Picture of the JBL Flip 4 Bluetooth Speaker box, front view, horizontal.

JBL Flip 4 Button Functions — How They Work

The JBL Flip 4 speaker has several buttons and lamps across its top, in two rows.  The power button lights up in different colors to show Bluetooth speaker status.  Furthermore, the Connect button also flashes and lights when linking multiple Connect Plus JBL speakers together for party music over a larger area.  Here, we cover JBL Flip 4 button functions, describe their location on the speaker, explain what each button does, and we discuss when to press them.

JBL Flip 4 Button Functions

We find two rows of buttons on the JBL Flip 4, and in the first row of four buttons, each one has a unique shape.

The Bluetooth Button

Firstly, there’s the Bluetooth discovery mode button, near the left side of the speaker, as pointed at by the green arrow in the next picture.  Note its squiggly shape.

With this speaker powered on, press this button to place this Bluetooth speaker into discovery mode.  When in this pairing mode, the speaker transmits its name and other connection info over the Bluetooth airwaves, which allows other nearby BT devices to discover it and connect to it.

Picture of the JBL Flip 4 speaker, showing its Bluetooth button highlighted.
JBL Flip 4 speaker, showing its Bluetooth button highlighted.

JBL Flip 4 Button Functions: The Volume Down and Volume Up Buttons

This speaker also has volume controls near its center, and in the same row as the discovery mode button.  The buttons shaped as minus and plus symbols adjust speaker volume. Generally, they change the volume setting on the paired source Bluetooth device.  See the volume buttons, circled in yellow in the next picture.





With the JBL Flip 4 paired and playing, press the minus button to decrease audio output level.  Likewise, press the plus shaped button to increase audio output. 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 unpair the speaker from one Bluetooth device and pair it to another.

Picture of the -Volume UP- and -Volume DOWN- buttons circled in yellow.
Showing the -Volume UP- and -Volume DOWN- buttons circled in yellow.

JBL Flip 4 Button Functions: The Play Pause Button

Find the Play / Pause button, shaped like a right-pointing arrow, near the right side of the Flip 4.  The green arrow we drew in points at it, in the next picture.

Press this to pause audio play.  Then press again to resume audio play.  Note that this button does not mute the speaker.  Instead, pausing playback by pressing and releasing this button actually suspends playback on the source BT device.  So, you won’t miss any content when you pause the speaker, as the source device (your phone, tablet, or computer) remembers the paused position.  Thus it resumes playback at that spot when you press this button again.

When paired with an Apple device, press and hold the Play / Pause button to raise Siri.  Note that you must enable Siri the source device (phone, tablet) for this feature to work.

Picture of the speaker with its -Play-Pause- button highlighted.
The speaker with its -Play-Pause- button highlighted.

The Power Button

This button not only switches the speaker on and off, but also contains a multi-colored light to show speaker status when it is turned on.





The Power button flashes blue when the speaker is not yet paired, and is in Bluetooth discovery mode.  It glows solid blue when the speaker 4 is currently paired successfully with a source device. See this blue glow in the next picture.

Picture of the speaker in Bluetooth discovery mode, with the -Power- button, flashing blue, highlighted with the yellow arrow.
Showing the speaker in Bluetooth discovery mode, with the -Power- button, flashing blue, highlighted with the yellow arrow.

The Power button glows solid white when the speaker is not currently paired and awaiting a pairing request from a source BT device.   See this button glowing white in the next picture.

Picture of the top of the speaker, powered ON.
Top view of the speaker, powered ON.

JBL Flip 4 Button Functions: The Connect Button

The Connect button is used to join two or more JBL Connect+ compatible speakers together, in “party mode”, such that they all play the same audio content.  Similar to speakers participating in Amazon’s multi room music groups, all speakers participating in Connect+ are synched.  That is, all of them play the same audio at the same time.

You press this button on each speaker you wish to add to the Connect+ group.

Picture of the JBL Flip 4 portable Bluetooth speaker. Showing its Connect Plus button highlighted.
JBL Flip 4 portable Bluetooth speaker. Showing its Connect Plus button highlighted.

The picture above shows the JBL Flip 4 not participating in Connect+, because the Connect+ button is dark.  But the Connect button lights up when the speaker is connected to the Connect+ group.





Button Combination Functions

Speak Firmware Version Button Combo

You can get the speaker to speak the version number of the firmware currently installed by pressing the Volume DOWN and Connect buttons at the same time.  Hold them in until you hear the three digit firmware version spoken in a female voice. See these buttons circled in green in the next picture.

 

Top view picture of the speaker, with the -Connect- and -Volume DOWN- buttons circled.
The speaker top view, with the -Connect- and -Volume DOWN- buttons circled.

JBL Flip 4 Button Functions: The Reset Button Combo

Reset the JBL Flip 4 to default factory settings and state by pressing the Volume UP and Play / Pause buttons at the same time, and holding them in until the hard reset occurs.  See these buttons in yellow circles in the next picture.





You may wish to reset the speaker to fix any erratic or strange behaviors you see from it such as failing to pair, sound distortion, 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 and re pair the speaker after a reset, to play your audio content through it once again.

Picture of the -Volume UP- and -Play-Pause- buttons circled in yellow on the speaker.
Showing the -Volume UP- and -Play-Pause- buttons circled in yellow on the speaker.

Low Frequency Mode Button Combo

Press the Bluetooth and Volume DOWN buttons shown in the next picture, for ten seconds. This toggles extra bass on and off.  This low frequency mode is ON by default.

Top view picture of the speaker, showing the -Bluetooth- and -Volume DOWN- buttons circled.
The top view of the speaker, showing the -Bluetooth- and -Volume DOWN- buttons circled.

Related Posts to JBL Flip 4 Button Functions

  1. JBL Charge 3 Speaker Button Functions
  2. Button Functions on JBL Speaker, Meanings

Other Posts About the JBL Flip 4 Speaker

  1. JBL Flip 4 Reset Instructions
  2. Review of the JBL Flip 4 Portable Waterproof Speaker
  3. JBL Flip 4 Specs, Specifications for this Speaker
  4. Pairing Instructions for Flip 4 JBL Speaker
  5. JBL Flip 4 Low Frequency Mode, How to Turn On

References for JBL Flip 4 Button Functions 

  1. Portable JBL Flip 4 Bluetooth Speakers, at JBL.com

Revision History

  • 2020-12-16: First published.