JBL Wireless Earbuds Won’t Turn On? – Complete Fix Guide

What should you do when the JBL wireless earbuds won’t turn on?

That will depend on a few factors, such as the case and cable status and when you last cleaned your device.

When the JBL wireless earbuds can’t turn on, you must clean them well and with care to eliminate all dust and ear wax from all parts. Further, buying a new charging cable or resetting the earbuds and updating their firmware might be necessary.

Earbuds are very fragile, and you should take good care of them while troubleshooting.

Below we will help you with everything you must know to get your JBL back to work without damaging them.

JBL Wireless Earbuds Won’t Turn On – Why?

Sometimes a pair of JBL earbuds might fail to turn on. When that happens, you probably feel uneasy about the situation, which could mean your earbuds are no longer functional.

However, there are a few easily fixable issues.

This section will discuss what sorts of problems make your earbuds suddenly stop working.

All of the issues we will approach are possible to fix, and you will find the solution in the next section.

✅ No Battery

Perhaps you’ve put the earbuds in the case, but they haven’t charged. That can be due to not positioning them well or a failure in the charging pins.

✅ Software Error

Some JBL earbuds have more sophisticated software/firmware that can get bugged, preventing the earbuds from working correctly.

✅ Faulty Charging Case

There may be dust or other clogs in the case that make the correct electricity circuit more difficult.

✅ Dirty Earbuds

Similar to the suggestion above, perhaps the earbuds themselves are too dirty on the charging contacts.

Fixing JBL Wireless Earbuds That Don’t Turn On

There are not a lot of things that could be wrong with your earbuds.

Since they are very simple devices, the causes for them not turning on are just as simple. In that situation, let’s proceed to the solutions.

Remember, the solutions above can be performed at home without any help. You do not need to be a professional technician.

Just act carefully not to damage your earbuds. If the warranty is still in place, you can get new earbuds from the manufacturer.

Solution #1: Clean Your Earbuds And Case

The first thing you must try to get your earbuds back to work is cleaning them and the charging case.

Be very careful when cleaning such components because you don’t want them to get moist or damage critical electrical parts.

How To Clean The Earbuds

Dirt issues will usually affect the charging capacities of your earbuds or charging case.

However, since you are cleaning, it is good to clean everything to ensure no dirt is left on your device.

So let’s start like this:

1. Remove the rubber tip of the earbud;
2. Blow into it to make any debris go away (usually, there is ear wax);
3. Take a good look at its status;
4. If still dirty, get a cotton swab and clean it smoothly.

Using the cotton swab on the earbuds’ charging contacts would be nice. Then, touch them very smoothly and remove any dust or wax.

Note: This method is especially useful when you ask yourself, "why won't one of my JBL earbuds turn on?"

How To Clean The Charging Case

Now it is time you clean the charging case. First, you must clean it inside to ensure nothing is blocking the connection between the buds and the case and outside to ensure no dust gets in the charging port.

An easy solution is to wipe the charging port with a dry cloth. Nevertheless, you must use extreme caution while doing so.

The earbuds must be powered off and removed from the case before cleaning. Finally, use a lint-free cloth to remove any visible dirt from the charging port.

After everything is clean, you must test again. Now that all routes are clear, charging should be straightforward.

Tip: Also, a toothbrush with soft bristles is useful for cleansing the port.

Solution #2: Check The Charging Cable

Let’s deal with this possibility: the fault is not on the earbuds or the charging case. Instead, it could be the charging cable being damaged. 

The issue is that USB cables nowadays are very fragile, and yours could be damaged inside even if you think you always store them neatly.

Here is a good way of testing:

1. Grab another device with a compatible USB port
2. Connect the charging cable
3. See if anything happens

Replace The USB Charging Cable

Have you found out that the USB charging cable is no longer good? Then you must buy a new one.

In that case, a bit of caution is necessary.

Even though USB cables might all look the same, there is a difference in the quality and power they can transfer. 

So let’s take a look at the specs you must look for in a new USB charging cable:

• Ensure that your charging case connects with USB-C or USB-B (you need to buy the correct format);
• At least 65W;
• At least 2A.

You can usually find spare charging cables on the JBL site. 

Tip: If you are buying somewhere else, remember not to buy the cheapest, as those can be awful quality and won't solve the charging issue.

Solution #3: Reset The Earbuds

If the issue is not charging, you must try resetting your earbuds.

Note that there are some general steps for resetting, but your exact model could be a bit different.

Resetting Method #1

Here is the first method for resetting:

1. Remove the earbuds from the charging case;
2. Grab one of them in your hand;
3. Tap its button three times;
4. Hold the button on the third tap;
5. Release after five seconds;
6. Now hold the button on both earbuds until they turn on;
7. The earbuds’ lights should blink blue

Resetting Method #2

Another way of resetting could be this:

1. Remove the JBL earbuds from your phone’s Bluetooth settings;
2. Plug the charging case;
3. Place the two earbuds in the charging case;
4. Grab the right earbud;
5. Hold down its button for 10 seconds;
6. Try to power the earbuds again

Alternative Resetting Methods

Some JBL earbuds might work if you reset them with one of the following methods:

• Hold both the “power” and “play” buttons for one minute and then release them;
• Hold both the “volume up” and “volume down” buttons for one minute and release them;

Solution #4: Update The Firmware

The solution we will discuss here is complementary to Solution #3. That’s because we assume the issue with your earbuds is firmware.

For example, suppose it is finally turned on after resetting.

In that case, it might be necessary to update the firmware so you can prevent further issues.

How To Update The JBL Firmware

We recommend you update your earbuds right after making them work again.

Here is how you can update your earbuds’ firmware:

1. Ensure the earbuds are paired to your phone again;
2. Open the JBL app on your phone;
3. Choose the “Settings” option 
4. Select “Product Firmware Updates” 
5. The app will automatically check for any available updates for your JBL earbuds.
6. If available, follow the instructions. 

Please be patient while the update finishes. To avoid interrupting the update process, always keep your JBL headphones connected.

Verify the success of the firmware update by powering down and restarting your JBL earphones.

Note: Not all JBL earbuds need a firmware update. If there is no firmware update available on the app, then there is nothing you need to do.

What We Learned

When your JBL wireless earbuds won’t turn on, it is necessary to investigate and perform a few troubleshooting methods.

Above, you can find all the available solutions for such situations.

If nothing works, you must check if your warranty is still valid and then contact JBL.