JBL Speaker Keeps Disconnecting: Every Fix in the Books!

JBL has been a leading global audio equipment manufacturer for over seven decades. Their high-quality wireless speakers produce clear sound and easily connect to your Bluetooth-enabled devices.

The issue is that wireless JBL speakers tend to disconnect on occasion. Unfortunately, even a renowned brand like JBL experiences technical imperfections like these that can detract from your listening experience.

Before ditching your Bluetooth speaker, we’ve compiled a detailed cause and solutions guide to help you fix connection issues.

What Causes a Bluetooth Speaker to Disconnect?

There are several issues you might encounter with a Bluetooth speaker. Numerous factors could be causing your JBL speaker to cut out randomly.

These include:

Outdated or unsupported software
Battery drains too quickly
Speaker won’t charge
Issues with paired devices
Distance between the paired device and speaker
Your connection could be interrupted by device interference
Too many devices are connected to the Bluetooth connection

Some connection problems can be fixed with a simple restart, whereas others could indicate a more significant issue.

Check the Paired Devices

Every JBL speaker model has its own individual reset process. But before attempting a hard reset, let’s run over three solutions to try:

Restart your Bluetooth-enabled device

Restarting your paired device, whether your mobile phone, tablet, laptop, or desktop computer, could clear the disconnection issue.

Turn the Bluetooth option off

Switching the Bluetooth option off for a few minutes can help the paired device search and connect to your JBL speaker without issue.

Remove the JBL speaker from Bluetooth

Removing the speaker from the paired device could be helpful, much like restarting your paired device.

Go to your Bluetooth setting, choose connected devices, then click on the JBL speaker, then select “Forget” or “Delete.”
Switch off your Bluetooth option before restarting the paired device.
Once it boots up, switch on the Bluetooth option and connect your JBL speaker.

Tips To Fix a JBL Speaker that Keeps Disconnecting

Once you’ve checked the paired devices and are still experiencing connection issues, you can take a few measures to discover why your JBL speaker keeps disconnecting.

Check your Audio Source

Check the audio source first if you are playing music through your JBL speakers and a song cuts out. Occasionally, a music file could be corrupted or not compatible with the paired device.

Try playing the music file through the paired device; if it stops playing, the audio file is the issue. Likewise, you can try using a different program (Spotify, Apple Music, Youtube, etc.) and test whether or not that fixes the problem.

Low Battery

When your JBL speaker requires charging, a low battery will cause the speaker to disconnect. If your speaker’s battery drains exceptionally fast, put your hand on the speaker and feel if it is warm. Abnormal temperatures can affect connectivity; if this is the case, you might need to replace the battery (or, more likely, replace the device).

Check your charging cable. A faulty charging cable affects how much power the battery of the JBL speaker gets. If charging your speaker takes forever and a day, it might be time to replace the cable.

Interference from Additional Wireless Devices

Bluetooth technology uses radio frequencies to connect with a device. The Bluetooth signal is disrupted if this radio frequency is shared with other Bluetooth devices.

So if more than one device is paired to your JBL speaker, this could cause interference with the connection. Your speaker could be attempting to connect to additional paired devices wirelessly at the same time.

Try unpairing the additional paired devices connected to your JBL speaker. This should avoid disconnection.

Out of Range

The distance between the paired device and your wireless JBL speaker could affect the audio’s connection and quality. Suppose your JBL speaker’s sound is choppy or cuts out altogether. In that case, this indicates that there is too much distance between the Bluetooth speaker and the device.

Wi-fi Router

Disruption to your Bluetooth speaker connection could occur if your speaker is too close to your wi-fi router. The reason is simple: both the speaker radio frequency and wi-fi frequencies are very similar.

Microwave Oven Frequencies

This may sound strange, but a microwave oven may disrupt the frequency between your paired device and speakers. Microwaves use a similar type of radio frequency to Bluetooth frequencies. Any interference could result in a loss of sound or disconnection.

Check for Firmware Updates

One of the main culprits of your JBL speaker cutting out or being disconnected is outdated firmware. Downloading the latest firmware improves the compatibility with newer devices.

To update the firmware version of newer JBL speakers, you should have an iPhone or Android phone. You need to download the JBL Portable app on your phone, connect the app with your speaker, and then update the firmware version.

Download the JBL Connect Mobile App or JBL Portable from the Google Play store for Android devices or the Apple Store for iPhones, respectively.
Ensure that your JBL speakers are connected to your mobile phones and that your Bluetooth is on discovery mode before you open the newly downloaded app.
Once the devices are paired, open the Mobile App. “Searching for Product” will appear on your screens, signaling the app is searching for the JBL speaker. Select “Allow” once your JBL speaker has been discovered.
Select “Software Update is Available” and click download.
A new version number will appear, then select “Update.”
The update takes up to 30 minutes before a new phase kicks in and about ten minutes before it is complete. During the shorter phrase, do not turn off your speaker; it will sound like your speaker switches off and then on again. This is part of the final phase. Ensure that your mobile phone and Bluetooth device are close to one another during the update.

If All Else Fails, Reset Your Speaker

If you’ve taken the steps mentioned above with no success, resetting your JBL speaker could help with any connectivity issues you may be experiencing.

JBL Go Speaker / JBL Xtreme Speaker

The JBL Go is a much smaller portable speaker in contrast to the much bigger JBL Xtreme Speaker. To reset both the JBL Go and the JBL Xtreme speakers:

Switch on the speaker.
Hold down both Bluetooth and volume buttons for approximately 5 seconds.

JBL Clip Speaker

JBL Clip speakers are the smallest portable Bluetooth speakers in the JBL range.

To reset the JBL Clip Speaker:

Switch on the speaker.
Press and hold down the power button and the play/pause button simultaneously for approximately 30 seconds.

JBL Flip Speaker

The JBL Flip is the brand’s medium-sized speaker, and this is also the easiest model to reset.

Press and hold the play and volume buttons down for five seconds.
The Bluetooth speaker will power off and on, which will restore the device’s default settings.

JBL Link Speaker

Unlike the other speakers on this list, the JBL Link Speaker is a smart speaker, not a Bluetooth speaker, but works with wi-fi and Google Assistant.

To reset both the JBL 20 and JBL 10 Link speaker:

Ensure that your speaker is switched on.
Press down on the mute button for approximately 15 seconds.
The device will power off before switching back on, and the factory settings will be restored.

JBL Pulse 3 Speaker

Hold the power button on your JBL Pulse speaker until it shuts down completely.
Ensure that the Bluetooth feature on all the paired devices is turned off. Also, ensure that the speaker is removed from the list of paired devices.
Press and hold down the volume and the Bluetooth button simultaneously for at least ten seconds. The lights around your speaker should be blue, red, and green.
Your speaker will look like it has shut down, but the power light will signal that your speaker is on. Your speaker’s default factory settings have been restored.
Now press the power button to shut down the speaker, then wait a few seconds before switching it back on.
Pair your JBL Pulse 3 again.

For more JBL speaker troubleshooting, see:

Final Thoughts

If you tried all the above solutions and are still experiencing connection issues, there may be a serious issue with the charger, battery, or the device may be faulty. It is advisable to contact JBL Support if the problems persist.