power on. Its support notice said the investigation found that “the manufacturing process may cause a failure” of the circuit board, the motherboard, in a small number of devices.

Sony says it has changed the manufacturing process and identified every affected phone. Instead of asking owners to guess, it put an IMEI checker online.

According to Sony’s support pages, the replacement offer is still open for affected devices. Phones built after the process change shouldn’t have the defect, and the IMEI check is the reliable way to know which kind you’ve got.

If yours checks out clean, there’s no reason to get rid of it over this. The Xperia 1 VII still has things many rivals have dropped, a headphone jack and a microSD slot among them.

Finding the IMEI and running Sony’s checker

Every phone has a unique 15-digit IMEI, and that’s what Sony uses to pick out affected units. (Our IMEI explainer covers what the number is.)

On a phone that turns on, dial *#06#, or go to Settings › System › About phone › Status › IMEI information. On one that won’t, read it off the top row of the SIM card tray, or the label on the side of the box sleeve. Other places to look are in our how to find your IMEI walkthrough.

1. Open Sony’s Xperia 1 VII support page for your country and find the IMEI checker.
2. Type in the 15 digits.
3. Affected and bought from the Sony online store: Sony says it will contact you, and you can also reach it through the support page.
4. Affected and bought from another retailer or a carrier: contact Sony or your nearest Sony Authorised Service Centre.
5. Not affected: nothing to do.

When it won’t switch on, or keeps shutting down

A phone that won’t power on isn’t always the defect. Before you assume it:

1. Charge for at least 30 minutes with a USB-C charger and cable you know work, then try again.
2. Force restart by holding power and volume up together for about 20 seconds, or until it vibrates.
3. Watch for the charging light. If nothing happens with two different chargers, it needs service.
4. Get the IMEI from the SIM tray or box and run Sony’s checker.

If it’s an affected unit, the replacement is the real fix. Until then, Sony suggests two things: use the forced restart above when it hangs, and install the latest software from Settings › System › Software update. It also recommends backing up with Google backup (Settings › System › Backup). Affected phones can die without warning, so do that today.

Not affected, but still dead? It may be covered by the standard warranty instead. Our article on checking warranty by IMEI shows how to find out.

Restarts that are really software

Not every reboot is the motherboard. A loop that starts after an update or a new app is usually software.

1. Force restart with power and volume up.
2. Boot into Safe mode: hold the power button, touch and hold Power off, then tap OK. If the reboots stop, a third-party app is the likely cause.
3. Uninstall recent apps one at a time.
4. Back up and erase via Settings › System › Reset options › Erase all data.
5. Still looping after the reset? Contact Sony.

Drain, heat and a slow camera

For battery, look in Settings › Battery for apps using power in the background, switch on Sony’s STAMINA mode on heavy days, and turn on Battery Care in Settings › Battery to slow long-term wear. Long 4K recording or gaming on the charger makes heat worse.

If the camera app is slow or crashes, update it and the system, clear its cache in Settings › Apps, and keep at least 10% of storage free.

Getting your phone ready for the exchange

Sony or the service centre will tell you whether to come in or post the phone. Either way, ten minutes of preparation saves lost data and delays.

1. Back up photos to Google Photos or a computer, and apps and settings with Google backup in Settings › System › Backup.
2. Copy the microSD card, then take it out along with your SIM. Cards and accessories rarely come back with an exchange.
3. Write down the IMEI and screenshot the checker result.
4. Find your proof of purchase: a receipt, order email or carrier invoice.
5. Sign out of your Google account and remove the screen lock if the centre asks, so they can process the phone. If it won’t turn on, tell them and they’ll handle it.
6. List any other faults, such as a scratched screen or weak battery, so the condition report is accurate.

When the new phone arrives, restore your backup during setup and run the new IMEI through Sony’s checker to make sure the replacement isn’t affected too.

Buying a used Xperia 1 VII

The defect is tied to specific units, so a used one can look perfect and still fail later. Sony’s checker answers that in seconds.

1. Ask for the IMEI, then confirm it in person with *#06#. It should match the SIM tray and the box.
2. Put it into Sony’s IMEI checker. If it’s affected and hasn’t been replaced, either price that in or ask the seller to complete the replacement first.
3. Run a manufacturer and model check to confirm it really is an Xperia 1 VII, and the right variant.
4. Check GSMA blacklist status so you don’t buy a phone reported lost or stolen.
5. If it came from a network, check whether it’s carrier-locked.