Picture of the JBL Boombox speaker behind an iPhone.

How to Connect JBL Boombox with iPhone

This post shows how to connect the JBL Boombox Bluetooth speaker with iPhone, a decently simple process once you know how to get to the various iPhone screens.

In summary, with your speaker shut off (Power button dark), run through this routine to pair your Boombox to an iPad, iPhone, or iPod Touch iOS based device. We’re using an iPad Air tablet in this demo.  But pairing is nearly the same for all the other iOS devices, although the screen layouts may vary depending on the unit you’re using.

How to Connect JBL Boombox with iPhone, Step by Step

1. Visit the Home Screen on your iPhone

Firstly, press the Home button to show the  Home   screen.  See our Home screen as pictured next.  We demonstrate with an iPad Air here since screen objects are a bit larger and photograph more clearly than on the iPhone.  But connecting an iPhone to the JBL Boombox is virtually the same as on an iPad.  So we’re confident that these instructions done with an iPad will be just as accurate and helpful as they would be if we’d used an iPhone.

2. Find the Settings App

Secondly, we found ours on the second page of the Home screen.

The -Settings- app icon on the iPhone -Home- screen.
iPhone -Home- screen showing the -Settings- app.

3. Bring up the Settings App

Tap the Settings app icon.

The iPhone then draws the first page of its Settings screen, as shown in the next picture.

Screenshot of the -Bluetooth- option on the iPhone 12 Pro Max -Settings- page.
iPhone -Settings- page, showing the -Bluetooth- option.

4. Go to the Bluetooth Settings  Page to Continue with How to Connect JBL Boombox with iPhone

Tap the Bluetooth item, as pointed at by the lime green arrow in the last photo.





Our Bluetooth Settings screen then comes up as we show in the next picture. Note that our Bluetooth is switched ON. But since our Boombox JBL speaker is currently OFF, it does not appear in either the My Devices or Other Devices lists just yet.  How come?  Because we’ve never paired it with this mobile device before.  And besides, the speaker is not yet broadcasting its connection information, as it is OFF. See this, as shown next.

Screenshot of the -Bluetooth Settings- page on an iPhone.
The iPhone -Bluetooth Settings- page.

5. Turn On your Boombox Speaker 

Switch on this speaker by gently but rapidly depressing its Power button. See the Power button on this speaker pointed at by the green arrow in the next picture.

Top View of the JBL Boombox BT speaker, showing the -Power- button glowing.
Top View of the JBL Boombox BT speaker, showing the -Power- button glowing.

The speaker then comes to life, playing the guitar strum of rising pitch.

But since the iPhone you’re connecting probably does not know about this speaker, the Boombox will not pair with it by itself. The light that brightens in the Power switch advertises this not-paired situation by glowing either solid white or blinking blue, as shown in the last picture.

6. Put your Boombox into Discovery Mode

Now, to see your speaker on your iPhone, place the speaker into Bluetooth Discovery / Pairing mode. To do that, depress and release the Bluetooth button on the speaker, as highlighted in the next picture.  It’s the raised switch on the left top portion of the speaker, in the shape of the Bluetooth logo.

JBL Boombox speaker top view, showing the -Bluetooth- button.
JBL Boombox speaker top view, showing the -Bluetooth- button.

When you depress this button, the speaker plays a single repeating guitar pluck sound a few times. Plus, the Power button goes from a solid white glow to flashing blue. See this in the previous photo.





To make simpler the following screenshots, we’ve removed from our mobile device some of the Bluetooth devices not needed to make the points in this exercise.

The -Power- button glowing blue on the JBL Boombox Bluetooth speaker.
JBL Boombox speaker, showing the -Power- button glowing blue.

7. Find your Speaker on your iPhone to Continue with How to Connect JBL Boombox with iPhone

See the screenshot next. We found ours, as pointed at by the green arrow, as seen next.

Picture of the Bluetooth Settings page on an iPhone, showing the JBL Boombox speaker as discovered.
The Bluetooth Settings page on an iPhone, showing the JBL Boombox speaker as discovered.

8. Pair iPhone with your Speaker

Tap the listed speaker in the Other Devices section of the Bluetooth devices list, shown above.

Your iPhone then pairs with the Boombox (appears as “JBL BoomBox” in this demo). The Bluetooth Settings screen then changes to display something like the following.

Picture of the Bluetooth Settings page on an iPhone, showing a JBL Boombox speaker as Connected.
The Bluetooth Settings page on an iPhone, showing a JBL Boombox speaker as Connected.

Note that the Boombox now shows as connected, as we see pointed out in the previous photo.

9. Done with How to Connect JBL Boombox with iPhone !

We have now successfully paired our JBL Boombox Bluetooth speaker with our mobile iPhone like device.  Hopefully, your experience connecting it to your iPhone went as smoothly.

Other Posts About the JBL Boombox Power Bank Speaker

    1. How to Charge JBL Boombox Bluetooth Speaker
    2. How to Adjust Volume on JBL Boombox Speaker
    3. Finding JBL Boombox Firmware Version
    4. JBL Boombox Charge Time, How Long to Fully Charge
    5. How to Check JBL Boombox Battery Life

Related Posts to How to Connect JBL Boombox to iPhone

    1. How to Connect iPhone to JBL Bluetooth Speaker
    2. Connecting an iPhone to the JBL Flip 4 BT Speaker
    3. How to Connect JBL Go 3 to iPhone
    4. Connecting the JBL Xtreme BT Speaker with an iPhone
    5. How to Connect JBL Go 2 to iPhone

References for How to Connect JBL Boombox to iPhone

    1. JBL Boombox Wireless Bluetooth Speaker Product Page on JBL.com
    2. Apple iPhone Official Product Page, on Apple.com

Revision History

    • 2022-09-14: Updated photos to actual iPhone screenshots.
    • 2021-08-01: First published.