JBL Charge 5 Not Turning On? (Here’s The Easy Fix!)

jbl charge 5 not turning on

If your JBL Charge 5 not turning on, stick with us throughout this guide as we have a quick fix!

The sudden system boot failure of the JBL Charge 5 is a common result of charging problems, a misconfiguration of the system settings, or a battery malfunction.

We’ve diagnosed several effective steps to fix the problem:

  • Conduct a forced reboot on the JBL Charge 5.
  • Check if there are charging faults with the unit.
  • Restore the speaker to factory default settings.
  • Check if there is a newer firmware for your JBL.
  • Replace the internal battery unit of the speaker.

Let’s proceed further for a thorough breakdown of the solutions above!

JBL Charge 5 Not Turning On – The 5 Best Ways to Fix!

Notice: Some of the solutions in this guide may void your JBL speaker’s warranty!

1. Force Reboot the JBL Charge 5

force reboot the jbl charge 5

The first and most important solution is to perform a forced reboot on the JBL Charge 5.

The forced reboot will not unpair or delete anything from your JBL, just restart the operating system.

You can trigger a forced reboot by holding the “Power” button on the surface of the speaker for a prolonged period of time.

Follow these steps closely to force reboot the JBL Charge 5:

  1. Connect the JBL Charge 5 with the charger adapter.
  2. Press and hold the “Power” button for ~10 seconds.
  3. Next, check if the speaker’s “power off” sound plays.
  4. Disconnect the adapter and wait about ~30 seconds.
  5. Reboot the JBL Charge 5 speaker and test the power.

Note: If the power-off chime does not play, your speaker is likely to experience issues with the charging or the power button, so proceed with the next solution.

2. Inspect the JBL for Charging Issues

inspect the jbl for charging issues

The next and most important thing to check is whether the JBL Charge 5 has developed any type of charging issues.

A malfunctioning power cord or a defective power outlet could deprive the speaker of power, resulting in issues with the startup.

Here are a few things to do or check concerning the JBL speaker’s charging!

#1 Inspect the Speaker’s Charging Port

First and foremost is the speaker’s charging port. The development of dust or debris around the charging pins could be obstructing the charging adapter’s entry.

Hence, this will prevent the JBL from charging and turning on. We recommend using a thin cotton swab or an ear stick with some rubbing alcohol to clean the insides of the charging port. 

#2 Test in a Different Electrical Outlet

test in a different electrical outlet

The power outlet you’re using to charge the JBL speaker may have developed a fault, resulting in disrupted power flow.

Therefore, the only reasonable thing to do is to charge the JBL speaker through a different power outlet by avoiding all external or third-party equipment, such as strips

#3 Check for Charging Adapter Damage

If you have had the speaker for quite some time now and have never replaced the charger, it is possible that there’s a fault somewhere along the adapter.

Hence, we recommend conducting a thorough inspection of both the connector and the cable’s cover to identify potential damage.

Note: The JBL Charge 5 uses a standard USB type-C adapter, and you can find a replacement quite effortlessly, as there could be one already lying around in your home.

3. Restore JBL Charge 5 to Factory Default

restore jbl charge 5 to factory default

In case nothing else helped with the JBL Charge 5 not turning on issue, it’s time to factory reset the JBL Charge 5.

While a factory reset is one of the most potent solutions against any problem, it will erase all of your speaker’s settings and data.

This means you may lose all of your settings, even if you were uncertain of what caused the problem in the first place.

Nonetheless, here are the exact instructions to factory reset a JBL Charge 5:

  1. Connect the JBL speaker to the charging adapter.
  2. After that, hold the “Power” button for 2–3 seconds.
  3. Press the “Volume +” and “Play” buttons altogether.
  4. Next, release the buttons after the unit powers off.
  5. Wait for 10–15 seconds and power on the JBL unit.

If the factory reset has been successful, the JBL speaker should start immediately after pressing the “Power” button.

If there’s still no response from the speaker, proceed with the next solutions.

4. Upload the Speaker’s Latest Firmware

So, the JBL Charge 5 won’t turn on problem can be a result of outdated or corrupted firmware

The best way to deal with such a problem is to install the JBL Portable app, which is available in the Google Play Store for Android and the App Store for iOS devices.

upload the speaker’s latest firmware

Here’s how to check for a newer firmware for the JBL Charge 5:

  1. Download and install the JBL Portable app on your device.
  2. Launch the application and follow the setup instructions.
  3. Search for a small red dot above the gear “Settings” icon.
  4. Press on the icon to proceed with the update instructions.
  5. Follow the steps to apply the latest version for the speaker.

If you didn’t have the app installed prior to this step, a firmware update might not be possible, as creating the speaker’s profile requires powering it on. 

Note: Check if any software-related notification appears within the app and follow any steps!

5. Replace the JBL Speaker’s Battery

If your JBL fails to start after attempting all solutions so far, the issue is potentially linked to a dead or degraded speaker battery.

By default, JBL speaker batteries are designed to last for several years before going faulty or starting to malfunction.

replace the jbl speaker’s battery

An early onset of battery malfunctions correlates to all sorts of things, such as overheating, bad charger, or motherboard issues. 

The JBL Charge 5 speaker uses a 7800mAh 3.7V rate adapter battery, that you can find at affordable prices in both online and physical stores.

How to Replace JBL Charge 5 Battery?

  1. Use a prying tool to detach the shield from the JBL Charge 5.
  2. Next, uninstall the three screws securing the battery in place.
  3. Unclip the battery compartment’s cover from the speaker unit.
  4. Pull out the original battery and disconnect the adapter cable.
  5. Next, position the new battery in place and plug the adapter.
  6. Secure the battery compartment cover and clip the shield on.

If the replacement was a success, pressing the “Power” button on the speaker should start up the device immediately, without a delay. 

Reminder: The booting sequence can be identified by the speaker’s status lamp, which should illuminate in solid blue.