JBL Charge 3 Software Update

ere, we give software update instructions for the JBL Charge 3 Bluetooth speaker. This upgrade can take up to thirty minutes depending on the speed of your internet connection. Plus, you cannot easily undo it. That is, you won’t be able to return to the previous software version once you complete this update. So, be sure that you indeed want the new software and have considered all of its ramifications before going ahead.

JBL Charge 3 Software Update: Preparations

You’ll need the following…

1. 1. An internet connection.
   2. A Bluetooth mobile device.
   3. The JBL Connect app.
   4. The JBL Charge 3 speaker itself.

So connect your mobile device to the internet and install the Connect app if you haven’t already.

Next connect your JBL Charge 3 to AC power. Why? Because we don’t want its battery power bank going dead during this process. If that happened, it could leave a corrupt version of the software in memory. Thus this could brick the speaker, rendering it useless and not repairable.

Then, pair your mobile device with the JBL Charge 3.

You are now ready to begin the software updating process on that JBL Bluetooth speaker.

JBL Charge 3 Software Update: Step by Step

1. Find the JBL Connect App on your Mobile Device

Firstly, we find ours on the fourth home page in our Apple iPad Air tablet.

2. Run the JBL Connect App

So the app takes a few seconds to show you some cute animations when you first start it. But then it finds the speaker and displays for you its Home screen.

Note the explanation point inside the orange circle in the top right corner of the speaker’s picture. This means that there are important messages pending to read and act upon.

Note that if there are no current messages or software updates, then you will see no explanation point.

3. Tap the Orange Circled Explanation Point (!), to Continue with JBL Charge 3 Software Update

Then tapping the Important Messages (!) circle brings up the first IMPORTANT NOTICE screen about the available firmware upgrade.

This screen gives details about the available software update. In our case here, it tells us that we need this upgrade to enable JBL Connect+ function. Specifically, this upgrade allows the speaker to join a group of up to a hundred JBL Connect+ compatible models. Then once in the group, they all stream the same content, in sync with each other. So You would do this to blanket a large area with music for dancing and partying.

4. Flick to the Left to See the Next IMPORTANT NOTICE Page

So this page warns that you cannot uninstall the new software once you update it.  It says that once done, this software upgrade is permanent. Further, it says that after this upgrade, our speaker will no longer connect with speakers running older software versions. You will also lose connectivity with older speakers for good. These include the JBL Flip 3, JBL Pulse 2, JBL Xtreme, JBL Boost, and Cinema 5B450.

5. Flick Once More to the Left to See the Next IMPORTANT NOTICE Page

Then another left flick brings up the JBL Charge 3 software update confirmation prompt screen.

This prompt again warns that we won’t be able to fall back to the old software version. It then asks us to decide whether to go ahead or now. But we of course, are going ahead.

6. Tap the INSTALL Button to Continue with the JBL Charge 3 Software Update

Now touching the INSTALL button brings up the   Upgrade Speaker   screen as shown next.

This page tells us to connect our JBL Charge 3 to AC power if we’ve not done so already.  Note that you would have already done this if you followed the instructions in the preliminaries section above.

7. Connect the JBL Charge 3 to AC Power

Thus here we connect our speaker to an AC outlet via the included power adapter and cable.

8. Tap the OK Button

Then go back to the JBL Connect app running on your mobile device, and tap the OK button. See this button in the last pic.

The software update then starts.    The download of the update file from the internet begins. It flows first through your mobile device. Then it moves onto the speaker via the Bluetooth connection.

8a. JBL Charge 3 Software Update Begins

Copying the file from the internet to the speaker is the slowest part of the software update process. These screenshots show the progress pie-chart picture.  The “pie” gradually fills in with more orange as the software file transfer proceeds.

8b. Software Update at Forty Percent Complete

So we’re probably about fifteen minutes into the update process at this point.

8c. Software Update at 65.7 Percent Done

Then the next screen shows that the firmware file transfer to the speaker has finished (100 percent done). The pie chart is completely orange now.

8d. Software Update File Transfer 100 Percent Complete

Once the app copies the upgrade file to the JBL Charge 3, you get the   Upgrade Successful  screen. But note that the speaker is still upgrading to the new software for a bit. So this goes on for nearly a minute after you first see this green and white page. Thus, this screen warns that the Charge 3 will restart automatically afterwards. Further, it asks not to unplug the 3 while it runs the update.

9. Wait for the JBL Charge 3 to Shut Off to Continue with the JBL Charge 3 Software Update

Watch the power light on the speaker. Eventually it goes dark.

The speaker may or may not turn itself back on again. The one we tried this on did not. Now perhaps yours did not come back up after the update. Ours did not. So go ahead with the next step (Step 10). But if yours did come back online, then skip Step 10 and pick up with Step 11.

10. Power On the JBL Charge 3

Press the dark   Power  button to turn the speaker on. It should again pair with your mobile device where you’re running the JBL Connect Plus app. The  Power  button turns solid blue when your speaker has successfully paired again.

11. Press the Done Button

Now the speaker has a successfully pairing with the JBL Connect app. So press the green  Done  button.

The app then displays the JBL Charge 3 status screen once again. But this time, note that there’s no longer the orange explanation point (!). This means that the software update worked. Thus the speaker is now running the current software version.

12. Done with JBL Charge 3 Software Update !

The software update to the current version in your JBL Charge 3 BT speaker is now complete.

Other Posts About the JBL Charge 3

1. 1. JBL Charge 3 Won’t Charge
   2. How to Factory Reset
   3. Pairing with Google Home
   4. Low Frequency Mode Explained
   5. Picture Gallery

References for JBL Charge 3 Software Update

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