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How to pair JBL Bluetooth speakers, earbuds, and headphones

Get your JBL device working with your PC, Mac, or smartphone.
By

April 1, 2025

JBL makes all sorts of Bluetooth headphones, speakers, and earbuds, and it’s not always clear how to pair them with your phone, your computer, or each other with JBL PartyBoost. Don’t worry. We have you covered on how to pair JBL earbuds, speakers, and headphones with your devices.

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To pair your JBL Bluetooth speakers, earbuds, or headphones to your device, first put your JBL device into pairing mode. Usually, turning them on for the first time automatically puts them into pairing mode. If you're syncing them after the first boot, you'll need to manually put them in pairing mode.

Tpair your JBL headphones or buds to a new device, press the power button for around five seconds or tap and hold an earbud for about five seconds. To put a JBL speaker into pairing mode, turn it on and press the Bluetooth button. Once your JBL product is in pairing mode, you can sync it with other devices.


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How to turn on pairing mode on JBL headphones, earbuds, and speakers

JBL Charge 5 resting on a balcony with a cabin and forest in the background.
Zak Khan / Android Authority

Before using your JBL headphones, earbuds, or speakers with a device, you must put them into pairing mode. The specific steps to do this may vary depending on the product, but in general, here’s what to do:

  • For JBL headphones, turning on the headphones for the first time initiates pairing mode. To enable pairing mode after that, power the headphones off. Then, press and hold the power button for around five seconds. The LED will flash blue to indicate pairing mode.
  • JBL wireless earbuds automatically enter pairing mode when you open their case or take a bud out of the case. If that doesn’t work, manually tap and hold either earbud for five seconds to enter pairing mode. Some JBL earbuds require you to tap and hold the left bud, while others use the right one. Check your model’s manual to be sure.
  • If you have wireless JBL bands, you can automatically put them in pairing mode by turning them on. For the rest of the times you want to set it in pairing mode, it is usually done by pressing and holding the power button for around five seconds. Wait until the LED light flashes blue.
  • You can put JBL speakers into pairing mode by turning the speaker on and then pressing the Bluetooth button.

How to pair a JBL device to your Android phone

If you’re pairing your JBL device with an Android phone, turn Bluetooth on from your phone’s settings. Then, put your JBL device into pairing mode. Following that, here’s what to do on your phone:

  1. Launch the Settings app.
  2. Go into Connected devices.
  3. Select Pair new device.
  4. Wait for your device to appear in the list of devices.
  5. Tap on your JBL device.

These steps may vary depending on the brand and model of your Android phone.

How to pair a JBL device to your iPhone

To pair your JBL earbuds, speakers, or headphones with your iPhone, enable Bluetooth on your phone and then put your JBL device into pairing mode. Then, do the following on your iPhone:

  1. Launch the Settings app.
  2. Go into Bluetooth.
  3. Wait for your JBL device to appear in the list of devices.
  4. Tap on your device.

How to pair JBL devices to a Windows PC

Windows users can also pair JBL devices with their Bluetooth-enabled PCs. First, turn on your computer’s Bluetooth setting. After that, put your JBL device into pairing mode. After that, do these steps on your PC:

  1. Click on Start.
  2. Launch the Settings app.
  3. Go into Bluetooth & devices.
  4. Select Add device.
  5. Pick Bluetooth.
  6. Wait for your JBL device to appear in the list of devices.
  7. Select your JBL device.

How to pair JBL devices to a Mac

Mac users will follow similar steps to Windows users to get their JBL speakers, earbuds, or headphones synced with their computer. Enable Bluetooth on your Mac, and then put your JBL device into pairing mode. After that, complete the following:

  1. Click on the Apple Menu.
  2. Select System Settings.
  3. Go into Bluetooth.
  4. Wait for your JBL device to appear on the list.
  5. Click Connect next to your JBL device.
Connect headphones to Mac or MacBook over Bluetooth

How do you pair JBL speakers together?

To pair JBL speakers together, they must be compatible with JBL Connect Plus, PartyBoost, or Auracast. These are similar technologies, but you can’t use them interchangeably. Different JBL speakers can only connect to each other if they use the same technology. Auracast is the newest, so let’s start with that one.

To pair your JBL speakers together with Auracast, follow these steps:

  1. Connect your speaker to your phone.
  2. Find the Auracast button on your speaker. Press it until you hear the speaker say “Auracast on.”
  3. Now, press the Auracast button on the following speakers. They will automatically connect to the main one.

To pair your JBL speakers together with PartyBoost, follow these steps:

  1. Connect your speaker to your phone.
  2. Download the JBL Portable app from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.
  3. Press the Connect button for all the speakers you’re trying to connect together. They will connect and appear in the JBL Portable app within 30 seconds.
  4. Choose between stereo or party mode for playback. Party syncs playback across all devices (up to 100), while stereo mode works for two speakers.

To pair your JBL speakers together with Connect+, follow these steps:

  1. Connect your speaker to your phone.
  2. Play music through the first speaker.
  3. Press the Connect button on all of the speakers you’re trying to connect. They will connect within 30 seconds.

Top JBL speakers, earbuds, and headphones questions and answers

Your JBL speaker may not be pairing to your device because it’s not in pairing mode. To enable pairing mode, be sure to power the speaker on and press the Bluetooth button.

If your JBL speaker still isn’t pairing, you may need to reset the device. All you have to do to reset your JBL speaker is turn it on and press and hold the volume up and down buttons until the power button glows.

Yes, your wireless JBL headphones, earbuds, and speakers should all reconnect to a device after the initial pairing process. Make sure you’ve enabled Bluetooth on your device for this to work.

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