The JBL Flip 5 has several buttons across its top and side panels. The Power button lights solid when the speaker is ON. Plus the Bluetooth button glows or flashes to indicate current pairing status. Plus, an oval ring around these buttons lights up during reset or changes in speaker operational mode. So here, we explain the JBL Flip 5 buttons in detail. We show where they are on the Flip 5 and discuss their meanings and functions. We also give some button codes and combinations, and we describe when to press them.
JBL Flip 5 Buttons Explained
The Power Button
There are two rows of buttons on the JBL Flip 5. So in the first row of two buttons, each button is a round depression.
The Bluetooth Button
Next in this row of buttons, we have the Bluetooth button. Now with the JBL Flip 5 powered ON, press this button to place the Flip 5 in discovery mode. When in this mode, this button rapidly flashes white. Also, the Flip 5 broadcasts its name and other connection information. This allows nearby devices to discover and connect to it.
JBL Flip 5 Buttons Explained: Volume Down and Up Buttons
The JBL Flip 5 volume controls are near the center of the speaker, in the second row of buttons. These controls are is in the shapes of the minus and plus symbols. And when pressed, they change the volume by reducing or increasing that setting on the paired source device.
With the JBL Flip 5 paired and playing, press the Volume Down button to decrease the volume. Or press the Volume Up button to increase the loudness.
Note that the volume controls have no effect when the Flip 5 has no pairing.
Also, the volume setting may change from paired device to paired device. That is, each device remembers its own volume setting. So you may have to readjust the volume when you pair the Flip 5 to another device.
The Play-Pause Button
The Play / Pause button looks like a left-pointing arrow. And we find it closest the left side of the Flip 5.
How to Pause and Resume Playback
Press this to pause audio play. Press again to resume audio play. Note that this is not a mute button. That is, pausing playback in this way suspends sound playback on the source device. So, you won’t miss any content when you pause the Flip 5. Why not? Because that device remembers where the content paused. So it resumes playback at that spot when you press the play pause button again.
How to Bring Up a Voice Assistant
When paired with an Apple device, press and hold the Play / Pause button to get Siri’s attention. Note that Siri must be running on the source device for this feature to work.
The PartyBoost Button
Use the PartyBoost button to connect two or more JBL Connect+ compatible speakers together, in “party mode”. When paired in this way, that they all play the same audio content. This is like speakers in Amazon’s multi room music groups. So all speakers participating in PartyBoost play the same audio at the same time.
You press this button on each Bluetooth speaker you wish to add to the Connect+ group. This button resembles an infinity symbol.
JBL Flip 5 Buttons Explained: The Combinations
All Lights On Mode
Entering the All Lights ON mode appears to power down the speaker, since it makes the falling guitar sound. But all the lamps on the buttons panel light up.
To enter this mode, press the Bluetooth and Volume UP buttons. Then hold them in for around ten seconds. Finally, release them when you see the lights on the control panel all light up.
Once you enter All Lights ON, then to turn off this mode, press the Power button. Then hold it in for twelve seconds or so, until all lights go out. Note that the Flip 5 makes no power-down sound here.
Low Frequency Mode Button Combination
Many JBL speaker models come with low frequency mode, which by default, is ON. This adds a bit of extra treble and lots of extra bass to the audio output. It’s like switching on the Loudness control on vintage stereo systems.
You can turn this extreme bass mode off by pressing the Volume Down (-) and Bluetooth buttons together. Then hold these in for about ten seconds. Finally, release them when the Power and Bluetooth buttons light up white.
To turn low frequency mode back on, again, press the Volume Down and Bluetooth buttons together. Then hold them in until the Power and Bluetooth buttons light up again. Release them when you see that. Then, when the buttons return to their prior states, low frequency mode is ON once again.
Reset Button Combination, Combo
You can reset the JBL Flip 5 by pressing the Volume UP and Play / Pause buttons together. Then hold them in until the hard reset occurs.
The Service Mode Button Combination, Combo
When in this (sometimes called ‘weird’) mode, the JBL Flip 5 does not power on without the charger. And then, when you connect the charger, it powers up without you pressing the Power button. 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 when the Flip 5 is in this mode. E.g. You can’t activate discovery mode. So it won’t pair with any devices.
To turn on this mode, press the Bluetooth and Volume UP buttons at the same time. Then hold them in until the speaker powers OFF. This takes ten seconds or so. Note that you can enter this mode as long as the Flip 5 is ON. Furthermore, it doesn’t matter whether you connect the charger or not.
But once you activate Service Only, 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 running.
So, with the speaker Power button glowing, press the Bluetooth and Volume UP button combination. Then hold that in for ten seconds or so, until the unit powers off. Then normal operation returns thereafter.