How to Pair JBL Charge 3 to iPhone

JBL Charge 3 portable wireless speaker. Showing the front right end view. The Bluetooth speaker is powered on and paired.

This post shows how to pair a JBL Charge 3 speaker with an iPhone like device, such as an iPad Air tablet. How to pair works the same on the iPhone as well as the tablet.

How to Pair JBL Charge 3 to iPhone, Step by Step

With your JBL Charge 3 powered off (power button is dark), run through this routine to pair it to your iPad, iPhone, or iPod Touch iOS mobile device. We’re using an iPad Air tablet in this demo.

1. Find your Way to the Home Screen on your iPhone

Press the Home button to uncover the mobile iPhone’s Home screen.

2. Find the Settings App

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

iPad Air 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 Bluetooth Settings to Continue with How to Pair JBL Charge 3 to iPhone

Our Bluetooth settings screen displays as follows. Note that our Bluetooth is enabled here. But since JBL Charge 3 speaker is currently turned OFF, it does not show up in the Bluetooth devices list. Also, you wouldn’t see it if you’ve never paired the speaker with your iPhone before. See this as shown in this list of previously paired Bluetooth devices, shown next.

An iPad Air, showing previously paired Bluetooth devices list. Note that there’s no JBL Charge 3 speaker now.

5. Turn On your JBL Charge 3 Speaker

Turn on the BT speaker by quickly pressing its Power button. See this pointed at by the green arrow in the next picture.

The speaker powered off. Showing the -Power- button highlighted.

The speaker then powers up.

But since your iPhone does not know about this speaker, the Charge 3 JBL will not pair with it automatically. The light that comes on in the Power switch denotes this not-paired state by glowing solid white, as shown next.

The speaker, powered On, not paired. Showing the glowing white power button highlighted.

6. Put your 3 into Discovery Mode

Now, to see your speaker on your iPhone, place it into Bluetooth discovery mode by pressing and releasing the Bluetooth button, as shown in the next picture.

The 3 powered On, not paired. Showing its Bluetooth discovery mode button.

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.

The =Power- button glowing blue.

7. Find your JBL Charge 3 Bluetooth Device to Continue with How to Pair JBL Charge 3 to an iPhone

See the screen shot next. We found ours, as pointed at by the blue arrow, as shown next.

The iPad Air Bluetooth settings screen, showing a JBL Charge 3 speaker discovered but not paired.

8. Pair your iPhone with your JBL Charge 3 Speaker

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

Your iPhone then pairs with the Charge 3 (“JBL Charge 3” in this demo).

The iPhone’s Bluetooth Settings screen then changes to look something like the following.

The iPad Air Bluetooth Settings page, showing the JBL Charge 3 Bluetooth speaker paired with our iPad Air tablet.

Note that the JBL Charge 3 now shows as connected on your iPhone, as pointed at by the Blue arrows in the last picture.

9. Done with How to Pair JBL Charge 3 with an iPhone !

We have now successfully paired our JBL Charge 3 portable speaker with an iPhone like tablet. This procedure also works when pairing with other Apple devices, although the screen faces may differ slightly.