How to Pair JBL Headphones / Earbuds (iPhone / Mac / Others) (2023)

JBL is an electronics company known for its powerful and high-quality speakers and headphones. They sound great, look great, and come in a range of different styles, including in-ear buds and over-ear headphones.

But they’re not always that easy to set up. Pairing JBL headphones to your iPhone, MacBook, or any other smartphone or laptop can be a little confusing if you’re not sure what you’re doing, or you don’t know how to put the headphones in pairing mode.

In this article, we’ll take a look at how to deal with your new JBL headphones and get them set up, paired, and ready for use – fast!

How to Put JBL Headphones/Earbuds in Pairing Mode

Now, this will be different depending on which exact model of JBL headphones you have. Over-ear headphones sometimes have a dedicated pairing button, or the ability to enter pairing mode manually, whereas earbuds often use a carry case, similar to AirPods, to charge and facilitate pairing.

Exact controls vary across the JBL range – some models have a dedicated Bluetooth button; some can enter a manual pairing mode by holding the power button. It’s best to check in the user manual for exact button locations for your model.

Headphones

First, let’s take a look at JBL over-ear headphones. These are quite straightforward to use.

If this is the first time you’re using your headphones, all you have to do is simply press and hold the power button to turn the headphones on. You will hear a tone, sounding like two rapidly-fading notes, that signify your headphones are not connected.

The blue power light should start flashing, which indicates that your headphones are now in pairing mode. From here, you will simply follow the steps on your device to pair it with the headphones. We’ll discuss these steps in more detail later in the article.

To enter pairing mode if this is not the first time using your headphones, you will need to ‘forget’ your headphones on your current device, or turn off its Bluetooth capabilities. This will force your JBL headphones to enter pairing mode since they cannot connect to their remembered device.

Earbuds

JBL earbuds work similarly to headphones barring one major difference; the charging case. Much like AirPods, nearly all JBL earbuds will require the charging case or dongle to enter pairing mode.

Because, like JBL headphones, there is such variance across the extensive range of earbuds, it’s always best to refer to the user manual that came with your earbuds for the exact pairing procedure, as this can change drastically between different models.

Most JBL earbuds are paired with the use of a charging case and/or a Bluetooth button located on the side of one of the earbuds. Upon the first use, your JBL earbuds will enter pairing mode automatically.

How to Pair JBL Headphones/Earbuds with an iPhone

So, now you should be more familiar with how JBL headphones and earbuds work in terms of a pairing mode. Let’s go over the steps of how to actually connect and pair them with your iPhone.

Headphones

First of all, begin with your devices turned on, in their respective pairing modes/Bluetooth turned on, and it’s best to have a good amount of battery to ensure everything goes smoothly. Keep your iPhone close to your JBL headphones throughout the process to avoid any poor connections.

• Open Settings and select Bluetooth
• Because your Bluetooth is already on, your JBL headphones/earbuds should appear in the list of available devices.
• Tap on your JBL headphones to begin pairing
• If you’re prompted to enter a passcode, try 0000 or 1234. If these don’t work, refer to your owner’s manual that came with your headphones.
• Congratulations! Your JBL headphones are now connected to your device and ready to use.

Earbuds

This is a general guide for most types of JBL headphones that utilize a pairing/Bluetooth button and the charging case to pair with your iPhone.

To begin, turn on your device’s Bluetooth and keep your earbuds in range of your iPhone at all times.

• Remove one earbud from the charging case and press the Pairing/Bluetooth button on the side of the earbud.
• A light should begin flashing Blue to indicate that your earbuds are now in pairing mode.
• On your iPhone, open Settings > Bluetooth and wait for your JBL earbuds to appear in the list of available devices.
• Tap on your earbuds in the list and they should pair without the need for a passcode.
• Congratulations! Your JBL earbuds are now connected to your device and ready to use.

How to Pair JBL Headphones/Earbuds with a Mac

This is also a super simple process that will have your JBL headphones/earbuds connected to your Mac in no time.

• Put your headphones/earbuds into pairing mode as outlined in the above steps
• On your Mac, click the Apple logo button in the top left corner of the screen
• Select System Preferences
• Select Bluetooth
• Your headphones/earbuds should appear on the screen in a list of available devices
• Click Connect to pair your headphones/earbuds with your Mac
• Done! You should now be able to use your JBL headphones/earbuds with your Mac

How to Pair JBL Headphones/Earbuds with a PC/Laptop

Again, this is a very simple setup to get your JBL headphones/earbuds connected to your PC or laptop in no time.

• Put your headphones/earbuds into pairing mode as outlined in the above steps
• Press the Windows logo button on the taskbar to open up the start menu
• From here, select the cog icon to open Settings
• Alternatively, you can open the search bar and simply search ‘Settings’ or ‘Bluetooth’
• In the settings window, select Bluetooth & Devices
• Select + Add Device and then select Bluetooth
• Your PC or laptop will scan for available devices
• Select your JBL headphones/earbuds and your computer will pair with them
• Done! Your PC/laptop is now paired with your headphones/earbuds and they are ready to use!

Disconnecting JBL Headphones/Earbuds

There is no need to manually disconnect your JBL headphones or earbuds from any of the above devices when you’re finished using them (if it is a shared/borrowed device you may want to).

When you turn off the headphones, they will disconnect automatically from whatever device(s) they were connected to.

Doing this instead of disconnecting manually will mean that when you turn your headphones or earbuds on again, they will automatically connect to your remembered devices – providing your Bluetooth is turned on.

Common Problems with JBL Headphones and Earbuds

If you encounter any difficulty pairing your JBL headphones or earbuds with any device or have problems while using them, the easiest and fastest way to get things working again is to perform a simple reset.

This is a great thing to do if you notice any of the following issues:

• Poor Bluetooth connection between headphones/earbuds and device
• Only one earbud is connecting/working
• Headphones/earbuds are connected but not working
• Headphones/earbuds won’t connect with any device

Resetting JBL Headphones and Earbuds

The exact process will vary slightly from model to model, so always check the user manual that came with your headphones when carrying out a reset. The below steps are guidelines; the actual buttons you will need to press, and the amount of time you need to press them for, will vary.

Headphones

To reset a pair of JBL headphones, simply hold down the Volume Up and Volume Down buttons for 10-15 seconds. The LED status light should begin to blink. You should hear the JBL shutdown sound – let go of the volume buttons at this point.

Your headphones will power back on automatically. When they are on again, they will be fully reset. This means they will have forgotten any previous Bluetooth connections and will need to be re-paired with your device.

Earbuds

When it comes to JBL earbuds, the procedure is quite different and depends greatly on the model you have.

Generally, it will involve pressing, tapping, and/or holding a button on the side of the earbuds or on the charging case.

For some models, you will need to place both earbuds in the case – others will require just one in the case.

Final Thoughts

As you can see, pairing JBL headphones and earbuds is a super straightforward task, and you should have them up and running and playing music from whichever device you have in no time!

Complications may arise if you’re following instructions for a model that you don’t have. JBL has such an extensive range of headphones and earbuds that it’s easy to get confused. Always refer to the usual manual that came with your product for accurate information, or if you’ve lost it, you can look on JBL’s official site to find your product and access the user manual.