This post demonstrates the pair JBL Flip 4 with Google Home procedure. This includes the original, mini, and max Google Home versions. Now this pairing happens between the Flip 4 and the Google speakers directly. So you need not turn Bluetooth on in the mobile device you’re using to establish this pairing.
Pair JBL Flip 4 With Google Home: Step by Step
Start by powering OFF the JBL Flip 4 (power button is dark). Then run through this routine to pair it to your Google Home Mini. We use an iPad Air tablet to create this pairing. This routine is similar for the other Google smart speaker products.
Now, to the routine.
1. Find the Google Home App on your Mobile Device
We find the Home app on our iOS iPad Air. In our case, this app is on the third home screen page.
2. Run the Google Home App
Then the app displays its Home screen.
3. Tap the Hamburger Control
Find the hamburger item in the top left corner of the screen.
Tapping that brings up the Google Home app’s main menu.
4. Tap the Devices Option on the Main Menu to Continue With Pair JBL Flip 4 with Google Home
This brings up the Devices screen, as shown in the next screenshot. From here, choose which smart speaker device you wish to pair with your JBL Flip 4 Bluetooth speaker. We had to scroll down a bit on this screen to find our Google Home Mini, named Office Speaker.
5. Tap the Hamburger Control on the Google Home Speaker you Wish to Pair to your JBL Flip 4
Find the hamburger control near the top right corner of the speaker card.
Then this brings up the selected device’s control menu.
6. Tap the Settings Menu Item
So tapping Settings takes you to the device-specific settings screen for the speaker you chose.
7. Scroll Down to the Device Settings Section
Scroll down the Device Settings screen, until you see the Default Speaker item.
8. Tap the Default Speaker Item to Continue with Pair JBL Flip 4 with Google Home
Then this brings up the Choose a Default Speaker for Music and Audio screen.
At this point, you’re ready to start a Bluetooth scan by your Google Home speaker. You’ve selected the Home speaker to pair with in step 5 above. So, that Google speaker will be the one that scans for Bluetooth devices like the JBL Flip 4.
But don’t press the Pair Bluetooth Speaker item button in the last screenshot just yet. Before that, we must first power up your JBL Flip 4 speaker and put it into pairing discovery mode.
9. Turn On your JBL Flip 4
Put down your mobile device for a bit. Then turn on the JBL Flip 4 by quickly pressing its Power button.
The speaker then powers up.
So the Google Home Mini does not know about this speaker. So the Flip 4 will not auto pair with it. Thus, the light in the power switch denotes this by glowing solid white.
Note that your Flip 4 may flash blue if you’ve never paired it since the last reset. In that case, skip the next step (Step 10) and pick up with Step 11.
10. Put your Speaker into Discovery Mode
Then place the Flip 4 into Bluetooth discovery mode. This allow the Google Home speaker to find it. To do that, press and release the Bluetooth button.
When you press the Bluetooth Discovery Mode button, the Flip 4 makes a repeating guitar note. Also, the power button changes from solid white to flashing blue.
11. Go Back to your Mobile Device
The screen with the blue Pair Bluetooth Speaker option should still be showing.
12. Tap the Pair Bluetooth Speaker Item to Continue with Pair JBL Flip 4 With Google Home
This starts your Google Home speaker scanning for any nearby Bluetooth devices in discovery mode. Your Flip 4 is now in Bluetooth discovery mode. So your Google Home should find it.
The next screenshot shows the Bluetooth scanning in progress.
Then after a short pause, your Google Home should find the JBL Flip 4.
In our demo, the Google Home Mini speaker found our JBL Flip 4, named Tom’s Flip 4.
13. Tap your JBL Flip 4 on the Discovered Bluetooth Devices List to Pair It
If Google Home found more than one device, you’ll have to tap the one you want. A blue check mark then appears beside the device you chose.
Now our scan found the JBL Flip 4, named Tom’s Flip 4. Just one device. So ours the system chose by default.
14. Tap the Done Item
Tapping Done causes our Google Home speaker then paired with the Flip 4 (“Tom’s Flip 4” in this demo).
The Google Home app then takes us back to its Choose a Default Speaker for Music and Video screen.
Then the JBL Flip 4 makes the Speaker Paired sound (the three ascending guitar notes). Note the blue check mark to the left of the new default speaker in the last screenshot.
The JBL Flip 4 speaker now has a connection with your Google Home. It’s power button glows solid blue thus. So this means that successful pairing is under way.
15. Done with Pair JBL Flip 4 with Google Home !
Finally we can now ask Google Home to play music on our Google Home Mini with the Office Speaker name. Then those tunes will play on this wonderful sounding JBL Flip 4.
Note though, that only the media you request actually plays through your Bluetooth speaker. The Google Assistant voice sounds however, still come from the Google Home. Also, be sure to speak directly to your Google Home, and not to the Bluetooth speaker, when making voice requests.