Here’s our JBL Flip 5 firmware upgrade instructions. This routine can take up to thirty minutes to finish, depending on the speed of your WiFi connection. Plus, you can’t reverse once done. That is, you won’t be able to return to any prior firmware version once you complete this speaker upgrade. So, be sure that you indeed want the update before going ahead with it.
JBL Flip 5 Firmware Upgrade Instructions: Preparation Steps
You’ll need and internet connection, a Bluetooth enabled mobile or desktop computer device, the JBL Connect app, and the JBL Flip 5 speaker itself.
So, connect your mobile device to the internet and install the JBL Connect app if you haven’t already.
Connect your speaker to household power, because we don’t want its battery going dead during the firmware update. A dying battery could corrupt the speaker’s memory, and so, brick the speaker, rendering it useless and not repairable.
So, to be safe, plug the speaker into AC power, using the included USB cable, as shown in the next picture.
Finally, connect the other end of the USB-C cord into a strong enough AC power adapter, and plug that adapter into a working wall outlet.
Then, pair your mobile device with the speaker
You are now ready to begin the firmware upgrade process.
JBL Flip 5 Firmware Upgrade Instructions: Step by Step
1. Find the JBL Connect App on your Mobile Device
We found ours on the fourth home page in the Apple iPad Air, as shown next.
2. Run the JBL Connect App
The app takes a few seconds to show you some pretty animations when you first start it, as shown in the next picture.
But then it finds your paired JBL Flip 5 BT speaker and shows you its status screen, as pictured next.
Note the presence of the Update button near the bottom left of the speaker’s home page, as pointed at by the blue arrow. This means that a firmware upgrade is available for this speaker. If no newer firmware version has yet been released, this button does not appear here.
3. Tap the Update Button
Touching the Update button brings up an information page about the available firmware upgrade, as shown next. It describes what’s new in the latest firmware version.
Now this screen gives details about the available firmware upgrade. In our case here, it suggests the Flip 5 upgrade to firmware version 4.0.0.0.
4. Tap the Orange Upgrade Button to Continue with the JBL Flip 5 Firmware Upgrade
If your speaker battery has enough charge, and / or you connected it to an external power source as instructed to above, then the firmware upgrade process starts. But if your battery is low and you’ve not yet connected your JBL Flip 5 to power, you will be asked to do so at this time. Then if you are asked, plug in the speaker, and follow any screen prompts to begin the update.
5. The Firmware Upgrade Process on JBL Flip 5 Begins
The upgrade then starts. So the Connect app displays a progress screen as shown next, to let you know how far along the process is.
5a. The Latest Firmware Then Downloads to your Mobile Device
Your mobile device downloads the new firmware to its memory first, as shown next.
5b. Firmware Upgrade Progress, at Twenty-Five Percent Complete
Once the download to your mobile device finishes, the Connect app then verifies and uploads the firmware image to your speaker.
5c. Firmware Upgrade Progress at Fifty Percent Complete
We’re several minutes into the update at this point in the process.
5d. Firmware Upgrade Progress at Seventy-Five Percent Complete
5e. JBL Flip 5 Firmware Upgrade Progress, at Ninety-Nine Percent Complete
5f. Firmware Upgrade File Transfer 100 Percent Complete
Once the app copies the upgrade file to the Flip 5, you get the Restarting screen, as shown next.
But note that the speaker is still in the process of installing the new firmware for some minutes after the Restarting screen appears. This page warns us that our speaker will restart automatically, and it asks us not to unplug the speaker while it’s running the upgrade. Keep your speaker close to the mobile device running the app during this time.
6. Wait for the Speaker to Shut Off and Power On Again
Watch the Power light on the speaker, as shown next. That lamp will soon go dark, as shown next, as pointed out by the green arrow.
The speaker may or may not turn itself back on again. Ours did come back on by itself for this upgrade. If yours did not, then go ahead with the next step (Step 7). But if yours did come back online, then skip Step 7 and resume with Step 8.
7. Power On the JBL Flip 5
Next, press the dark Power button to turn the speaker ON again. The unit should again pair with your mobile device where you’re running the JBL Connect app. The Power button glows solid blue as your speaker successfully pairs again with your tablet or phone, as shown next.
Then meanwhile, back in the Connect App, the Upgrade Successful appears when the app receives confirmation from the speaker that the firmware upgrade completed without errors, as shown next.
8. Press the Let’s Party Button
With your speaker successfully paired to the JBL Connect app again, press the orange Let’s Party button, as pointed at by the blue arrow in the last screenshot.
The app then displays the JBL Flip 5 status screen once again. But now, notice that the Update button is gone, as shown next. So this means that the firmware upgrade succeeded and that the speaker is now running the current firmware version.
9. Done with JBL Flip 5 Firmware Upgrade !
Finally, you’ve now successfully updated the firmware to the current version in your JBL Flip 5 portable party speaker. So enjoy the more reliable music play !
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Revision History
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- 2020-09-18: First put up.