How to Pair JBL Flip 4 with Google Home

This post demonstrates how to pair JBL Flip 4 with Google Home speakers. These include the original, mini, and max Google Home versions. Now this pairing happens between the Flip 4 and the Google speakers directly. So you need not turn Bluetooth on in the mobile device you’re using to establish this pairing.

How to Pair JBL Flip 4 with Google Home: Step by Step

Start by powering OFF the JBL Flip 4 (power button is dark). Then run through this routine to pair it to your Google Home Mini. We use an iPad Air tablet to create this pairing. This routine is similar for the other Google smart speaker products.

Now, to the routine.

1. Find the Google Home App on your Mobile Device

We find the Home app on our iOS iPad Air. In our case, this app is on the third home screen page.

2. Run the Google Home App

Then the app displays its Home screen.

3. Tap the Hamburger Control

Find the hamburger item in the top left corner of the screen.

Tapping that brings up the Google Home app’s main menu.

4. Tap the  Devices  Option on the Main Menu to Continue with How to Pair JBL Flip 4 with Google Home

This brings up the   Devices  screen, as shown in the next screenshot. From here, choose which smart speaker device you wish to pair with your JBL Flip 4 Bluetooth speaker.  We had to scroll down a bit on this screen to find our Google Home Mini, named   Office Speaker.

5. Tap the Hamburger Control on the Google Home Speaker you Wish to Pair to your JBL Flip 4

Find the hamburger control near the top right corner of the speaker card.

Then this brings up the selected device’s control menu.

6. Tap the   Settings Menu Item

So tapping   Settings   takes you to the device-specific settings screen for the speaker you chose.

7. Scroll Down to the   Device Settings   Section

Scroll down the   Device Settings   screen, until you see the   Default Speaker   item.

8. Tap the Default Speaker  Item to Continue with How to Pair JBL Flip 4 with Google Home

Then this brings up the   Choose a Default Speaker for Music and Audio   screen.

At this point, you’re ready to start a Bluetooth scan by your Google Home speaker. You’ve selected the Home speaker to pair with in step 5 above. So, that Google speaker will be the one that scans for Bluetooth devices like the JBL Flip 4.

But don’t press the Pair Bluetooth Speaker  item button in the last screenshot just yet. Before that, we must first power up your JBL Flip 4 speaker and put it into pairing discovery mode.

9. Turn On your JBL Flip 4

Put down your mobile device for a bit. Then turn on the JBL Flip 4 by quickly pressing its Power button.

The speaker then powers up.

So the Google Home Mini does not know about this speaker. So the Flip 4 will not auto pair with it. Thus, the light in the power switch denotes this by glowing solid white.

Note that your Flip 4 may flash blue if you’ve never paired it since the last reset. In that case, skip the next step (Step 10) and pick up with Step 11.

10. Put your Speaker into Discovery Mode

Then place the Flip 4 into Bluetooth discovery mode. This allow the Google Home speaker to find it.  To do that, press and release the Bluetooth button.

When you press the Bluetooth Discovery Mode button, the Flip 4 makes a repeating guitar note. Also, the power button changes from solid white to flashing blue.

11. Go Back to your Mobile Device

The screen with the blue   Pair Bluetooth Speaker   option should still be showing.

12. Tap the  Pair Bluetooth Speaker Item to Continue with How to Pair JBL Flip 4 with Google Home

This starts your Google Home speaker scanning for any nearby Bluetooth devices in discovery mode. Your Flip 4 is now in Bluetooth discovery mode. So your Google Home should find it.

The next screenshot shows the Bluetooth scanning in progress.

Then after a short pause, your Google Home should find the JBL Flip 4.

In our demo, the Google Home Mini speaker found our JBL Flip 4, named Tom’s Flip 4.

13. Tap your JBL Flip 4 on the Discovered Bluetooth Devices List to Pair It

If Google Home found more than one device, you’ll have to tap the one you want.  A blue check mark then appears beside the device you chose.

Now our scan found the JBL Flip 4, named Tom’s Flip 4.  Just one device.  So ours the system chose by default.

14. Tap the   Done   Item

Tapping   Done  causes our Google Home speaker then paired with the Flip 4 (“Tom’s Flip 4” in this demo).

The Google Home app then takes us back to its   Choose a Default Speaker for Music and Video   screen.

Then the JBL Flip 4 makes the Speaker Paired sound (the three ascending guitar notes). Note the blue check mark to the left of the new default speaker in the last screenshot.

The JBL Flip 4 speaker now has a connection with your Google Home. It’s power button glows solid blue thus.  So this means that successful pairing is under way.

15. Done with How to Pair JBL Flip 4 with Google Home !

Finally we can now ask Google Home to play music on our Google Home Mini with the Office Speaker name. Then those tunes will play on this wonderful sounding JBL Flip 4.

Note though, that only the media you request actually plays through your Bluetooth speaker.  The Google Assistant voice sounds however, still come from the Google Home. Also, be sure to speak directly to your Google Home, and not to the Bluetooth speaker, when making voice requests.

Other Posts About the JBL Flip 4

1. 1. JBL Flip 4 Reset Instructions
   2. Review of This Waterproof Speaker
   3. Specs, Specifications
   4. Pairing Instructions
   5. Low Frequency Mode

References

1. 1. Google Home Official Support Page
   2. Where to Buy a JBL Flip 4
   3. Where to Buy a Google Home