How to Pair JBL Pulse 3

This post shows how to pair a JBL Pulse 3 personal wireless speaker with common mobile devices such as the iPhone, iPad, and iPod mobile devices.

How to Pair JBL Pulse 3: Step by Step

With your Pulse 3 powered OFF (status lamp is dark), run through this routine to pair it to your mobile device.

Picture of the JBL Pulse 3 powered OFF with all lamps dark. — The JBL Pulse 3 powered OFF with all lights dark.

1. Navigate to the Home Screen on your Mobile Device

Press the Home button to bring up the mobile device’s Home screen. Shown next.

2. Find the Settings App

We found ours on the second page of an iPad home screen, shown next.

Picture of an iPad Home screen, with the Settings app highlighted by an arrow. — iOS Home Screen with Settings app highlighted.

3. Bring up the Settings App

Tap the Settings app icon.

The mobile 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 Pulse 3

Our Bluetooth settings screen displays, similar to the following.

Note that our Bluetooth is enabled here. But since JBL 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 this speaker with the iPad Air before. See this as shown in this list of previously paired Bluetooth devices, shown next.

Screenshot of an iPad Air, showing its previously paired Bluetooth devices list. Note that there's no JBL Pulse3 now. — An iPad Air, showing its previously paired Bluetooth devices list. Note that there’s no JBL Pulse 3 now.

5. Turn On your JBL Pulse 3

Turn on this speaker by quickly pressing its Power button. See this pointed out in the next picture.

Picture of the Power button on the JBL Pulse 3 speaker. — The JBL Pulse 3 speaker Power button.

The speaker then powers up.

Picture of the glowing Power light. — The Power lamp glowing.

But since the iPad does not know about this speaker, the 3 will not pair with it automatically. The status light on speaker top denotes this not-paired state by slow or quick flashing.

6. Put the Speaker into Bluetooth Pairing Mode

Now, to see your Pulse 3 speaker on your mobile device, start up pairing mode on it. To do that, press and release the Pairing button, as we see in the next picture.

Picture of the -Pairing- button on the JBL Pulse 3. — The -Pairing- button on the JBL Pulse 3.

When you press the Pairing button, the speaker makes a repeating single pluck guitar note sound several times. Also, the pairing status light begins fast flashing white.

7. Find your Speaker on your Mobile Device to Continue with How to Pair JBL Pulse 3

See the screen shot next. We found ours, pointed out by the green arrow.

Screenshot of the iPadOS Bluetooth Settings page, showing the JBL Pulse 3 as discovered. — iPadOS Bluetooth Settings page, showing the JBL Pulse 3 as discovered.

8. Next, Pair with your JBL Pulse 3

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

Your source device then pairs with the 3 (named “JBL Pulse 3” in this demo). The mobile device’s Bluetooth Settings screen then changes to look something like the following.

Picture of the iPadOS Bluetooth Settings page, showing the JBL Pulse 3 as Connected. — iPadOS Bluetooth Settings page, showing the JBL Pulse 3 as Connected.

9. Done with How to Pair JBL Pulse 3 !

We have now successfully paired our Pulse 3 BT speaker. Similar routines work with pairing iPod Touch players, iPad Pros, and any iPhones as well so long as they support Bluetooth. Pairing with Android devices works in similar fashion as well.

References for How to Pair JBL Pulse 3

1. JBL Pulse 3 Official Product Page at JBL.com

Revision History

- 2022-09-12: First published.