Bose SoundLink Color II Won’t Turn On? | Fast Fix Guide

When a Bose SoundLink Color II stays dark, the cause is usually simple: a drained pack, a fussy cable or charger, a long press that only checks battery level, or outdated firmware that stalls charging after deep discharge. You can revive most units at home. Work through the quick checks below, then move to the update that patches the known no-power bug.

Quick Diagnosis: What To Try First

Run these in order.

Symptom	Check	Next Step
No lights, no tone	Tap (don’t hold) the Power button once	If still off, connect to a wall USB charger
Still dead on wall power	Swap in a known-good USB-A to Micro-USB cable	Listen for the brief power-in tone
Tone plays on plug-in	Leave charging for one hour	Try a single Power tap again
No tone on plug-in	Change outlet and charger	Inspect cable and port for wear or debris
Powers on, then quits	Apply a reset	Install the latest firmware
Still unresponsive	Enter Ship mode, then exit by plugging in	Charge one hour and retry

Bose SoundLink Color 2 Not Turning On: Quick Wins

Use A Quick Tap, Not A Long Hold

This model treats a long press of the Power button as a battery check, not a start command. Give the button a brief tap to turn the speaker on or off. Many “dead” reports trace back to that long-press habit.

Confirm Power Reaches The Speaker

Connect the speaker to a wall USB charger, not a computer port. Wait a few seconds. A healthy unit plays a short tone when power arrives. No tone points to the outlet, charger, cable, or port. Swap parts. Use a snug cable and a 5 V adapter rated 1 A or more.

Charge Through A Deep Discharge

If the pack ran flat and then sat, the protection circuit can park in a deep state. Leave the speaker on wall power for at least one hour right now, even if lights stay dark. After that hour, try the Power tap again. Many units wake after this soak.

Reset The Speaker

With the speaker on, press and hold Power for about ten seconds until the Bluetooth light blinks blue and the voice prompt asks to pick a language. This clears minor logic faults. If the unit will not power on, finish the one-hour charge first, then retry.

Fix The Known No-Power Bug With An Update

Early software on the SoundLink Color II could block charging and power-on after deep discharge. Bose released software 4.0.1 to recover units stuck in that state. The fastest route is a computer update over USB at Bose Updater. Wireless updates through the Bose Connect app also work once the speaker powers on. Apply the update after your first start, or run the computer updater while the speaker stays on charge.

Safe Update Steps

1. Keep the speaker on wall power during the update.
2. Use a reliable USB-A to Micro-USB cable with a snug fit.
3. Run the updater on a laptop or desktop and follow the prompts.
4. Let the process finish; the speaker may restart during the update.

Step-By-Step: Full Recovery Path

1) Verify The Charger And Cable

Start with an adapter rated 5 V, 1–2 A. Avoid weak travel cubes and old computer ports. Try a second cable if there’s any doubt. A poor cable is a common cause of silent failures.

2) Listen For The Power-On Tone

Unplug for five seconds. Plug back in. A tone within a few seconds means the speaker senses power. No tone suggests a path issue. Try another outlet, then a different adapter if needed. If the tone plays, leave the speaker on charge.

3) Give It One Hour On Wall Power

Even with no lights, let the pack accept a base charge. After the soak, tap Power. If it wakes, charge to full before long use.

4) Reset, Then Test

Once powered, hold Power for about ten seconds until the Bluetooth light blinks blue. The speaker will guide language selection. Pair a phone and play audio to check stability. If it shuts off again, keep it on charge and move to the update step.

5) Update The Firmware

Use the computer updater for speed. After the update, power cycle the speaker with a quick tap. Re-pair your phone if needed. If the app will not detect the device, swap USB ports or the cable and try again.

6) Try Ship Mode Recovery

As a last step, place the unit in Ship mode, then exit by connecting power. Ship mode clears deep sleep states on this line. After exiting, keep it on the charger for one hour and try the Power tap now.

Why This Happens On SoundLink Color II

Three patterns drive most no-power cases on this model. First, long-press behavior across the line leads owners to hold Power, which only shows battery status. Second, deep discharge can leave the battery management stuck until it sees a healthy charge window. Third, early firmware mishandled deep discharge and blocked recovery; the patch resolves that case.

Battery, Charger, And Cable Tips

Pick A Solid Power Source

Use a charger that meets spec and a cable that grips the Micro-USB port cleanly. Loose plugs cause intermittent power that looks like a dead board. Keep cables short and free of kinks where you can. Replace any cable that feels wobbly at the device end.

Check The Port

Shine a light into the port. Lint or bent contacts break charging. A soft toothpick can lift debris. Avoid metal picks. If contacts look damaged or the port feels loose, plan on service.

Keep The Battery Healthy

Top the speaker up each month if it sits on a shelf. Avoid heat and long storage while flat. Shallow cycles are easier on the pack than full drains.

Power Item	What To Use	What It Prevents
Wall Charger	5 V USB, 1–2 A output	Voltage sag and slow wake
Cable	Short, snug Micro-USB	Intermittent charge drops
Port Care	Clean, debris-free jack	False “dead” battery symptoms

When An Update Won’t Start

If the updater can’t see the speaker, leave the unit on wall power, try a different USB port, then swap the cable. Close other audio apps on the computer. Restart the computer and reconnect with the speaker already plugged in. If the speaker drops mid-update, keep it on power and relaunch the updater app.

After It Powers On: Proof Tests

Charge To Full

Let the speaker reach a full charge before the next unplugged session. A short first run can dip it back into a weak state.

Play Audio For Ten Minutes

Stream at medium volume. Watch for random shut-offs. Stable play points to a clean recovery.

Reboot And Re-pair

Power off with a quick tap, then start again. Clear the pairing list on the speaker if needed and re-pair your phone. Use the Bose app only if the speaker stays stable on battery and AC.

Repair Or Replace: How To Decide

If the speaker shows no life after a one-hour charge, a reset, Ship mode exit, and a fresh update, the next suspects are a failed battery or a damaged charge port. Both need careful work. If the unit is in warranty, contact Bose. If it’s out of warranty and you have tools, a battery swap is possible, but it involves opening the case and soldering leads. If that is not your thing, visit a local audio repair shop.

Helpful Official Guides

Here is the official battery charging bug notice that mentions the 4.0.1 fix. Bose also lists basic power checks for this speaker, which match the steps above, including quick power taps, outlet tests, cable swaps, and Ship mode charging. These mirror Bose’s quick triage steps.