Picture of the JBL Flip 3 Bluetooth speaker, view of the buttons panel.

JBL Flip 3 Buttons

The JBL Flip 3 features several buttons and lamps across its top. The power button lights up in different colors to show Bluetooth speaker status. Here, we explore the JBL Flip 3 buttons. We show where they are on the speaker and explain what each one does. We also discuss when to press them to access the various speaker features.

JBL Flip 3 Buttons: Functions, Descriptions, and Locations

The Bluetooth Discovery Mode / Pairing Button

There are two rows of buttons on the JBL Flip 3. In the first row we have four buttons. Each one has a specific shape to denote its function.

First, we have the Bluetooth discovery mode button, near the left side of the speaker. See this pointed at by the green arrow in the next picture. Note its squiggly Bluetooth logo shape.

With the speaker powered on, press this button to place this Bluetooth speaker into discovery mode. When in discovery mode (a.k.a. Bluetooth pairing mode), the speaker transmits its name and other connection information over the Bluetooth airwaves. This allows other nearby Bluetooth devices to discover it and connect to it.

Picture of the -Bluetooth Pairing button on the JBL Flip 3.
The -Bluetooth Pairing button on the JBL Flip 3.

The Volume Down and Volume Up Buttons

The JBL Flip 3 also features volume controls. Find these near the center of the speaker, in the same row as the Bluetooth pairing button. These controls are in the shapes of the minus and plus symbols.  And when pressed, they lower and raise the output volume.  They do this by reducing or increasing the volume setting on the paired source Bluetooth device. See the volume buttons, circled in green in the next picture.

With the speaker paired and playing, press the minus shaped button. This decreases the volume. Press the plus shaped button to increase volume.

Note that the volume controls have no effect when the speaker is not paired. Also, the volume setting may change from paired device to paired device. That is, each paired device remembers its own volume setting. So you might need to readjust the sound output when you pair to another device.

Picture of the -Volume DOWN- and -Volume UP- buttons.
The -Volume DOWN- and -Volume UP- buttons.

The Play Pause Phone Button

The Play / Pause button looks like an old fashioned telephone receiver. We find it near the right side of the unit. See it pointed at by the green arrow in the next picture.

Picture of the -Phone Play Pause- button.
The -Phone Play Pause- button.

How to Stop and Restart Music Playback

Press this to pause audio play. Press again to resume playback.

Note that this is not a mute button. That is, it pauses sound playback on the source Bluetooth device. Thus this is NOT a mute button. Therefore doing it like this, you won’t miss any content when you pause the speaker. Why? Because the source device (your phone, tablet, or computer) remembers where the content was paused. So it resumes playback at that spot when you press the play pause button again.





How to Raise a Voice Assistant

When paired with an Apple device, press and hold the Play / Pause / Phone button to get Siri’s attention. Note.  You must enable Siri on the source device (phone, tablet) for this feature to work.  Also, you must set the button to activate voice assistant functions. By default this button is the Play /Pause button. Change this in the JBL Connect Plus app.

How to Handle an Incoming Call

When paired with a cell phone and a call comes in, press and release this button to answer it.

Then to end the call, press and release this button to hang up.

Move Ahead to the Next Song in a Playlist

Finally, you can skip forward to the next song in a playlist with the Play-Pause button on the Flip 3. As the song plays, do the following…

      • To advance to the next song, quickly press and release the Play-Pause button twice.  Upon doing that, your source device advances to the next song in the current playlist.

JBL Flip 3 Buttons: The Power Button

The Power button not only switches the unit on and off. But it also contains a multi-colored light to show speaker status.  This lamp is totally OFF when the speaker is powered down, as we show next.

Picture of the dark Power button. The JBL Flip 3 is OFF.
The dark Power button. The JBL Flip 3 is OFF.

Turning it on without having paired it with anything since last reset, puts the speaker in pairing mode.  So the Power button flashes blue.  When the speaker has no connection information in memory, it automatically goes into Bluetooth discovery mode at power up. In this case, the power lamp flashes blue.

However, once the speaker pairs to a nearby device, the power button glows solid blue. See this in the next picture.

Picture of the Power button glowing blue.
The Power button glowing blue.

The Power button glows solid white when the speaker is not currently paired. In this state, it awaits a pairing request from a source Bluetooth device. Solid white indicates standby mode.  See this button glowing white in the next picture.

Note that standby mode is not the same as Bluetooth discovery mode. In standby mode, the speaker awaits a connection request. rom a Bluetooth source device, but does not broadcast its name and connection information for other devices to see.  In Bluetooth pairing mode on the other hand, the speaker does indeed transmit its connection data periodically.  Thus, the speaker uses more battery power than when standing by or paired.

Picture of the -Power- button glowing white, showing that the speaker is powered ON and not currently paired.
The -Power- button glowing white, showing that the speaker is powered ON and not currently paired.

The Connect Button

The Connect Plus button is used to link two or more JBL Connect+ compatible speakers together, in “party mode”.  This way they all play the same audio content at the same time. Similar to speakers participating in Amazon’s multi room music groups. E.g.  All speakers involved in Connect+ are synched, just as the Echo speakers are in groups.

Pair the first speaker in your group to your source device.  Then, you press this button on each other Bluetooth speaker you wish to add to the Connect+ group. Each speaker you add should start playing the first speaker’s content within several seconds after pressing this button on it.

Note that all speakers in the Connect+ group should be in Bluetooth range of each other.  You’ll likely experience dropping out and static sounds on those that are too far away from others in the group.

Picture of the  -Connect- button.
The  -Connect- button.

The picture above shows the JBL Flip 3 not participating in Connect+, because the Connect+ button is dark. However, the Connect+ button lights up white when the speaker is connected to a Connect+ group.





JBL Flip 3 Buttons: Combinations and Codes

All Lights On Test Mode

Entering the All Lights ON mode briefly lights all lamps on the control panel. And then the unit powers down after two seconds.  Note though that here, the speaker makes no falling guitar sound.  Also during this test, all the lights on the panel light up as we see next. These include the battery gauge, and the Bluetooth and Power buttons.

Picture of the control panel with all lights glowing on the JBL Flip 3.
The control panel, with all lights glowing on the JBL Flip 3.

To enter this mode, press and hold the Bluetooth and Volume UP buttons. See these next. Hold for around ten seconds.  Then release them when the lights all come on, as shown in the last picture.

Picture of the -Bluetooth- and -Volume UP- buttons.
The -Bluetooth- and -Volume UP- buttons.

Once you enter All Lights ON, the lights remain lit for a short period before they all turn off.  Then, the speaker returns to normal working condition once the lights go out.  I.e. When you next power it up, it behaves and works as expected.

This is one way to forcibly shut down the speaker should the Power button not work.

Low Frequency Mode Button Combination

Many JBL speakers, including the Flip 3, come with low frequency mode, which by default, is turned ON.  This adds a bit more treble and much extra bass to the audio output. It’s like switching on the Loudness control on older home hi-fi systems.

Picture of the -Bluetooth- and -Volume DOWN- buttons.
The -Bluetooth- and -Volume DOWN- buttons.

You can turn this extreme bass mode off as follows.  Press and hold in the Volume Down (-) and Bluetooth buttons for about ten seconds. Hold until the Power and Bluetooth buttons light up white, as shown in the next picture.  Find these buttons near the top of the speaker, as pointed out in the picture above.

Picture of the JBL Flip 3 with all lights glowing.
The JBL Flip 3 with all lights glowing.

To turn low frequency mode back on, then again, press and hold the Volume Down and Bluetooth buttons. Hold in until both the Power and Connect buttons light up again.  Release when you see that.  Then, after a short pause, low frequency mode is ON once more.





The Reset Button Combination

Reset the Flip to factory default settings by pressing the Volume UP and Play / Pause buttons together. Hold them in until the hard reset occurs. See these buttons circled in green in the next picture.

Reset to correct any erratic or strange behaviors. These include failing to pair, or sound distortion.  Also, reset to fix a failure to power off when you press the power button, and so on.

Note that resetting seems to invalidate any saved connection information to this speaker on your source Bluetooth devices. So you’ll have to forget those connections on each device. The re pair the speaker after a reset to play your audio content through it once again.

Picture of the reset button combination.
The reset button combination.

The Service Mode Button Combination

When in this (often called ‘weird’) mode, the JBL Flip 3 does not power ON unless you connect power.  And then, it powers up without you pressing the Power button.  I.e. It comes on as soon as you apply external power.  Further, you cannot turn it off in this mode unless you disconnect the external power source. And then, it powers off without pressing the Power button.

Also, none of the buttons seem to work in this mode.  E.g. No response when you press the Pairing button. Plus as mentioned, the Power button does not switch it off either.

To turn ON this Service mode, power up the speaker. Then press the Connect and Volume UP buttons at the same time.  Hold these in until the speaker powers OFF, which usually takes ten seconds or so.  Find these buttons in the next picture. Note that you can enter this mode as long as the speaker is ON.  Furthermore, it doesn’t matter whether it’s connected to external power or not.

Picture of the speaker control panel, with the -Connect- and -Volume UP- buttons highlighted.
The -Connect- and -Volume UP- buttons on the JBL Flip 3.

But once you activate this Service mode, then to turn off this mode, you must connect USB power. Why?  Because the speaker won’t come on without external power, and you can’t change modes without the unit being powered UP.

So, with the speaker Power button glowing, you press and hold the Connect and Volume UP button combination. Then hold in for ten seconds or so, until the unit powers off.  Then, normal speaker operation returns.

Connection Ports

The Flip 3 also has a compartment with a sealing door, located on the top button panel.  Herein, are two ports; the AUX In and USB Power In ports.

Picture of the AUX In and USB port compartment.
The AUX In and USB port compartment.

Well, that wraps up this summary of all the buttons on the JBL Flip 3 portable Bluetooth speaker.  With these, you can access all of the speaker’s functions as well as read all speaker statuses.  Enjoy!

Other Posts About the JBL Flip 3

    1. Flip 3 JBL Review
    2. JBL Flip 3 Change Name Instructions
    3. Updating the Firmware
    4. Where is the Reset Button Located
    5. Charging Routine

References for JBL Flip 3 Buttons

    1. JBL Flip 3 Official Product Page on JBL.com