Sony confirms Xperia 1 VII defects: How to check if your smartphone is affected

Sony has officially suspended sales of the Xperia 1 VII in early July, as the company suspected that a defect causes the increasing number of reported shutdowns and crashes. Sony Germany now confirms that the cause of these problems has been identified. The defect was traced back to a faulty circuit board, which can lead to power supply issues.

Sony states that it has changed the manufacturing process for this particular circuit board in order to ensure the problem does not affect new Xperia 1 VII units. According to Sony, this flaw only affects a "small number" of Xperia 1 VII devices, but Sony has not provided further details or an exact number of affected units. However, the company has been able to identify which smartphones are impacted. Starting July 21, 2025, Sony is offering a replacement program for affected smartphones.

How to check if your Xperia 1 VII is affected

Users can check if their Xperia 1 VII is affected by looking up their IMEI number, which is advisable even if the phone has not shown any issues thus far. The IMEI number can be found by dialing *#06# in the phone app. Alternatively, the 15-digit number is also printed on the SIM tray and the retail packaging.

Shoppers from the UK can enter their number on this website in order to determine if the device is affected. If that’s the case, it can be replaced at an authorized service center. Owners who purchased the smartphone from the Sony Online Store can also contact the manufacturer via a dedicated contact page and arrange the replacement.