Updating Firmware on JBL Flip 4 Speaker

JBL Flip 4 portable Bluetooth speaker, showing logo side, horizontal view.

Here, we demonstrate updating the firmware on a JBL Flip 4 Bluetooth speaker. This exercise can take up to a half hour to finish, depending on the speed of your WiFi connection. Plus, you can’t revert to the earlier firmware version once done. So, be sure that you indeed want the update before going ahead with it.

Updating Firmware on JBL Flip 4: Preparation Steps

You’ll need and internet connection, a Bluetooth enabled mobile or desktop computer device, the JBL Connect app, and the JBL Flip 4 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 mains power, because we don’t want its battery going dead while updating the firmware. A low battery could wind up corrupting the speaker’s memory, and thus, brick the speaker, rendering it useless and not repairable.

So, to be safe, plug the Flip 4 into AC power, using the included USB cable, as shown in the next picture.

JBL Flip 4 wireless speaker, charging from a RavPower USB AC charger.

Finally, connect the other end of the USB cord into a strong enough AC adapter, and plug that adapter into a working AC outlet.

Then, pair your mobile device with the speaker

You are now ready to begin the firmware update process.

Updating Firmware on JBL Flip 4: 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.

iOS 13 Home screen, with the JBL Connect app highlighted.

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.

JBL Connect app, showing its -Start Up, Searching for Products- screen.

But then it finds your paired JBL Flip 4 BT speaker and shows you its status screen, as pictured next.

Note the red dot on the Settings button in the bottom center of the speaker’s picture, as pointed at by the green arrow. This means that there are important actions to take pending for this speaker.

The app, displaying the JBL Flip 4 -Home- screen with the -Settings- button with the red dot on it highlighted,

Also note that if there are no current messages or firmware updates available for this particular wireless speaker, then you will see no red dot. In that case, your speaker already has the latest version of the firmware.

3. Tap the Settings Button

Touching the Settings button brings up the screen about the available firmware upgrade, as shown next.

The app, displaying the -JBL Flip 4 New Firmware- page, with the -Upgrade- button highlighted.

This screen gives details about the available firmware update. In our case here, it suggests the Flip 4 upgrade to firmware version 4.0.0.0.

4. Tap the Orange Upgrade Button to Continue with Updating Firmware on the JBL Flip 4

Touching the Upgrade bar brings up the Plug Speaker In screen if you haven’t connected your speaker to a power source yet, as shown in the next picture. Otherwise, the firmware update process starts.

The app displaying the JBL Flip 4 -Plug Speaker In- Prompt, with the -I Followed the Instructions- button highlighted.

5. Tap the I Followed the Instructions Button

Then, touch the I Followed the Instructions button. This is the orange bar in the last picture, pointed at by the blue arrow.

6. Updating the JBL Flip 4 Firmware Process Begins

The updating then starts. Throughout this time, the Connect app displays a progress screen as shown next, to let you know how far along the update is.

6a. Updating Firmware Progress, at Twenty-Five Percent Complete

The app, showing the -Firmware Upgrade Progress- page, at 25 percent done.

6b. Updating Firmware Progress at Fifty Percent Complete

We’re several minutes into the update at this point in the process.

The JBL Flip 4 firmware update progress, at 50 percent done.

6c. Firmware Update Progress at Seventy-Five Percent Complete

The firmware update progress page, at 75 percent done.

6d. Updating Firmware on the JBL Flip 4 Progress, at Ninety-Nine Percent Complete

JBL Connect app, showing the Flip 4 firmware update progress, at 99 percent done.

6e. File Transfer 100 Percent Complete

Once the app copies the upgrade file to the Flip 4, you get the Restarting screen, as shown next.

But note that the speaker is still in the process of installing the new firmware for several minutes after the Restarting screen appears. This screen warns us that our speaker will restart automatically, and it asks us not to unplug the speaker while it’s running the update. Keep your speaker close to the mobile device running the app during this time.

The -Restarting the JBL Flip 4- page.

7. Wait for the JBL Flip 4 to Shut Off, and Then Power On Again

Watch the Power light on the speaker, as shown next. That lamp will soon go dark, as shown next, inside the green circle.

JBL Flip 4 speaker turned OFF, with its Power button circled.

The speaker may or may not turn itself back on again. Ours did come back on by itself for this update. If yours did not, then go ahead with the next step (Step 7). But if yours did come back online though, then skip Step 7 and pick up with Step 8.

8. Power On the JBL Flip 4 to Continue with Updating the Firmware on the JBL Flip 4

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.

The speaker, powered up and paired, showing the -Power- button, glowing blue.

Meanwhile, back in the Connect App, the Upgrade Successful appears when the app receives confirmation from the speaker that updating the firmware has completed without errors, as shown next.

JBL Connect app, showing the -JBL Flip 4 Firmware Update Successful- page, with the -OK- button highlighted.

9. Press the OK Button

With your speaker successfully paired to the JBL Connect app again, press the orange OK button, as pointed at by the dark blue arrow in the last screenshot.

The app then displays the JBL Flip 4 status screen once again. However, this time, there’s no longer the red dot on the Settings button, as shown next. This means that updating the firmware succeeded and that the speaker is now running the current firmware version. In this case, it’s version 4.0.0.

The app’s -Home- page for the JBL Flip 4 speaker, with the -Settings- button, that has no red dot now, highlighted.