Bose SoundLink Flex Bluetooth Speaker

The SoundLink Flex’s Bluetooth connection is capable of stable operation at at least 9 m (30 ft). Performance can be affected by obstacles such as walls or metal, interference from Wi-Fi® or other wireless devices, and device manufacturers’ Bluetooth implementations. SoundLink Flex uses the same Bluetooth 4.2 chip that Bose has used in many other speakers, building on our years of interoperability experience and rigorous testing to offer a strong and highly reliable connectivity experience.

The SoundLink Flex keeps track of the last 8 devices to have paired and connected with it, dropping the least recently used when a new one is paired. When in Bluetooth mode, the SoundLink Flex searches for and connects to the two most recently connected active Bluetooth-enabled devices. The speaker only receives audio from one device at a time. When the first device stops playing, the other can start.

When in audio playback mode, the multi-function button allows for play (single press), pause (single press), track forwards (double press) and track backwards (triple press). Pressing and holding the multi-function button will activate the voice control capabilities of your device. Pressing the multi-function button again will exit the voice control mode.

When there is an incoming call, pressing the multi-function button will answer the call and pressing and holding it will reject the call. During an active call, pressing the multi-function button will end the call.

The microphone in the speaker acts as an extension of the microphone in your smartphone. It’s activated when you make or take a call and when you use the multi-function button to access the voice control capabilities on your device to ask Siri or the Google Assistant to play music, tell you the weather, give you the score of a match and other common tasks.

Yes. The SoundLink Flex can be used for both out-loud listening and hands-free communication, perfect for phone calls or even group meetings while working from home.

When a call comes in, the audio on the SoundLink Flex will pause and the call will ring through the speaker. If you wish to answer the call through the SoundLink Flex, simply press the multi-function button to answer the call. You can now talk into the speaker itself to conduct your phone call. Once you end your call, music playback will resume. Some details of this experience will vary depending on the implementation by the phone manufacturer.

Party Mode lets you connect two Bose Bluetooth speakers to play audio in perfect sync. This feature requires any two Bose Bluetooth speakers from the following list: SoundLink Flex, SoundLink Micro, SoundLink Color II, SoundLink Revolve (series I & II) and SoundLink Revolve+ (series I & II). The primary method of entering this mode is through the Bose Connect app.

If you have not yet downloaded the Bose Connect app, you can still enable Party Mode by pressing and holding the Bluetooth and volume-up buttons until you hear “Press the Bluetooth and volume-down buttons simultaneously on a second Bose device.”

On the other speaker, press and hold the Bluetooth and volume-down buttons simultaneously and release the buttons when the speaker emits a tone.

After 10 seconds, you hear “Party Mode” from both speakers simultaneously. Party Mode is enabled. You are now able to play audio in unison using your device.

Stereo Mode, as the name suggests, enables a stereo audio experience via two Bose Bluetooth speakers from the following list: SoundLink Flex, SoundLink Micro, SoundLink Color II, SoundLink Revolve (II) and SoundLink Revolve+ (II). The primary method of entering this mode is through the Bose Connect app.

If you did not yet download the Bose Connect app, you can still enable this mode by first configuring Party Mode as described above. Then, toggle to Stereo Mode by pressing and holding the Bluetooth button and volume up until you hear “Stereo Mode.”

Pressing Bluetooth and volume up again will toggle back to Party Mode.

SoundLink Flex features one custom-designed transducer and two small passive radiators (one front and one rear facing) to deliver the clearest possible sound and strong, deep bass for a product of its size. The speaker also features PositionIQ technology, which automatically detects its orientation and optimizes the EQ to ensure natural, lifelike sound no matter the orientation. Together, these technologies enable the SoundLink Flex to deliver an exceptional music experience with remarkable simplicity.

Using a built-in sensor, SoundLink Flex detects its orientation and automatically adjusts its EQ to deliver an uncompromised high-fidelity audio experience, whether it’s vertical, lying flat or horizontal. SoundLink Flex is the only Bose product to feature this proprietary technology.

No. The SoundLink Flex’s wireless connection is Bluetooth only.

With SoundLink Flex, we’ve stretched beyond the required testing parameters—in this case an IP67-rated product—to ensure that your speaker will long outlast an accidental drop into water or getting exposed to a dust storm. The SoundLink Flex is completely dust proof and can withstand water splashes as well as the pressure of being immersed in water up to 1 m (3.3 ft) deep, for up to 30 minutes. To ensure further protection from water, dust and debris, the transducer and passive radiators underneath the steel grille are built with rugged waterproof materials.

Yes. The SoundLink Flex will float.

The SoundLink Flex is rugged and sturdy enough to take everywhere. If it gets dirty, you can simply clean it off using (lukewarm) tap water and a microfibre cloth. Also make sure to rinse it with fresh water if it’s exposed to salt or chlorinated water. Don’t use a cleaning detergent or alcohol. Ensure that the charging port is clean and dry before you connect it to power.

No. While the loop is designed to provide many years of service without noticeable degradation in performance, if it does break, the unit must be sent back and the loop repaired/replaced by Bose.

In typical usage, the SoundLink Flex battery lasts up to 12 hours. As with any battery-operated device, battery performance can vary based on a number of different factors. These include the type of content being played, the volume at which it’s played and the surrounding temperature. SoundLink Flex was rigorously tested and verified to provide up to 12 hours of battery life based on playing music at typical indoor temperatures from Spotify’s Global Top 50 at 65% volume, which represents a comfortable volume while listening indoors. Under these typical use conditions, SoundLink Flex offers approximately 12 hours of playtime, or about 17 hours of podcasts or voice calls. Listening to music at less than 50% volume ensures a longer battery life, whereas increasing the volume past 65% of max decreases the life of the battery at a faster rate.

Because SoundLink Flex employs a standard USB-C charging interface, it can receive power from nearly any USB power source. For best results, use the included USB-C to USB-A cable with a USB power source rated for at least 1.5 amps (not included). Please note that some power sources with less than 1 amp of current may charge SoundLink Flex more slowly than the recommended power sources and may not be able to keep up with the power consumed while the speaker is operating.

While not playing music, much of the SoundLink Flex’s battery charge can be recovered in approximately 4 hours when using a USB power source. With a stronger power source (1.5 amp), charging time may be closer to 3 hours. Charging from alternate USB power sources or when playing music may take longer.

Yes. You can manually pair your mobile device to a SoundLink Flex speaker without using the Bose Connect app. First, enable Bluetooth in your phone’s settings. Power on the SoundLink Flex and press and hold the Bluetooth button. You will hear “Ready to connect” and the speaker’s Bluetooth light will blink blue. In your phone’s settings, choose “Bose Flex SoundLink” from the list of devices. You will hear “Connected to <mobile device name>” and the speaker’s Bluetooth light will become solid white, indicating that your mobile device and speaker are connected.

Yes. You can pair a Bose SoundLink Flex with another Bose Bluetooth speaker without using the Bose Connect app. To manually pair a SoundLink Flex with another Bose Bluetooth speaker, make sure both speakers are powered on and one speaker is connected to your mobile device. On the speaker connected to your device, press and hold the Bluetooth and the volume-up (+) buttons simultaneously. Release the buttons when you hear “Press the Bluetooth and volume-down buttons simultaneously on a second Bose device.” On the other speaker, press and hold the Bluetooth and volume-down (–) buttons simultaneously. Release the buttons when the speaker emits a tone. After about 10 seconds, you will hear “Party mode” from both speakers simultaneously. Party mode is enabled and you are now able to play audio in unison using your mobile device. For more information about manual pairing, including how to enable stereo mode, please refer to the SoundLink Flex owner’s guide.

Yes. All of SoundLink Flex’s components, including the USB-C charging port, are built with rugged waterproof materials. If water or dust enters the USB-C port, the speaker won’t be damaged because its interior components are sealed tightly to ensure protection from water, dust and debris. If debris gets into the charging port, you can gently brush it out (while taking care not to damage the pins). You can also gently rinse the port with fresh water (let it dry before operating the speaker).