Picture of the JBL Charge 3 portable Bluetooth speaker, original box, side 1.

JBL Charge 3 Factory Reset

This JBL Charge 3 factory reset routine details how to factory restore your JBL Charge 3 to its default settings. A factory reset restores this speaker to factory default, fresh-out-of-the-box state. Plus, it clears any earlier paired Bluetooth devices from its memory. Deleting these stops the Charge 3 from auto pairing to any devices. Also, you might factory reset your speaker to get it ready for sale or re-gifting.

JBL Charge 3 Factory Reset: Step by Step

1. Turn on the JBL Charge 3

Press and release the Power button.  It should light up right away.

Picture of the Jspeaker, powered off. Showing the Power button highlighted.
JBL Charge 3 Bluetooth speaker, powered off. Showing the Power button highlighted.

Find the Power button, as shown in the last picture above.

Then, the Power button comes on, as shown next. In our case, since we’ve paired the speaker with Bluetooth devices before this, it does not enter Bluetooth discovery mode. We know that because the Power button is glows solid gray, rather than blinking blue.

Picture of the JBL Charge 3, powered On, not paired. Showing the glowing white power button highlighted.
The JBL Charge 3, powered On, not paired. Showing the glowing white power button highlighted.

2. Wait for the Power Up Sound

The 3 makes a rising electric guitar strum sound when it powers up. The JBL Charge 3 is ready for factory resetting after this sound finishes.





3. Press the Volume UP and Play-Pause Buttons Together

See the next picture to find the Pause Play and UP Volume buttons.

Picture of the Volume Up and Play Pause buttons.
The Volume Up and Play Pause buttons.

The JBL Charge 3 then enters factory reset, as we see in the next picture. Note that both the Power and Connect buttons light for a couple seconds as the factory reset progresses. The Power button glows a pale blue, and the Connect button glows gray-white.  We circled these buttons in green, as shown next.

Picture of the JBL Charge 3 during factory reset. Showing the glowing Power and Connect Plus buttons.
The JBL Charge 3 during factory reset. Showing the glowing Power and Connect Plus buttons.

Then after a short pause, the speaker turns off. All the lights go off, and it makes the power-down guitar sound.  The next picture shows the 3 powered down.  All buttons are dark.

Picture of the dark control panel buttons.
The dark control panel buttons.

4. Check that your JBL Charge 3 Did Factory Reset

Next, power on the  3 again, as detailed in step 1 above.  In short, press and release the Power button, as shown next.





Now this time, after factory reset, the 3 immediately comes up in Bluetooth pairing mode, as we show next. We did not have to press the Bluetooth button first to get into this mode.

Note that the Power button blinks blue to denote pairing mode. When it does this or glows solid white, the Charge 3 is not currently in a pairing. Indeed we expect it not to pair to anything after a factory reset.

Picture of the JBL Charge 3, powered on and paired. Power button is glowing blue.
The JBL Charge 3 powered on and paired. Power button is glowing blue.

5. JBL Charge 3 Factory Reset Now Complete !

At last, the factory reset is now complete. You may now pack it up for sale, or pair it again with your favorite BT devices.

Finally the 3 will no longer automatically pair with any prior paired, in range device. So, to restore automatic pairing, forget the previously paired JBL Charge 3 in the source device. Then manually pair the unit with that device again. Finally, when both devices are in range, auto pairing occurs once more.

Other Posts About the JBL Charge 3

    1. How to Pair JBL Charge 3
    2. JBL Charge 3 Change Name Details
    3. JBL Charge 3 Update Prodedure
    4. JBL Charge 3 Buttons
    5. Specs for the JBL Charge 3

References for JBL Charge 3 Factory Reset

    1. JBL Charge 3 Official Product Page
    2. Where to Buy the JBL Charge 3