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How to Connect JBL Speakers and Headphones to Bluetooth

by Josh Kirschner on November 28, 2023

Updated on 11/28/2023 with the latest instructions on Windows 11 and multipoint pairing.

JBL has a wide range of speakers and headphones that use a Bluetooth connection for streaming and making calls. The process varies slightly between models and types of products, but the essential steps are the same. Follow these steps, and your JBL device will be ready for you to enjoy music and calls wirelessly in no time.

1. Turn on pairing mode for your JBL device

You do not need the JBL app installed to set up to pair your JBL device (though you will want to install it to access your product's more advanced features and install firmware updates). If your speaker/headphone/soundbar hasn't been connected to Bluetooth before, it will automatically start up in pairing mode when you power it on (you should notice the LED light blinking).

If you have paired your device previously, you can manually put it in pairing mode. For speakers, hold down the Bluetooth button for at least 3 seconds until the LED flashes (JBL speakers typically have a dedicated Bluetooth button). With JBL over-ear and on-ear headphones, the Power button usually doubles as the Bluetooth button. For earbuds, take both buds out of the case, then tap and hold the control button (or touch interface) for five seconds to put them into pairing mode.

2. Find your JBL device on your phone, tablet, or laptop and pair them

Paring with Android

For stock Android devices, like Google Pixel phones, swipe down from the top of the screen. Touch and hold the Bluetooth icon to access Bluetooth settings. Turn on Bluetooth, if it's off, and tap on "Pair new device." Look for your JBL devices under "Available devices" and tap on it to connect.

For Samsung phones, swipe down from the top of the screen. Tap the Bluetooth icon to turn it on if it's off. Press and hold the Bluetooth icon to access the Bluetooth pairing screen. You'll either see a screen pop up with a notice to connect to your JBL device, or you'll see it in the list of "Available devices." Either tap the "Connect button" or select your device to connect.

Two screenshots of Bluetooth Settings. On the left, you see the Samsung Bluetooth screen with an option to Connect to the JBL TUNE230NC TWS. On the right you see an Pixel Bluetooth screen with the option to Pair new device circled in red.

Pairing with iPhone

Open the Settings app and then select Bluetooth. Turn on Bluetooth, if it's off. Look for your JBL device under “Other Devices” and tap on it to connect.

Two screenshots of iOS 17 Settings. On the left, you see the main settings page with Bluetooth circled. On the right, you see the Bluetooth screen with the JBL TUNE230NC TWS circled in the Other devices section.

Pairing with MacOS

On your Mac, open the Apple menu, select "System Settings," and then click on "Bluetooth." Select your JBL device from the list, then click Connect.

Pairing with Windows 11

Open “Bluetooth & devices” in Windows Settings by clicking the Bluetooth button in the toolbar and selecting “Add a Bluetooth Device.” If the Bluetooth button is hidden, click on the Windows icon in the lower-left corner of the taskbar, select Settings, and then "Bluetooth & devices."

When the "Bluetooth & devices" window opens, click “Add device.” In the "Add a device window, select "Bluetooth." Look for your JBL device in the list and click on it to connect.

Bluetooth Settings screen for Windows 11 with the Add Device button pointed out and the Windows icon and Bluetooth & devices menu option circled.

3. Confirm successful pairing

When you have successfully paired your JBL speakers or headphones to your phone or laptop, the LED on your JBL device will stop blinking, and you should hear an audio confirmation (either a tone or voice confirmation) that your device is paired.

4. Use multipoint to connect headphones to a second device

Many JBL headphones, including those in the Live Series, Tune Series, Club Series, and Tour Series, enable you to connect with multiple devices simultaneously using multipoint technology. This allows you to use one pair of headphones to listen to a Zoom call and automatically switch to pick up an incoming call to your phone. Here’s how to set up multipoint:

Turn on your JBL headphones and connect to the first device.
Once connected to the first device, put the headphones into pairing mode to connect to the second device. For over-ear and on-ear headphones, press the Bluetooth button. For earbuds, tap and then press and hold the control button. The headphones will start searching for the second device, indicated by a flashing LED.
On the second device, go to the Bluetooth settings. Your JBL headphones should appear in the list of discoverable devices within a few moments. Select your headphones to complete the pairing process.

Note: If your headphones do not appear in the list of discoverable devices on the second device while they are in pairing mode, turn off the Bluetooth settings on the second device and turn them back on. This action often resets the Bluetooth search, making your headphones appear in the list of discoverable devices.

5. Troubleshoot your Bluetooth connection

If you have followed the steps above and your device still isn’t pairing, try the steps in our detailed guide on how to fix Bluetooth pairing problems.

[Image credits: Jonathan Takiff/Techlicious, screenshots via Techlicious]

Josh Kirschner is the co-founder of Techlicious and has been covering consumer tech for more than a decade. Josh started his first company while still in college, a consumer electronics retailer focused on students. His writing has been featured in Today.com, NBC News and Time.

Topics

Music and Video, Home Audio, Speakers, Headphones, Tips & How-Tos, Tech 101

Discussion

From Donna on January 23, 2019 :: 1:13 pm

How do I connect my speakers to a Google Home mini

From Suzanne Kantra on January 23, 2019 :: 4:59 pm

To connect your speaker to a Google Home mini via Bluetooth, you need to pair it using the Google Home app.

- Open the Google Home App
- Tap the Google Home device (i.e. your Google Home mini) you’d like to pair with your speaker
- In the top right corner, tap the Settings gear icon, the select Default music speaker
- Tap Pair Bluetooth speaker. Your Google Home mini will then scan for Bluetooth speakers.
- Tap the JBL speaker when it appears on the screen.

For more details on Google Home mini Bluetooth speakers pairing, check out the Google FAQ.

From Firmansyah on November 12, 2020 :: 11:21 pm

I never successed to pair my JBL Amour Headphone bluetooth to Samsung A71. Please tell me who has successed to do it.
Many thanks

From Chris joseph on July 07, 2019 :: 11:07 am

How do I connect it to a ps4?

From Chris joseph on July 07, 2019 :: 11:09 am

My headphone is an E55bt

From ROB on August 06, 2022 :: 8:11 pm

WHEN I PUT MY USB IN IM JBL SPEAKER I CANNOT HEAR MY MUSIC CAN YOU WALK ME THROUGHT IT

From Josh Kirschner on July 10, 2019 :: 12:04 pm

You can’t connect your JBL headphones directly to the PS4 with Bluetooth because PS4 doesn’t support Bluetooth audio out. However, you can get a wireless USB Bluetooth adapter, plug that into your PS4 and select the “USB headset” as your audio device in your PS4 output settings.

A basic Bluetooth USB adapter will run you around $10 on Amazon: https://amzn.to/2LO16OL

From BTA on November 01, 2019 :: 10:00 am

I have both the clip 2 and clip 3 when paired to my galaxy s10, both devices connect to the phones BT however there is a significant delay between the 2 speakers causing sound to be unbearable. Any advice?

Thx

From Josh Kirschner on November 04, 2019 :: 6:37 pm

If you want the Clip 2 and Clip 3 to be synced, you need to daisy chain them together, not connect both to the phone. The steps are to connect one of the speakers to the phone, then hold down the pairing button on BOTH the speakers for more than 5 seconds. This should pair the speakers to each other for properly synced sound. For more detail, see the Clip2 owner’s manual.

From Ian Mutch on July 08, 2019 :: 10:30 am

Directions that begin turn on pairing ap are of no use I need directions that start with turn your phone on by pressing ....

From Kelly Clubb on July 18, 2019 :: 4:54 pm

Pairing mode is turned on JBL devices by pressing and holding the Bluetooth button for typically 3-5 seconds while powered on.

From Ian Mutch on July 10, 2019 :: 3:03 pm

None of these explanations are of any use go to bluetooth on your phone and click pair it says but the option doesn’t exist end of

From Josh Kirschner on July 10, 2019 :: 3:12 pm

Hi Ian,

If you would like more guidance, I need more info about what phone you’re using and where exactly in the process you are getting stuck.

Josh

From Kelly Clubb on July 18, 2019 :: 4:50 pm

Why does it seem like people are trolling?

Go to Settings on your phone, goto Bluetooth, make sure it’s turned on, place the speaker in pairing mode, tap on speaker when it shows up. Boom, you’re paired.

* Some devices you have to click Pair New Device in order for it to search for devices in pairing mode. Different versions of Android or iOS may vary slightly. Use some common sense though.

From Darren on August 18, 2019 :: 12:00 am

My JBL 500bt will not pair with the Bluetooth transmitter that I have put on my television other headphones have worked but kept breaking so how do I remedy the pairing issue

From Josh Kirschner on August 19, 2019 :: 1:14 pm

I would try resetting both the headphones and the transmitter and retry to pair. If that doesn’t work, will need to know more details about the problem and where in the process it is failing.

From Matthew on August 28, 2019 :: 11:11 am

I have the same problem with these headphones. Pairing is turned on both devices, but its not connecting.

From Bert Beattie on August 29, 2019 :: 11:12 am

Hey there,

When I go to the bluetooth settings in my windows 10 laptop I can’t see the headphones as an option to pair with? Is it possible to pair the two?

From Josh Kirschner on September 03, 2019 :: 11:23 am

You should be able to pair pretty much any pair of Bluetooth headphones or speaker to your laptop. If you’re not seeing the JBL Tune 600ntbc when you open your laptop Bluetooth settings, it sounds like the headphones aren’t in pairing mode or are already pairing to another device (your phone?) before the laptop has a chance to connect.

From Dimitrios on August 29, 2019 :: 12:26 pm

Hi there,
My Samsung smart TV (new 2019 model) cannot detect by EB55BT headphones.
I can connect them to my Samsung Phone, I can connect the phone to the TV, but not the headphones to the TV…?
Any ideas?

From Josh Kirschner on September 03, 2019 :: 11:42 am

Is the issue that the TV isn’t seeing the headphones or it is giving an error message when trying to connect? If you’re not seeing the EB55BT headphones in your Samsung TV Bluetooth settings, have you made sure the headphones aren’t already pairing to your phone?

From Amanda on July 21, 2021 :: 11:02 am

I have paired my device, auto only, but it will ring stop playing , help

From Robert on December 12, 2019 :: 7:51 pm

Hi, I have the JBL charge 4 and it connects wonderfully to my phone but when I try to connect it to my Win. 10 laptop it asks for a pin, yet there is no pin.

From donna smith on February 16, 2020 :: 2:10 pm

I can’t get any sound to my ear plugs. I have a JBL Endurance DIVE set. It has successfully paired to my laptop, an HP Windows 8.1, but no sound comes thru. help….

From Josh Kirschner on February 17, 2020 :: 2:37 pm

In your Windows sound settings, what device is listed as the “output device”?

From Jackson Gibb on March 06, 2020 :: 11:48 pm

Mine won’t connect to my phone. O turn them on and they start to blink red and blue but my phone won’t see them, is it because of my phone? (Google pixel 3)

From Brian Kraeker on September 29, 2020 :: 2:34 pm

When I connect these headphones to my laptop. they pair fine, but windows gives me a pin number to correspond to on my device, which there is nothing to display a pin number on. Windows seems to read these headphones as something other than an audio device. I have updated drivers and no change.

From Josh Kirschner on September 30, 2020 :: 2:43 pm

Did you try to “forget” the JBL headphones in your laptop’s Bluetooth settings, then try to re-pair from scratch by holding down the power button when you turn them on until they go into pairing mode?

From Alistair on October 28, 2020 :: 3:03 am

I am having trouble connecting my new headphones to my phone (huawei p30).
I’ve tryed all the basic stuff, puttem kn pairing mode, searched for it turned the bt on the phone on/off.
It connects fine to my gf’s iphone, i also used to have exactly the same headphones and they connected fine.
Any ideas?

From Logan Gordon on November 08, 2020 :: 3:23 pm

My headphones won’t connect, they are on, but they don’t even show up on the Bluetooth pairing, I’ve used them on this device, but it just won’t show up. I’ve tried it on other devices and they work. I’ve restarted the phone 5 times, the headphones 4 times, I’ve turned Bluetooth on and off, but nothing is working. Any suggestions?

From Maggie on January 03, 2021 :: 7:03 pm

I have a iPhone 7s my JBL10 won’t sync tried everything

From Lauren Wilson on May 02, 2021 :: 3:00 pm

Did you figure it out? I’m having the same problem!

From Jason Struck on January 23, 2021 :: 9:49 am

After a week of wanting to skip these earbuds across a parking lot, I had to turn the phone Bluetooth off and the laptop found it after about half a minute.

From Kathy on February 14, 2021 :: 3:35 pm

Thanks sooo much. I would turn to again 👍👍👍

From Rolston James on February 16, 2021 :: 12:24 am

Lately my JBL has been automatically pairing to some other device that’s not mince and no matter how much I press the Bluetooth button to disconnect it would not. How do I stop it from doing that?

From Josh Kirschner on February 16, 2021 :: 2:25 pm

Bluetooth has a very short range, so it seems unlikely that your JBL device (you didn’t say what it is) would be pairing to someone else’s device. Are you sure you are holding the pairing button long enough to put it into pairing mode? More details here would be helpful.

From Rolston James on February 16, 2021 :: 2:51 pm

Hi Josh, thanks for your response..much appreciated. My device is a JBL Flip 3. After reading some the other comments on this site, I tried several things such removing the JBL from my computer Bluetooth list, turning it off and on while keeping the Bluetooth button pressed for awhile and so far it hasn’t done that. Another interesting realization is that after doing rearranging of electronics equipment, every time I open up iTunes I would get an error message about an unrecognizable Bluetooth equipment showing up, so perhaps that’s something I should look into if it happens again. Again, much thanks for your response…

From Janet on April 20, 2021 :: 1:15 am

Thank You SO much for solving the pairing issue I had with my new phone & my JBL charge 3. So easy to read and digest the information you gave. Fantastic. Thank You.

From Josh Kirschner on April 22, 2021 :: 7:17 pm

Bluetooth pairing can be frustrating at times, even for us “experts”. Glad my article helped you out.

From Eddie on August 25, 2021 :: 2:10 am

Can I connect my soundbar (JBL) to my Headset (JBL) and get TV audio. If so a link to instruction would be appreciated.

From Emily Esposito on January 01, 2022 :: 11:13 am

thank you so much! worked perfectly!

From Joseph on October 13, 2022 :: 12:26 am

How do I get audio to play from my wired headset when it’s plugged into the jbl clip 3? I’ve counted to the clip via Bluetooth does that mean I can’t use the aux pot for a gaming headset?

From susan Morrison on May 04, 2023 :: 4:40 pm

I have turned off the bluetooth on my phone and turned my earphones on by pulling back on the earpiece ring. i hold it up to the machine but it does not find my device lately on the machine. What can I do to make my JBL endurance Peak 2 headphones directly discoverable to the gym machines? It has worked in the past. Thanks.

From diana rose on November 26, 2023 :: 12:26 pm

I have a jbl bluetooth (Charge4) portable. It is operating fine with my android phone. But…I can’t get it to receive any Spotify music from my P.C.(OAS Windows 11) the speaker sits next to my P.C. Please Help.
d.r.

From Josh Kirschner on November 27, 2023 :: 8:47 pm

Is it paired to your PC and not receiving sound or are you having trouble pairing it? If it is paired, does the speaker receive other sounds from your PC (e.g., system sounds, video audio, etc.)?

From Michelle Stracey on January 10, 2024 :: 2:10 am

I’m trying to pair my JBL soundbar to my phone and I’ve got the Bluetooth light flashing on the soundbar and it comes up on my phone that JBL speaker is there when I try to connect it it says cannot connect with The JBL speaker as it’s the wrong pass key or pin can you explain to me how I remedy this problem

How to Connect JBL Speakers and Headphones to Bluetooth

1. Turn on pairing mode for your JBL device