Picture of the JBL Flip 3 splashproof Bluetooth speaker, top view, showing power button highlighted. Speaker is OFF.

JBL Flip 3 Power Button Not Working

When the Power button on your JBL Flip 3 is not working, this can have one or more causes…

    1. The button mechanisms may have sand, dirt, or other debris in them. To repair this, take the speaker apart and blow, brush, or polish switch contacts.
    2. Your charger cord is dead. To resolve this, swap in a working charger for the suspected bad one. The speaker should then boot up once more.
    3. The battery inside no longer recharges due to age, excessive charging, or heavy use. To solve this, replace the battery.
    4. Your JBL Flip 3 has damage beyond repair. So get a replacement unit.
    5. You may have unintentionally activated Service Mode a.k.a. secret or weird mode.

So, assuming that all the systems in the 3 are working, we cover here the last possibility. Thus, we describe below how to get out of service mode.

JBL Flip 3 Power Button Not Working: Service Mode Explained

First, a symptom of active service mode, is that the speaker does not power ON without connecting the charger. Thus, it will not run on the battery. Moreover, when you do connect outside power, it powers ON right away, without you pressing the Power button.  I.e. It comes on as soon as you apply power to the micro USB input port on the speaker.

Also, you cannot turn off the unit while it is in Service mode, unless you disconnect the charger. And then, it does power OFF.  So when this service mode is active, the Power button appears to not work.

Finally, none of the buttons seem to work in Service mode, except for the ones needed to exit service mode.  So the speaker won’t pair with any devices in this mode. And as stated earlier, the Power button does not switch it off either.

How to Enter This Service Mode

This is what you may have done by accident prior to your JBL Flip 3 Power button not working problem… To turn on this Service mode, power up the Flip 3. Then press the Connect+ and Volume UP  buttons at the same time. Hold them in until the speaker powers OFF, which usually takes ten seconds or so.

Find these buttons pointed out in the next picture. Note that you can enter this mode as long as the speaker is ON. So it doesn’t matter whether external power  is present or not. Also note that these buttons are very close to (beside) each other.  So some users may find it easy to press them both by accident. But remember that once in this mode, you won’t be able to exit it without first connecting a charger.

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

How to Fix the Power Button Not Working on a JBL Flip 3

Now you can restore normal operation by deactivating  Service mode. But note that when this mode is active, then to switch it back off, you must connect external power again. Why?  Because when this mode is in effect, the speaker won’t power up without outside power. But you can’t change modes without switching on the unit first.  Thus, you need the AC adapter to make this fix.

    1. So, connect your JBL Flip 3 to AC power and turn on the unit.
    2. Then, press the Connect+ and Volume UP button combo. Hold them in for ten seconds or so, until the unit powers off.
    3. Finally, normal speaker operation returns.

Finally, at this point, the Power button should work again, whether or not you connect the power supply.

Other Posts About the JBL Flip 3

    1. How to Fix the Not-Charging Problem
    2. JBL Flip 3 Red Light Stays On Problem
    3. How to Turn On Bass Mode
    4. How to Turn Off
    5. Firmware Update Instructions

References for JBL Flip 3 Power Button Not Working

    1. JBL Flip 3 Product Page