JBL Headphones Blinking Light – What does it mean?

If the LED on a pair of JBL headphones blink continuously it can indicate a problem.

Unfortunately there’s not a lot of information in the user manual [1] on how to solve this problem.

In this guide, we’ll explore step-by-step solutions to the problem, covering various scenarios and providing helpful troubleshooting tips.

Let’s begin!

Basic Troubleshooting Steps

The LED on a JBL headphone can be one of four colors: Blue, White, Red and sometimes Purple.

The steps below will be helpful when you try to turn the JBL headphones on, and the LED light flashes white. On holding the power button, the light starts blinking blue

Typically this means that it is in pairing mode and you should be able to connect with your phone or tablet.

However, if the JBL headphones are unable to connect to any device. Or they don’t show up in the Bluetooth list during the pairing process then there’s an issue.

In this case follow the steps below:

  • Power off the headphones while charging by holding the power button for 10 seconds.
  • After 10 seconds, disconnect the headphones from the charging source.
  • Turn on the headphones.
  • Check to see if they are now detected on your device and other devices.

Try This Key Combination

If the above solution doesn’t help and your JBL headphones keep blinking blue while not connecting to any device successfully, please follow the steps below:

  • Press the Volume up button, Volume down button, and Play/pause button simultaneously.
  • Hold the three buttons together for a few seconds until you observe a purple light.
  • Power off the headphones.
  • Turn them back on by pressing the power button.
  • Reconnect and pair the headphones with your device through the settings menu.

Play with the Power Button

If your JBL headphones are stuck on the white light ⚪, remain unresponsive, and/or don’t turn off, try the steps below.

  • Press or slide the power button three times, depending on your JBL headphone model.
  • If pressing the power button three times doesn’t help, press and hold the power button for at least one minute.

Using the power button in this way has helped multiple users resolve this issue.

Plug Your Headphones Into Laptop

Another way to resolve the blinking white light is to plug your headphones into your laptop or PC. Follow the exact steps below:

  • Connect your JBL headphones to a laptop using the USB cable.
  • Allow the white light to turn off automatically.
  • Press the power button to turn it on again.
  • The headphones should now return to their normal state.

A Workaround

If your JBL headphones are stuck in white light mode and fully charging them or turning them off and back on doesn’t help, we have a workaround for you.

Press and hold all the buttons on your JBL headphones for thirty seconds. Doing this has helped a user bring the headphones back to normal. You can also try it to determine whether this was the ultimate solution to the problem.

For those who are reading this post from the future, I managed to somehow fix my headphones by repeatedly pressing the power button several times while it’s stuck on white light mode and then turning it off and on again.

Reddit Reference

Check Power Source

If you are trying to charge your headphones, but they won’t charge, and the LED light keeps blinking white, we suggest checking the power source you are using to charge the JBL headphones.

JBL headphones appear to be selective about the chargers they accept. The power delivered through a USB cable varies, and the headphones seem to reject anything capable of charging at Two Amps or labeled as a ‘fast charger.’

It is advisable to use a 1 Amp USB power source for charging

Factory Reset the Headphones

When all else fails, factory reset the device. This will take the device back to its default settings when it shipped out to you.

You can always check the user manual to find the exact procedure to reset your JBL headphones. Below, we provide the steps to perform the factory reset on JBL Tune 500 and 510 BT headphones.

To perform the factory reset:

  • Turn on your headphones by pressing the power button.
  • If your headphones are already paired with any surrounding device, the LED indicator will turn solid blue. If it isn’t, the indicator will keep blinking blue.
  • Press and hold the power button on your JBL headphones for ten seconds or until the LED goes off.
  • Wait a few seconds, and press and hold the power button again for ten seconds.
  • Your headphones will turn back on with an LED light blinking blue.
  • They have now reset and ready to pair.

Conclusion

Blinking lights on the JBL headphone generally point to connectivity issues. This guide provides guidance on how to resolve these issues. Some of the approaches we have taken include:

  • Using specific key combinations,
  • Experimenting with the power button,
  • Factory reset

This comprehensive guide offers a range of solutions to get your JBL headphones back to normal. Remember to follow the recommended steps carefully and not let a blinking light dampen your audio experience.

References

[1] JBL Tune Quick Start Guide

Related Posts

  • JBL Flip Blinking Light
  • JBL Headphone Bluetooth Issues
  • JBL Charge Blinking Light