How to Fix the JBL Flip 5 Bluetooth Not Connecting Problem?

Is your JBL Flip 5 Bluetooth not connecting or does the speaker keep disconnecting from the paired device?

Well, chances are that your JBL Flip 5 speaker battery is low, the paired device is out of range, or there is interference from other devices.

To fix this problem, check whether the speaker is charged, ensure that the device you are connecting is within range and that the speaker is in the Pairing Mode.

If this does not seem to help, try clearing all previously connected devices or just hard resetting the speaker.

Throughout this guide, you will learn what causes the Bluetooth pairing issue on the JBL Flip 5 and the specific steps you should take to fix it.

Why is the JBL Flip 5 Not Connecting?

Ranging from low battery to outdated/ corrupted software, several things can cause the Bluetooth on your JBL

Flip 5 portable speaker to malfunction. Here are the common causes of the JBL flip 5 Bluetooth not working issue:

Low Power

If the battery on your JBL Flip 5 is drained or too low, you won’t be able to pair it to another device.

Pairing Device is Out of Range

The device you are trying to connect may be out of the 75 feet range

Speaker is Already Connected to Another Device

If a previously-paired device is within range, the JBL Flip 5 speaker will automatically connect to it once powered up.

As a result, it will be impossible to pair a new device to the speaker until the paired device is disconnected

Signal Interference

Devices that emit signals at the same frequency as your speaker may interfere with your JBL Flip 5 Bluetooth signals.

Devices like baby monitors, Wi-Fi routers, and microwaves are known to cause interference, hence preventing JBL flip 5 Bluetooth from connecting

How to Fix the JBL Flip 5 Bluetooth Not Connecting Issue

We have already established that the connectivity problem on the JBL Flip 5 may be caused by different things.

This is why there are several fixes for the problem.

Discussed below are some of the methods you can use to resolve the JBL flip 5 Bluetooth not working problem:

Solution #1: Charge Your JBL Flip 5 Speaker

Low battery is one of the leading causes of the JBL Bluetooth won’t connect issue.

Before trying other solutions, check to see whether yours is charged. For enhanced convenience, the Flip 5 speaker features a battery gauge.

When fully charged, the entire power meter gauge will glow bright white steadily.

As the charge depletes, the meter will start to dim progressively—starting from the right end. If the battery is critically low, the last blip on the gauge will flash red.

Note: You first need to power the speaker up to read the battery level gauge.

If yours blinks red when powered up or does not power up at all, the problem is most likely a depleted battery.

In this case, you need to charge it before attempting to pair the speaker to your device.

To do this:

1. Connect the USB-C charging cord—that comes with the speaker—to the charging port on the JBL Flip 5 speaker.
2. Connect the other end of the charging cord to a USB wall charger with a rated output of between 1.0A and  3.0A.
3. Plug the wall charger into a power outlet
4. Allow the speaker enough time to charge—takes about two and a half hours to charge its battery to full capacity

Once charged, power your Flip 5 speaker and try pairing it with your preferred device again.

Solution #2: Check Whether the Device is Within the Range

If the speaker is charged and still not connecting to your device, try bringing the device closer to the speaker.

The JBL Flip 5 portable speaker boasts a 75-foot Bluetooth range. However, the range may be affected by your environment.

It is advisable to first bring the device you are trying to pair with as close to the speaker as possible before trying to connect.

Once the device is within range, use the following steps to establish a Bluetooth connection:

Step #1: Power the Flip 5 On

Rapidly press the Power button on your Flip 5 speaker to turn it On. Once powered on, but not connected, the power button should glow white.

Step #2: Put the JBL Flip 5 Into the Pairing Mode

Now press and hold the Discovery Mode/Paring button—the button with the Bluetooth symbol on it—until the Bluetooth Button starts to flash.

At this point, the Bluetooth button should be glowing white.

Your speaker is now powered up and ready to pair.

Note: The speaker will make its signature plucking guitar pairing sound when you press the Bluetooth Button.

Step #3: Find the Flip 5 Speaker on Your Device

Navigate to the Home Screen on your phone, tablet computer, or iPad. Next, find the Settings App and open it.

Now scroll down to find Bluetooth Settings.

Toggle Bluetooth On and then tap on the Pair a New Device option to search for Bluetooth devices within range.

Once the JBL Flip 5 speaker is listed on the search results, tap on it to pair.

Note: Your device must be in close proximity to the Flip 5 speaker for it to be discovered.

Solution #3: Eliminate Possible Interferences

As mentioned earlier in this guide, devices operating on the same frequency as Bluetooth 4.2 on your speaker may interfere with its signals.

Position your speaker away from such things as Wi-Fi routers and microwaves and try to connect it once again.

Again, you should ensure that there are no objects in between the speaker and the device you wish to connect.

These may instruct the signal as well and lead to connection issues.

Solution #4: Disconnect the Already Paired Device

If in range, the Flip 5 will automatically connect to a previously paired device as soon as it is powered on.

If yours is already paired, you cannot connect to another device until you disconnect the paired device.

To disconnect a device from your Flip 5 speaker:

A.   For iPhone:

From the Home Screen, launch the Settings App then select Bluetooth Settings.

Tap on the Information icon—situated on the right-hand side of the Flip 5 Speaker listing. Now select the Forget this Device option to disconnect it.

B.   For Android: 

Launch the Settings App and navigate to Connected devices. Next, select the Connection preferences option.

Under Bluetooth, tap on the Settings icon adjacent to your Flip 5 speaker listing and then select Unpair.

C.   For Mac:

Click on the Bluetooth icon—positioned towards the top-right corner of the screen—and select Bluetooth Preferences.

Scroll to find the JBL Flip 5 speaker and then click on the X icon adjacent to it to unpair.

D.   For Windows :

Under Settings, select Devices and then choose the Bluetooth and Other devices option.

Find the Flip 5 speaker on the displayed list of devices, right-click on it then select the Remove device option. Confirm this operation if prompted to do so.

Once done, try connecting the speaker to your preferred device and see if the JBL Flip 5 Bluetooth not connecting issue is fixed.

Solution #5: Factory Reset the JBL Flip 5 Speaker

If none of the above-described solutions has fixed the problem, you need to hard reset the JBL Flip 5 speaker.

This operation will wipe all user data on your speaker and restore default settings.

To factory reset your JBL Flip 5 speaker:

1. Press the Power button to turn the speaker on
2. Once powered up, press and hold the Play and Volume Up buttons simultaneously until the speaker goes off (should take about five seconds)
3. Power the Flip 5 back up by pressing the power button

You can now try to pair the speaker to your preferred device as described in Solution #2 above.

Bottom Line

As we have seen earlier in this guide, the JBL Flip 5 Bluetooth not connecting issue may be triggered by different things.

The JBL Flip 5 is an amazing waterproof Bluetooth speaker. It delivers quality sound, up to 12 hours of playback time per charger, and support for a wide variety of Bluetooth devices.

That said, it can be very disheartening to discover that yours is not connecting.

Regardless of the cause, the above-described solutions will help you fix the problem on your own.