Picture of a Google Home Mini smart speaker alongside a JBL Flip 3 Bluetooth speaker.

How to Connect Google Home Mini to Bluetooth

This post shows how to connect Google Home Mini to Bluetooth speakers.  Here, we show how to do this using JBL ‘s Flip 3 portable Bluetooth speaker.  Since this connecting happens between the Flip 3 and Google Mini speakers directly, you need not activate Bluetooth On in the mobile device you’re using to establish this connection.

How to Connect Google Home Mini to Bluetooth Instructions, Step-by-Step

With your JBL Flip 3 powered off (power button is dark), run through this routine to connect it to your Google Home Mini smart speaker. We’re using an iPad Air tablet to create this Bluetooth connection. The routine is similar for the other Google smart speaker products mentioned above, as all of them can connect to Bluetooth speakers wirelessly.

Now, to the procedure.

1. Find the Google Home App on your Mobile Device

We found the Home app on our iOS iPad Air as seen in the next screenshot. In our case, this program is on the third home screen page, called out by the purple arrow.

Picture of the Google Home App entry, as shown on the iOS home screen.
The Google Home App entry, as shown on the iOS home screen.

2. Run this Home App

The app then shows its Home  screen as depicted in the next screenshot.

Picture of the Google Home app on iOS, displaying its home screen, with the hamburger menu control highlighted.
Google Home app on iOS, displaying its home screen, with the hamburger menu control highlighted.

3. Tap the Main Menu (Hamburger) Control

Find the hamburger item near the top left screen corner. This is pointed at by the purple arrow in the previous picture.

This brings up the Google Home app’s main menu, as highlighted in the next screenshot. It’s the white rectangle on the left side of the screen.

Picture of the Google Home app on iOS, displaying its hamburger menu, with the Devices Item highlighted.
Google Home app on iOS, displaying its hamburger menu, with the Devices Item highlighted.




4. Tap the Devices Option on the Main Menu to Continue with How to Connect Google Home Mini to Bluetooth Speakers

The Devices option is pointed at by the arrow in the last photo.

This brings up the Devices screen, as seen in the next picture.

From there, pick which Google Home smart speaker device you want to connect with the JBL Flip 3 Bluetooth speaker. We scrolled down a little on this screen to bring our Google Home Mini speaker into view, named Office Speaker.

Picture of the Google Home Mini Speaker, as displayed in the Google Home App, showing in the Devices list, with its Device Menu location highlighted.
Google Home Mini Speaker, as displayed in the Google Home App, showing in the Devices list, with its Device Menu location highlighted.

5. Tap the Hamburger Control on the Google Home Speaker you Wish to Connect

Find that menu control near the top right corner of each speaker card, as seen in the last photograph.

This brings up the selected speaker’s control menu, as shown next.

Picture of the Google Home app on iOS, with a Google Home Mini device control menu displaying, with the Settings Item in that menu highlighted.
Google Home app on iOS, with a Google Home Mini device control menu displaying, with the Settings Item in that menu highlighted.

6. Tap the Settings Menu Item

We circled the Settings menu item in purple in the last screenshot.

Tapping Settings takes you to the device-specific settings screen for the Google Home Mini speaker chosen, as seen next.

Screenshot of the Google Home app on iOS, showing its -Device Settings- screen, top of that page.
Google Home app on iOS, showing its -Device Settings- screen, top of that page.

7. Scroll Down to the Device Settings Section

Scroll through the Device Settings screen, until you get to the Default Speaker item. We’ve highlighted this option with a blue arrow in the next picture.

Screenshot of the Google Home app on iOS, showing its -Device Settings- screen, with the -Default Speaker- item highlighted.
Google Home app on iOS in 2018, showing its -Device Settings- screen, with the -Default Speaker- item highlighted.




8. Tap the Default Speaker Item to Continue with How to Connect Google Home Mini to Bluetooth 

This brings up the Choose a Default Speaker for Music and Audio screen, as shown next.

Picture of the Google Home app on iOS, showing its -Choose Default Speaker- screen, with the -Pair Bluetooth Speaker- item highlighted.
Google Home app on iOS in 2018, showing its -Choose Default Speaker- screen, with the -Pair Bluetooth Speaker- item highlighted.

At this point, you’re ready to start a Bluetooth scan by your Google Home Mini speaker. Remember now that you’ve selected the Home speaker to connect with in step 5 above. So, that particular Google Mini speaker will be the one that scans for in-range Bluetooth speakers to connect with, like the JBL Flip 3.

But don’t press the Pair Bluetooth Speaker item button in the last screenshot just yet. We must first power up your Flip 3 speaker and put it into pairing discovery mode.

9. Turn On your JBL Flip 3 Bluetooth Speaker

Put down your tablet / phone for a moment.

Then, turn on the JBL Flip 3 by quickly pressing its Power button. See this button encircled in green, in the next photo.

Picture of the JBL Flip 3 splashproof Bluetooth speaker, top view, showing power button highlighted. Speaker is OFF.
JBL Flip 3 splashproof Bluetooth speaker, top view, showing power button highlighted. Speaker is OFF.

The speaker then powers ON.

But since our Google Home Mini does not know about this speaker yet, the Flip 3 will not pair with it instantly. Thus, the light that comes on in the power switch denotes this not-paired state by glowing white, as we show in the next shot.

Note that your Flip 3 Bluetooth speaker may flashing blue if you’ve never paired it with a device since its last hard reset. In that case, skip the next step (Step 10) and continue with Step 11.

Picture of a common Bluetooth speaker, top view, power button glowing white, highlighted. Speaker powered ON.
A common Bluetooth speaker, top view, power button glowing white, highlighted. Speaker powered ON.

10. Put your JBL Bluetooth Speaker into Discovery Mode

Now, to allow the Google Home Mini speaker to find your Flip 3, place that speaker into Bluetooth discovery mode. For that, quickly press and release the Bluetooth button, that we point out in the next picture.

Picture of a typical BT speaker. Showing its Bluetooth pairing button highlighted.
A typical BT speaker, showing its Bluetooth pairing button highlighted.

When you press the Bluetooth Discovery Mode button, the Flip 3 makes a repeating single pluck guitar note sound several times. Also, the power button changes from a solid white glow to flashing blue. See this next.

Picture of a run-of-the-mill Bluetooth speaker, showing its power button glowing blue.
A run-of-the-mill Bluetooth speaker, showing its power button glowing blue.




11. Go Back to your Mobile Device (Tablet or Phone)

The screen with the blue Pair Bluetooth Speaker option should still show, as ours dd in the next screenshot.

Picture of the Google Home app on iOS in 2018, showing its -Choose Default Speaker- screen, with the -Pair Bluetooth Speaker- item highlighted.
Google Home app on iOS in 2018, showing its -Choose Default Speaker- screen, with the -Pair Bluetooth Speaker- item highlighted.

12. Tap the Pair Bluetooth Speaker Item to Continue with How to Connect Google Home Mini to Bluetooth

This starts your Google Home speaker scanning for any nearby Bluetooth devices that are themselves in Bluetooth discovery mode. Since your Flip 3 is now in Bluetooth discovery mode, your Google Home Mini should find it.

The next screenshot shows the Bluetooth scanning in progress.

Picture of the Google Home app on iOS, showing its -Pair Your Bluetooth Speaker- screen, while scanning for Bluetooth devices.
Google Home app on iOS in 2018, showing its -Pair Your Bluetooth Speaker- screen, while scanning for Bluetooth devices.

After a brief pause, your Google Home Mini should find the JBL Flip 3, and list it as we see next.

Picture of the Google Home App on iOS. Showing a JBL Flip 3 Bluetooth speaker discovered, with the Done link highlighted.
Google Home App on iOS. Showing a JBL Flip 3 Bluetooth speaker discovered, with the Done link highlighted.

In our demo, the Google Home Mini speaker found our JBL Flip 3, named Tom’s Flip 3.  See this entry near the top of the previous screenshot. It’s the one with the little blue ball on its left side with a check mark inside.

If Google Home found more than one Bluetooth speaker, then tap the one you want. That blue check mark then appears beside the speaker you picked.

Now our scan found the JBL Flip 3, named Tom’s Flip 3. Just one device. So ours was selected by default.

13. Tap the Done Item

Touching  Done  causes our Google Home Mini speaker to then connect wirelessly with the Flip 3 (“Tom’s Flip 3” in this demo).

The Google Home app then took us back to its Choose a Default Speaker for Music and Video screen, as shown next.

Picture of the Google Home App on iOS. Displaying its -Choose a Default Speaker- screen, showing a JBL Flip 3 speaker chosen and highlighted. Connect Google Home Mini to Bluetooth speakers.
Google Home App on iOS. Displaying its -Choose a Default Speaker- screen, showing a JBL Flip 3 speaker chosen and highlighted.

At that time,, the JBL Flip 3 makes the Speaker Paired sound (the three rising  guitar sounds). Note the blue check mark to the left of the new default speaker in the last screenshot.

The JBL Flip 3 speaker is now connected with our Google Home Mini. It’s power button glows solid blue. This means that a successful Bluetooth connection is working, as seen next.

Picture of the JBL Flip 3 battery powered Bluetooth speaker, showing its power button glowing blue, indicating that this speaker is connected.
JBL Flip 3 battery powered Bluetooth speaker, showing its power button glowing blue, indicating that this speaker is connected. Connect Google Home Mini to Bluetooth speakers.




14. Done with How to Connect Google Home Mini to Bluetooth Speakers !

We now may ask Google Home Mini to play music or other audio content.  Then that audio now plays on this small but bassy JBL Flip 3 wireless speaker.

Note though, that only the media you request actually plays through your Bluetooth speaker. The Google Assistant however, still speaks from the Google Home Mini smart speaker. Also, speak directly to your Google Home, and not to the JBL Flip 3, when making voice requests.

Enjoy!

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Other Posts About the Google Home Mini Smart Speaker

    1. How to Resume Google Home Mini
    2. Lower Volume on Google Home Mini, How To
    3. How to Adjust Bass and Treble on Google Home Mini
    4. Unlink Spotify from Google Home Mini, How To
    5. How to Set Up Google Home Mini

References for How to Connect Google Home Mini to Bluetooth

    1. JBL Flip 3 Splashproof Wireless Speaker at JBL.com
    2. Google Home Mini Smart Speakers at the Google Store

Revision History

    • 2020-05-10: Added the Other Posts About… section.
    • 2019-05-05: Tuned the targeting for ‘Connect Google Home Mini to Bluetooth speakers’.
    • 2019-01-17: First published.