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

How to Connect Google Mini to Bluetooth Speaker

This post shows how to connect Google Mini to a Bluetooth speaker.  Here, we demo this using JBL ‘s Flip 3 Bluetooth speaker.  Since this connecting happens between the Flip 3 and Google Mini speakers directly, you need not turn on Bluetooth in the mobile device you’re using to establish this connection.

How to Connect Google Mini to Bluetooth Speaker, Step-by-Step

With your Bluetooth speaker powered off (power button is dark), run through this routine to connect it to your Google Mini. We use an iPad Air tablet here to create this BT connection. The routine is similar for the other Google smart speaker products, as most of them can connect to Bluetooth speakers.

Now, to the directions.

1. Find the Home App on your Mobile Device

We found the Home app on an 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 pink 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 shown in the next screenshot.

Picture of the Home app on iOS, displaying its home screen, with the hamburger menu control highlighted. How to connect Google Mini to Bluetooth speaker.
The 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 bright pink arrow in the last picture.

This brings up the app’s main menu, as shown in the next pic. 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 Mini to Bluetooth Speaker

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

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





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

Picture of the Google Mini Speaker, as displayed in the Google Home App, showing in the Devices list, with its Device Menu location highlighted.
Google 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 Mini Speaker you Wish to Connect to your Bluetooth Speaker

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

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

Picture of the Home app on iOS, with a Google Mini device control menu displaying, with the Settings Item in that menu highlighted. How to connect Google Mini to Bluetooth speaker.
The Home app on iOS, with a Google 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 pink in the last screenshot.

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

Screenshot of the Home app on iOS, showing its -Device Settings- screen, top of that page.
The 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 Home app on iOS, showing its -Device Settings- screen, with the -Default Speaker- item highlighted.
The Home app on iOS , showing its -Device Settings- screen, with the -Default Speaker- item highlighted.

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

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

Picture of the Home app on iOS, showing its -Choose Default Speaker- screen, with the -Pair Bluetooth Speaker- item highlighted. How to connect Google Mini to Bluetooth speaker.
The 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 Mini speaker. Remember now that you’ve chosen the speaker to connect with in step 5 above. So, that particular Google Mini will be the one that scans for in-range Bluetooth speakers to connect with, like the JBL Flip 3 Bluetooth speaker we’re demonstrating with here.





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

9. Turn On your Bluetooth Speaker

Put down your tablet / phone for a moment.

Then, turn on the BT speaker, usually by quickly pressing and releasing its Power button. See this button encircled in green on our speaker, 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 Mini does not know about this speaker yet, the Bluetooth speaker will not pair with it right away.

Note that your Bluetooth speaker go into pairing mode automatically 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 Bluetooth Speaker into Discovery Mode

Now, to allow the Google Mini to find your BT speaker, place that speaker into Bluetooth pairing / discovery mode. Follow the directions for your particular Bluetooth speaker to do that.  In our demo here, we 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, your BT speaker may  make some sort of sound to let you know that it’s ready to pair. Ours makes a repeating guitar plucking sound.  Also on the speaker here, 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. How to connect Google Mini to Bluetooth speaker.
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 Home app, showing its -Choose Default Speaker- screen, with the -Pair Bluetooth Speaker- item highlighted.
The Home app, 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 Mini to Bluetooth Speaker

This starts your Google Mini speaker scanning for any nearby Bluetooth devices that are themselves in Bluetooth discovery mode. Since your Bluetooth Speaker should now be in this mode, your Mini should find it.

The next screenshot shows the Bluetooth scanning in progress.

Picture of the Home app, showing its -Pair Your Bluetooth Speaker- screen, while scanning for Bluetooth devices.
The Home app, 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 Home app, showing a JBL Flip 3 Bluetooth speaker discovered, with the Done link highlighted. How to connect Google Mini to Bluetooth speaker.
The Home app, showing a JBL Flip 3 Bluetooth speaker discovered, with the Done link highlighted.

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





If the Mini 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 just one device. So the one it found (our BT speaker here) was ticked by default.

13. Tap the Done Item

Touching  Done  makes the Google Mini then connect with the Bluetooth speaker (“Tom’s Flip 3” in this demo).

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

Picture of the Home app, displaying its -Choose a Default Speaker- screen, showing a JBL Flip 3 speaker chosen and highlighted.
The Home App on iOS. Displaying its -Choose a Default Speaker- screen, showing a JBL Flip 3 speaker chosen and highlighted.

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

The Bluetooth speaker is now connected with our Google Mini. Its Power button glows solid blue. This means that a successful Bluetooth connection is working, as seen next.

Picture of a common Bluetooth speaker, showing its Power button glowing blue, indicating that this speaker is connected. How to connect Google Mini to Bluetooth speaker.
A common Bluetooth speaker, showing its power button glowing blue, indicating that this speaker is connected.

14. Done with How to Connect Google Mini to Bluetooth Speaker !

We now may ask Google Mini to play music or other audio programming.  Then that audio now plays on the Bluetooth speaker.

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

Other Posts About the Google Mini Speaker Assistant

    1. Google Mini Reset Button, Where Is It
    2. How to Reset Google Mini Speaker
    3. Google Mini Charger Specs for Mini Google Speaker
    4. How to Change Google Mini WiFi Network
    5. Factory Reset Google Mini Speaker Instructions

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References for How to Connect Google Mini to Bluetooth Speaker

    1. Google Mini Speaker Support Page on Google.com

Revision History

    • 2020-05-18: First published.