JBL products have a reputation for providing quality service to their users. The speakers and headphones are favorites for audiophiles across the globe. However, that does not mean that JBL products do not have flaws.
For instance, my JBL headphones randomly started turning off, which was a huge inconvenience. After trying various solutions, the headphones started working as intended.
Read on to find out what worked for me. I will also provide more solutions that might work for you since various factors can cause the problem.
Key Takeaways
- The main reason your JBL headphones keep turning off could be a low or damaged battery.
- The headphones will also automatically turn off if they stay idle for an extended period, i.e., five to ten minutes of inactivity. This is a power-saving feature that also extends the battery’s lifetime.
- Faulty components like the charging cable or charging port could also cause them to keep turning off.
- Outdated firmware can also stop the headphones from working normally and result in issues like the headphones going off.
- A weak Bluetooth connection will also result in audio cutting out on the headphones, making it seem like they are turning off.
Why Are My JBL Headphones Turning Off by Themselves?
Various aspects can cause JBL headphones to keep turning themselves off. Fortunately, most of these aspects can easily be solved by following a couple of steps.
Below are reasons why the headphones are turning off by themselves and the solutions you can try to stop this from happening.
Check the Battery Level
A drained battery is the main culprit causing the headphones to go off randomly. Whenever you use the headphones for prolonged periods, the battery percentage gradually drops until it gets to a point where the headphones cannot function anymore.
Also, when you purchase the headphones, you are supposed to fully charge them before using them. If you use them without charging, the battery will most likely drain faster than expected, and this can result in the headphones turning themselves off.
You can tell the headphone’s battery is low by observing the LED on the headphones. If the LED flashes red, the battery is low, and you should recharge the headphones as soon as possible.
Alternatively, you can connect the headphones to a source device like a phone, tablet, or laptop and check the battery percentage by looking at the connected device’s information. Go to the Bluetooth settings on the source device to access this information.
How to Check the Battery Level on JBL Headphones?
Sometimes the headphones might show the battery is full, but that is not the case. To overcome this challenge, leave them charging for two hours, then try using them.
How to Charge JBL Headphones
The Headphone’s Auto-Off Feature
JBL headphones have an auto-off feature that automatically turns them off if powered on and idle for extended periods. The headphones will sometimes power off even if connected to a device, provided there is no audio playing through the headphones.
If so, you can turn on the headphones and continue using them.
You can disable the auto-off feature through the JBL Headphones app on select JBL headphone models like the JBL Live 460 NC. Simply open the app, go to Settings, select the auto-off option, and turn it off or increase the time it takes for the feature to kick in.
Disable the Auto Power Off Feature
The feature is meant to help you conserve your headphone’s battery, but if it gets in the way of the normal functioning of the headphones, it makes sense to disable the feature.
Check the Charging Cable and Charging Port on the Headphones
Another cause of the headphones randomly going off is that they are not efficiently charging due to a hardware problem. Issues like a spoilt charging cable or charging port will interfere with how the headphone’s battery charges which will, in turn, cause them to keep going off.
Therefore, consider using a different charging cable, especially if you suspect the headphones are not charging. You can also use an alternative power outlet to rule out all possible causes for the headphones not charging.
Also, ensure the charging port on the headphones is clean since lint and other kinds of dirt tend to find their way into such crevices.
Keep the charging port clean
Be careful when cleaning the charging port not to cause any damage resulting in other problems. Also, check that there is no dirt on both ends of the charging cable.
Check for Outdated System Firmware
Electronic devices rely on their respective firmware to conduct various tasks. Manufacturers often update this firmware to improve service delivery by including new features and fixing bugs.
Sometimes the headphones could keep going off because of a bug that has already been fixed, and all you have to do is update the firmware.
To update your headphones’ firmware, you need the JBL Headphones app, available on the Play Store and App Store.
Once you have downloaded the app, follow the steps below to check for firmware updates.
- Ensure the headphones have at least 50% charge left.
- Connect the headphones to the device you have downloaded the JBL Headphones app.
- Launch the app, and it should automatically identify your headphones.
- The app will indicate your headphone’s model name, and you will see a headphones icon under the name.
- If the headphones icon on the app has an orange arrow pointing downward, meaning there is an available firmware update.
Downward-pointing arrow indicates that there’s an update available
- Tap on the arrow, then tap Install.
- The app will then download and install the firmware on your headphones
Updating Firmware on JBL Headphones
Once the firmware is updated, the headphones will restart, and you can check if they still keep turning off.
Also, ensure the device connected to your headphones uses the latest firmware.
Check the Bluetooth Connection
Whenever the Bluetooth signal between your headphones and the device connected to the headphones is interrupted, you will hear audio cutting out. The audio cutting out can seem like the headphones keep going off.
Also, if the signal interruption persists, audio will stop playing through the headphones, and if they are idle for a while, they will go off.
To overcome these challenges, ensure there are no obstructions between the headphones and the source device connected to the headphones. Also, ensure the headphones and source device are within each other’s Bluetooth range, approximately thirty feet or ten meters.
Also, turn off Bluetooth on all other devices nearby and only leave the device you want connecting to the headphones to reduce signal interruptions.
Factory Reset the Headphones
If all the above solutions fail, consider a more aggressive approach: resetting the headphones. This will clear any stubborn software bugs that could be causing the headphones to malfunction.
A factory reset will clear all the connection data on your headphones, and you will have to reconnect the headphones to a source device.
JBL headphones come in different models, and each model has a unique way of resetting; however, the common reset procedure involves simultaneously pressing and holding the volume up (+) and volume down (-) buttons until you hear a beep indicating that the reset has begun.
The most common procedure for resetting JBL headphones – press and hold the VOLUME UP and VOLUME DOWN buttons
You can find information on resetting your specific model on JBL’s website since it contains the user manuals of all their products.
If the factory reset does not solve your problem, proceed to the next step below, as your problem most likely has something to do with the battery.
How to Reset JBL Headphones
Contact JBL’s Customer Support
If the headphones keep turning off even after trying the solutions above, the problem could be the battery or the headphone’s internal circuitry. Such problems require experienced technicians, and trying to fix them on your own can cause further damage.
Contact JBL’s customer support team (even if your warranty is expired) for further assistance and request guidance before taking the headphones to a technician.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Question: What to do when your JBL headphones keep turning off?
- Answer:
- Ensure the headphones are adequately charged.
- Check whether there is a problem with the charging cable.
- Disable the auto-off feature through the JBL headphones app. However, note that the app does not support all JBL headphones.
- Ensure there are no obstacles between the headphones and the source device that could interfere with the Bluetooth signal.
- Reduce the distance between the headphones and the source device.
- Question: Why do my headphones turn off by themselves?
- Answer: The headphones could be turning off because of an auto-off feature meant to conserve the battery whenever the headphones are switched on but not playing any audio.
- Another reason could be a damaged battery or a low battery.
- System bugs can also interfere with the normal functioning of the headphones.
- Question: How do I reset my JBL headphones?
- Answer: JBL headphones follow different resetting procedures depending on the model. A common resetting procedure involves simultaneously pressing the volume up and volume down or pressing the volume up and the play/pause button.
- However, you can search for your headphone’s user manual on the JBL website, which will guide you on the correct resetting procedure.
Conclusion
JBL headphones are a great choice for anyone looking for quality headphones. They have exceptional sound quality and various features that significantly improve the user experience.
Like every other manufactured thing, the headphones also have some flaws that can make one second think about using JBL products. As reported by various users, one such flaw is that they will spontaneously start going off sometimes, even if fully charged. Fortunately, the suggestions included in this article will help you overcome this particular problem.
