Front view of the JBL Boombox BT speaker.

How to Connect JBL Speakers to iPhone

This post shows how to connect common JBL speakers to an iPhone so that you can play audio content from that phone through these Bluetooth speakers.

How to Connect JBL Speakers to iPhone

We run this demo with a JBL Flip 4. But s similar routine works with all other JBL Bluetooth speakers.

So, with your unit powered off (power button is dark), run through this routine to connect it to your iPhone.  We’re using an iPad Air tablet for this demo since we do not have an iPhone to get screenshots from.  But the setup pages are about the same. So, the routine is virtually the same.

1. Bring Up the   Home   Screen on your iPhone

Press the   Home   button to reveal the iPhone’s   Home  screen.

2. Find the  Settings  App

We found ours on the second page of the iOS home screen as shown next.

Picture of an iPhone Home screen, with the Settings app highlighted by an arrow. How to Connect JBL Speakers to iPhone.
iPhone Home screen with Settings app highlighted.

3. Bring up the   Settings   App

Tap the  Settings  app icon.

The iPhone then displays the first page of its settings, as shown in the next step.

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

Our Bluetooth settings screen displays as follows. Note that our Bluetooth is enabled here. But since speaker is currently de energized, it does not show up in the devices list. Also, we don’t see it since we’ve never paired this speaker with this iOS device before.  See this as shown in this list of previously paired Bluetooth devices, shown next.

The previously paired Bluetooth devices list on an iPhone. Note that the JBL speaker we're going to connect does not appear here yet.
The previously paired Bluetooth devices list on an iPhone. Note that the JBL speaker we’re going to connect does not appear here yet.




5. Turn On  JBL Speakers

You turn on most JBL speakers by quickly pressing its   Power   button. See this circled in green for our example, in the next picture.

Picture of a common JBL speaker turned OFF, with its -Power- button circled. How to Connect JBL Speakers to iPhone.
A JBL speaker turned OFF, with its -Power- button circled.

The speaker then powers up.

But since the iPhone would not know about JBL speakers that it never connected with before, this connecting will not happen automatically. The light that comes on in the Power button denotes this not-paired state by glowing solid white in our example, as we see next.

Picture of one of many common JBL speakers, top view, powered ON.
Just one of many common JBL speakers, top view, powered ON.

6. Put the JBL Bluetooth Speakers into Pairing Mode

Now, to see JBL speakers on your iPhone, place them into Bluetooth discovery mode (a.k.a. Pairing Mode). To do that, press and release the Bluetooth button, as shown in the next picture.

Picture of a JBL speakers example unit, showing its Bluetooth button highlighted. How to Connect JBL Speakers to iPhone/
JBL speakers like this one, showing the -Bluetooth- button highlighted.

When you press the   Bluetooth Discovery Mode   button, the speaker 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 our speaker in Bluetooth discovery mode. Showing the Power button, flashing blue, highlighted with the yellow arrow.
The speaker in Bluetooth discovery mode. Showing the Power button, flashing blue, highlighted with the yellow arrow.

7. Find your JBL Flip 4 on your Phone to Continue with How to Connect JBL Speakers to iPhone

See the screen shot next. We found our speaker, as pointed at by the purple arrow.

Screenshot of an iPhone like Bluetooth Settings screen, showing the -Tom's Flip 4- JBL speaker discovered but not paired yet highlighted.
iPhone like Bluetooth Settings screen, showing -Tom’s Flip 4- JBL speaker discovered but not paired yet highlighted.

8. Next, Connect with your JBL Speakers

Tap the listed speaker in the  Other Devices section of the   Bluetooth Devices    list.

Your iPhone then pairs with the speaker (“Tom’s Flip 4” in this example). The iPhone’s    Bluetooth Settings    screen then changes to look something like the following.

Screenshot of an iPhone like Bluetooth Settings screen on iPad Air, showing the -Tom's Flip 4- Bluetooth speaker connected and highlighted.
iPhone like Bluetooth Settings screen on iPad Air, showing the -Tom’s Flip 4- Bluetooth speaker connected and highlighted.

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

Finally, we have now successfully paired an example of JBL speakers with an iPhone. Thus, you can now play music through it.  And on some models including the Flip 4, you can also make calls on your phone, and hear them all through this  speaker.

Related Posts to How to Connect JBL Speakers to iPhone

    1. How to Connect Sony Speaker to iPhone
    2. Connecting JBL Xtreme 2 to iPhone
    3. How to Connect JBL Flip 5 to iPhone
    4. How to Connect JBL Charge 3 to iPhone 11
    5. How to Connect UE Speaker to iPhone

Other Posts About JBL Speakers

    1. How to Sync JBL Speakers
    2. How to Link JBL Speakers Together
    3. How to Connect 2 JBL Speakers to iPhone
    4. Pairing Two JBL Speakers
    5. How to Pair JBL Speakers

References for How to Connect JBL Speaker to iPhone

    1. JBL Speakers Official Home Page at JBL.com

Revision History

    • 2020-09-04: First published.