How to Pair JBL Wireless Earbuds & Headphones (For Dummies)

To pair JBL earbuds, activate pairing mode by holding the controls to turn them OFF and then holding them again for 5 seconds. The same method applies to JBL headphones, except you’re holding on to the Power button.

Also learn:

• Possible reasons for pairing issues & how to fix them
• How to reset your JBL earbuds and headphones

Step 1: Activate Pairing Mode on JBL Wireless Earbuds & Headphones

JBL makes wireless and true wireless earbuds, as well as Bluetooth headphones. They all use slightly different ways to put them in pairing mode. However, they’re easy enough to master.

Remember that both earbuds and headphones go automatically into a pairing when you turn them ON for the first time.

How to activate pairing mode on JBL earbuds

Here’s the universal way to start pairing mode on JBL true wireless earbuds:

1. Turn the earbuds OFF by holding the controls.
2. Next, hold the controls for around 5 seconds or until you see the LED blink blue (you also hear a beeping noise from earbuds when they enter pairing mode).

How to activate pairing mode on JBL headphones

1. Turn OFF your headphones by holding the Power button.
2. Next, hold the Power button (it also acts as a Bluetooth button) for 5 seconds or until you see the LED below the right ear cup blinking blue. You should also hear a beeping noise.

Now that you’ve enabled pairing mode jump to a device (or operating system) you want to pair to with links below:

• iOS (iPhone, iPad)
• Android
• Windows (10 and 11)
• MacOS (Mac, MacBook)
• TizenOS (Samsung TV)
• WatchOS (Apple Watch)
• PS5 (PlayStation 5)

Step 2: How to Pair JBL Earbuds & Headphones to an iPhone & iPad (iOS)

Pairing any wireless gadget to an iPhone or iPad takes just a few steps. There are at least 2 methods, but we’ll show you the fastest one.

1. Swipe from the upper right corner to access quick settings. Tap “Bluetooth” so that the icon turns blue.

2. Tap and hold the same Bluetooth symbol to expand the widget.
3. Long-press the Bluetooth symbol and then select “Bluetooth Settings…“.

4. Following the steps above, activate the pairing mode on your JBL earbuds or headphones.
5. Back on your iOS device and Bluetooth settings, wait for your JBLs to appear under “OTHER DEVICES“. Tap on them when they do.

6. Earbuds are connected when they move to “MY DEVICES“.

Step 2: How to Pair JBL Earbuds & Headphones to an Android Phone (Android)

Android is the most straightforward operating system to pair new Bluetooth devices to. In the case of JBL earbuds and headphones, there are 2 different methods.

The first is the standard manual method, whereas the second involves using the Google Fast Pair feature (if your JBL earbuds or headphones support it).

Let’s start with the manual method:

1. Swipe from the top to access quick settings and tap the “gear icon” to access Settings.

2. Find and tap on “Connections” and select Bluetooth.

3. Grab your JBL earbuds or headphones and enable their pairing mode.
4. Looking into Android’s Bluetooth settings, enable the feature and scroll down to see all “Available devices“.
5. Tap on your JBLs when you see them. Tap “Pair” when you get a pop-up message.

6. Your JBLs are now connected. You should also hear an audible confirmation of connection (three beeps).

The second method uses the Google Fast Pair feature, which simplifies the pairing process. All you need to do is to:

1. Swipe from the top and tap the Bluetooth symbol in your notification bar/quick settings.
2. Close the Bluetooth searching widget that opens up when enabling Bluetooth.
3. Now, enable Bluetooth pairing process on your JBL earbuds or headphones by following the instructions above.
4. Observe your Android device. You should soon see a pop-up message asking you to connect your JBLs to your Google account and device. Tap “Connect“.
5. Soon after, your earbuds should be connected.

Ensure your JBL headphones support Google Fast Pair. You should have the name of the feature written somewhere on the box.

Step 2: How to Pair JBL Earbuds & Headphones to a PC & Laptop (Windows)

Windows computers use many steps to pair Bluetooth headphones.

If your JBL product supports Google Fast Pair, the pairing process is much easier (but only if you have newer HP or Acer computers LINKZ).

Furthermore, check if your PC actually supports Bluetooth connectivity.

• Laptops typically support Bluetooth
• Whereas desktop PCs usually don’t (they require a USB Bluetooth dongle).

Let’s describe all pairing methods in detail. Jump to the desired method:

• Windows 11
  • Google Fast Pair
• Windows 10

Windows 11

1. In Windows, left-click on the Wi-Fi/Volume/Battery icons to open quick settings and click on the “gear icon” to enter Settings.

2. In Settings, click on Bluetooth and enable it.
3. Click either the big plus (+) or the “Add device” button.

4. Before going further, activate Bluetooth pairing mode on your JBL earbuds and headphones. Find the steps above.
5. Back in Windows, click on the “Bluetooth” option. Now, wait for Windows to slowly find your JBLs. It might take a little longer, so be patient.

6. Click on your JBLs when they show up.

7. They should immediately connect to your Windows computer. Wait a bit for Windows to switch its audio source to your earbuds.

The next method is to use Google Fast Pair. As mentioned above, this feature (currently) only works on HP and Acer laptops with Windows 11 installed. Your JBL earbuds also have to support it.

1. Left-click on the Wi-Fi/Volume/Battery icon in the bottom right corner of the screen.
2. Left-click on the Bluetooth icon to enable the feature.
3. Activate pairing mode on your JBL earbuds or headphones (use our detailed instructions above).
4. After a few seconds, you should see a pop-up message at the bottom of the screen asking you to pair your JBLs. Click “Connect“.
5. Congrats! Your headphones are now connected.

Windows 10

Windows 10 doesn’t support Google Fast Pair, so you can only rely on the standard pairing method.

1. In Windows, left-click the “Start” icon and select “Settings“.

2. In Settings, find Bluetooth and click on it.

3. Enable Bluetooth and click on “Add Bluetooth” or “other device“.

4. Before clicking anything else, grab your JBL earbuds or headphones and enable their pairing mode (instructions above).
5. Return to Windows and click the “Bluetooth” option.

6. Wait a bit for Windows to find your JBLs. When it does, click on them.

7. JBLs should immediately connect to your Windows computer. Wait a few seconds for it to switch audio sources.

Step 2: How to Pair JBL Earbuds & Headphones to a Mac, MacBook (MacOS)

MacOS for MacBooks and Macs is much friendlier for pairing new Bluetooth gadgets. It offers 2 ways to do so. We’ll cover the easiest one.

1. Click on the Apple logo icon in the upper left corner of the screen. (Alternatively, click the Bluetooth symbol in the upper-right corner and select “Bluetooth Settings…”).
2. Select “System Preferences…“.

3. Find and go into “Bluetooth” settings and enable Bluetooth.

4. Now, you need to activate pairing mode on your JBL earbuds or headphones.
5. Looking back to Mac’s screen, your JBLs should appear under “Nearby Devices”. Use the cursor to hover over them and click “Connect“.

6. They’re connected when their name moves to “My Devices“.

Step 2: How to Pair JBL Earbuds & Headphones to Other Bluetooth Devices

Based on Google searches, you’re also interested in how to pair JBL earbuds and headphones to popular Bluetooth devices such as:

• TV (Samsung TV using TizenOS)
• Apple Watch
• Gaming console (PlayStation 5)

How to pair JBL earbuds & headphones to a TV

Here, we’ll show you how to connect your JBL headphones to a Samsung TV using the TizenOS operating system.

1. Click the “House” button on a remote controller to open the user interface.
2. Go all the way to the left to the “gear icon” labeled “Settings.” Click it.

3. In Settings, go to “Sound” and select “Sound Output“.

4. Take your JBL earbuds or headphones and activate pairing mode following the steps from the beginning.
5. Back on a Samsung TV, click “Speaker List“, and wait for a TV to find your JBLs.

6. When it finds them, click on them and agree to “Pair and connect“.

7. Click “OK” to finish connecting.

How to pair JBL earbuds & headphones to an Apple Watch

1. Access all apps on your Apple Watch by pressing the digital crown.
2. Find the “Settings” icon (grey and looks like a gear) and tap on it.

3. Scroll down and click on “Bluetooth“. Enable it by tapping or swiping the slider.

4. Go ahead and activate pairing mode on your JBL headphones or earbuds.
5. Return to your Watch. JBLs should soon appear under “Devices“. Tap on them.

6. Your JBL headphones are now connected to your Apple Watch.

How to pair JBL earbuds & headphones to a PS5 (PlayStation 5)

A lot of you want to connect JBL Bluetooth headphones to PS5. However, the problem is that the PlayStation 5 doesn’t support a direct Bluetooth connection.

Fortunately, there’s a workaround in the form of a Bluetooth pairing dongle. You’ll have to purchase one, and it only costs around $20 or $30, depending on the quality of the Bluetooth audio codecs it offers.

Note that the Bluetooth pairing dongle is different than the Bluetooth dongle you buy for a PC:

• Bluetooth dongle makes your PC start supporting Bluetooth connectivity, and you can access all Bluetooth settings within the operating system. The dongle doesn’t have any buttons, and it supports audio and mic functionality.
• Bluetooth pairing dongle is an independent device to which headphones connect directly. You can’t manage Bluetooth settings within the operating system. The dongle has a button and only supports audio, but not mic input (you get a separate mic dongle in the packaging to plug into a DualShock controller).

Now that you have your Bluetooth pairing dongle and PS5 ready, follow these steps:

1. Start your PS5 and put the Bluetooth pairing dongle in one of the USB ports on the console (some users report that it works better if you use USB-A ports instead of USB-C ones).
2. Hold the button on the dongle for a few seconds or until you see the flashing LED on it. That puts the dongle into discoverable mode (it is searching for available Bluetooth headphones).

3. Quickly grab your JBL earbuds or headphones and put them into pairing mode. Avoid using other Bluetooth devices during this process, as they might connect to the dongle before the JBLs.
4. When the LED on the dongle glows solid, you know it has been connected to a headphone.
5. Now, you need to set up your JBL headphones. On your PS5, go to the Home screen and click “Settings“.

6. Go down to “Sound“.

7. Click on “Audio Output” and go to “Output Device“.

8. Select the “USB Headset” option (you should also see the name of your dongle).

9. Return to Audio Output and scroll down to the “Headphones” section. Set the “Output to Headphones” to “All Audio“.

If you also want to use the microphone dongle on your gaming controller:

1. Inside Audio Output, switch the “Switch Output Device Automatically” OFF.
2. Then, go to “Microphone” and select the “Input Device“.
3. Set it to “Controller Headset“.

How to Verify the JBL Earbuds/Headphones are in Pairing Mode?

JBLs verify that they’re in pairing mode by providing an audible and visual confirmation.

• Visual confirmation: the LED light blinks blue when in pairing mode (at least in newer models, it might blink in red or some other color on older models).
• Audible confirmation: You can hear a series of beeps while wearing the JBLs and activating the pairing mode. Typically, you hear 2 prolonged and echoey beeps.

Connecting JBL Wireless Earbuds & Headphones After Pairing

When you successfully pair two devices together, they should automatically reconnect when enabling Bluetooth connection on both. However, that doesn’t always happen. Here’s what to expect in both cases.

Automatic reconnection

Two previously connected devices remember each other and will first look for each other when you turn them ON and enable their Bluetooth.

• JBLs: Turn your headphones ON by holding the Power button or take the true wireless earbuds out of the charging case.
• Device: Enable Bluetooth feature.

Manual reconnection

If your headphones and a device don’t reconnect automatically, you have to use the manual method.

• iOS: Settings > Bluetooth > Tap on your JBLs
• Android: Settings > Bluetooth > Tap on your JBLs
• Windows 11: Settings > Bluetooth > View more devices > Connect to your JBLs
• Windows 10: Settings > Bluetooth > Connect to your JBLs (under Audio section)
• MacOS: System Preferences… > Bluetooth > Connect to your JBLs
• TV (TizenOS): Settings > Sound > Sound Output > Speaker List > Connect to your JBLs
• Apple Watch (WatchOS): Settings > Bluetooth > Tap on your JBLs
• PS5: reconnect your JBLs to the Bluetooth pairing dongle by pressing & holding the button on a dongle.

Why does reconnecting fail?

To better understand this issue, here are the possible reasons why Bluetooth headphones fail to reconnect automatically:

• You’ve paired your JBLs to a different device or your device to different headphones. This means that they each look for a different device to connect to.
• Your device or JBLs are connected to a different device with Bluetooth. Ensure Bluetooth is turned off from all devices except the one to which you wish to pair your JBLs.

Troubleshoot Pairing Issues on JBL Earbuds & Headphones

Bluetooth is a software-based feature that is susceptible to glitches. The latter can cause minor nuances like connection stutters or bigger issues, like refusing to pair altogether.

Here are most common reasons your Bluetooth gadgets refuse to activate pairing mode.

But before you continue with troubleshooting, discover the source of connection issues.

• You need to troubleshoot JBL headphones if they refuse to pair with multiple devices.
• You need to troubleshoot your device if it’s the only one that JBLs can’t pair to.

Minor Bluetooth glitch

It could be that Bluetooth software failed to initiate correctly, which resulted in an error. That error is now preventing it from working correctly.

• Turn your JBL earbuds and headphones OFF and back ON.
  • Put the earbuds in the charging case, close it, and reopen the lid.
  • Hold the Power button on the headphones to turn them OFF and then hold it back to turn them ON.
• Restart the Bluetooth feature on your device by clicking the Bluetooth symbol in the device’s quick settings.

Low battery charge

When you activate pairing mode, Bluetooth devices have to radiate a bit stronger than usual. That ensures that other devices can “hear” and pair with them.

That results in slightly higher battery consumption, meaning that earbuds or headphones can’t perform the pairing process on a nearly empty battery.

Here’s how you figure out the remaining battery charge in your JBL earbuds and headphones without using the JBL app.

• Earbuds: Open the lid of the charging case and place the earbuds inside individually. For each earbud you put inside, observe the LED light on the charging case:
  • Green means high battery charge.
  • Yellow means medium battery charge.
  • Red indicates low battery charge.
• Headphones: Press the Power button while observing the LED under the ear cup:
  • Green means high battery charge.
  • Yellow means medium battery charge.
  • Red indicates low battery charge.

Faulty firmware

While that’s unlikely, it could be that your JBLs or a device has faulty firmware that is causing the issues.

If that’s the case for JBL earbuds or headphones, you’re in bad luck as you CAN only update the firmware with the JBL app (which requires you to pair it to your smartphone or tablet).

Also, there were some issues in the past with connecting JBL headphones and earbuds to the JBL app on Samsung smartphones. This means you can pair them to a smartphone but not with the app.

Consequently, all you can do is check whether your device has a firmware/software update available and install it.

Continuous pairing problems

If you’re experiencing repeated pairing issues or connection stutters, you have to take more serious actions. Here are a few examples.

• Reset your headphones. Resetting your JBLs will put them back in factory conditions, as when you first took them out of the box when Bluetooth was still working correctly.
• Restart your device. Restarting your device will reinitiate all features and hopefully eliminate the annoying glitch.
• Sending your JBLs for repair. That is a last resort when the troubleshooting steps fail to work. See if they’re still covered under warranty.

How to Reset JBL Earbuds & Headphones

JBL has a ton of Bluetooth wireless earbuds and headphones in the catalog. Using different designs means there are also different ways to reset them. Let’s cover the newest JBL products.

The universal way to reset your JBL earbuds is very similar to how you activate their pairing mode:

1. Take the earbuds out of the charging case.
2. Double-tap the controls on the earbuds. 
3. Hold on to the second tap for 5 seconds or until you see small LEDs blink blue.

On the other hand, some JBL earbuds (like JBL Tune 225TWS or Tune 125TWS) need to be inside the case when you double-tap and hold their controls for 5 seconds.

The confusion continues, though, as some JBL earbuds (like JBL Endurance PEAK II) require you to place them in the charging case and hold controls for 20 seconds.

Moving to the JBL headphones, their universal way of resetting is to:

1. Turn your headphones ON.
2. Press and hold the volume up and down buttons simultaneously for 5 seconds.
3. The reset is complete when the LED under the ear cup blinks in two colors.

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

Hopefully, our guide helped you successfully pair your JBLs to the device you wanted to. Enjoy your music or videos!

Feel free to leave a comment if you have any other issues or questions. We’ll be sure to answer as soon as possible.

If you’re curious, you can also check our other articles about:

• Bluetooth interferences
• Bluetooth codecs and what they mean for audio quality