How to Pair JBL Flip 4

JBL Flip 4 unboxed with its accessories laid out around this portable Bluetooth speaker.

This post demonstrates how to pair JBL Flip 4 with common source devices, including the iPhone, iPod Touch, and the iPad Air line of Apple phones and tablets.

How to Pair JBL Flip 4: Step by Step

In summary: With your JBL Flip 4 powered off (power button is dark), run through this routine to pair it to your iPad, iPhone, or iPod Touch iOS mobile device. Further, we’re using an iPad Air tablet for this demo.

1. Navigate to the Home Screen on your iOS Device

First, press the Home button to reveal the mobile iOS device’s Home screen.

2. Find the Settings App

We found ours on the second page of the iOS home screen on our iPad Air running iOS 11.3.1, as shown next.

iOS Home screen with Settings app highlighted.

3. Bring up the Settings App

Tap the Settings app icon.

The iOS device 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 Flip 4 with iOS

Our Bluetooth settings screen displays as follows. Note that our Bluetooth is enabled here. But since JBL Flip 4 speaker is currently powered OFF, it does not show up in the Bluetooth devices list. Also, we don’t see it since we’ve never paired our Flip 4 with the iPad Air before. See this as shown in this list of previously paired Bluetooth devices, shown next.

iOS 11 iPad Air, showing previously paired Bluetooth devices list. Note that there’s no JBL Flip 4 speaker now.

5. Turn On your JBL Flip 4 Bluetooth Speaker

Turn on the JBL Flip 4 by quickly pressing its Power button. See this circled in green, in the next picture.

JBL Flip 4 speaker turned OFF, with its Power button circled.

The speaker then powers up.

But since our iPad does not know about this speaker, the Flip 4 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.

JBL 4 Flip series speaker, top view, powered ON.

6. Put your JBL Bluetooth Speaker into Discovery Mode

Now, to see your JBL Flip 4 speaker on your iOS device, place the speaker into Bluetooth discovery mode. To do that, press and release the Bluetooth button, as shown in the next picture.

JBL Flip speaker, showing its 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.

JBL Flip 4 speaker in Bluetooth discovery mode. Showing the Power button, flashing blue, highlighted with the yellow arrow.

7. Find your JBL Flip 4 on your iOS Device

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

iOS 11 Bluetooth Settings screen, showing -Tom’s Flip 4- speaker discovered but not paired yet highlighted.

8. Pair with your JBL Flip 4 Portable Speaker

Next, tap the listed speaker in the Other Devices section of the Bluetooth devices list.

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

iOS 11 Bluetooth Settings screen on iPad Air, showing the -Tom’s Flip 4- Bluetooth speaker connected and highlighted.