Portronics Decibel 21 — Troubleshooting Guide

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• Quick Troubleshooting
• 1. Soundbar Does Not Turn On
• 2. Bluetooth Is Not Connecting
• 3. Bluetooth Connected but No Sound
• 4. Speaker Turns Off Automatically
• 5. USB Playback Is Not Working
• 6. Micro SD Playback Is Not Working
• 7. AUX Playback Is Not Working
• 8. FM Radio Has Weak Reception or Does Not Scan
• 9. TWS Pairing Is Not Working
• 10. Calls Are Not Working
• 11. Soundbar Does Not Charge
• 12. Volume or Track Controls Do Not Work
• Still stuck?

Quick Troubleshooting

1. Soundbar Does Not Turn On

1. Connect the charging cable to the Type-C port.
2. Connect it to a suitable USB power source.
3. Allow the speaker to charge.
4. Press and hold the Power / Mode Button for about 3 seconds.
5. Check whether the LED indicator turns on.

2. Bluetooth Is Not Connecting

1. Turn on the soundbar.
2. Open Bluetooth settings on your phone, tablet or computer.
3. Search for Decibel 21.
4. Select the device to pair.
5. If it does not connect, remove/forget the saved Decibel 21 entry and try again.
6. Keep your device within approximately 10 metres.

3. Bluetooth Connected but No Sound

1. Confirm the soundbar is connected to your device.
2. Check that Bluetooth mode is selected.
3. Increase the volume on your source device.
4. Press and hold “+” to increase the soundbar volume.
5. Make sure playback is not paused.
6. Disconnect and reconnect Bluetooth if needed.

4. Speaker Turns Off Automatically

The speaker may shut down automatically when it is not receiving a Bluetooth signal.

1. Turn the soundbar on again.
2. Reconnect your phone through Bluetooth, or select another playback mode.
3. Start playback.

5. USB Playback Is Not Working

1. Check that the USB flash drive is fully inserted.
2. Make sure it contains supported music files, such as MP3 files.
3. Switch to USB mode.
4. Remove and reinsert the drive.
5. Try another compatible USB drive if available.

6. Micro SD Playback Is Not Working

1. Insert the Micro SD card securely.
2. Confirm that it contains compatible MP3 music files.
3. Select the Micro SD playback mode if necessary.
4. Remove and reinsert the card.
5. Test another compatible card if available.

7. AUX Playback Is Not Working

1. Connect a compatible 3.5mm AUX cable to the soundbar and audio source.
2. Check that both ends are fully inserted.
3. Select AUX mode.
4. Increase the volume on the source device.
5. Test another compatible cable or audio source if available.

8. FM Radio Has Weak Reception or Does Not Scan

1. Connect the Type-C cable to the soundbar's Type-C port to use it as an antenna.
2. Turn on the soundbar.
3. Select FM mode using the Power / Mode Button.
4. Short-press Play/Pause to start automatic channel scanning.
5. Wait for scanning to finish.
6. Use the “+” and “−” buttons to move between channels.

9. TWS Pairing Is Not Working

1. Use two Decibel 21 speakers.
2. Disconnect both speakers from any active phone Bluetooth connection.
3. Turn on both speakers.
4. Double-press the Power / Mode Button on one speaker.
5. Wait for the speakers to pair and check for the blue LED indication.
6. Connect your phone to Decibel 21 only after TWS pairing is complete.

Important: TWS pairing is only guaranteed to work reliably between two Decibel 21 units from the same production batch. Pairing speakers from different batches may fail or behave inconsistently. Check the batch/date code on both units if TWS pairing doesn't work.

10. Calls Are Not Working

1. Make sure the soundbar is connected to your phone through Bluetooth.
2. Check that call audio is routed through Decibel 21.
3. Short-press Play/Pause to answer or end a call.
4. Press and hold Play/Pause for about 2 seconds to reject an incoming call.
5. Move closer to the soundbar if the voice sounds unclear.

11. Soundbar Does Not Charge

1. Connect the charging cable securely to the Type-C port.
2. Check that the USB power source is working.
3. Inspect the cable for visible damage.
4. Try another suitable USB port or power source.
5. If it still does not charge, note the LED behaviour and contact support.

12. Volume or Track Controls Do Not Work

• Play / Pause: short-press Play/Pause.
• Next Track: short-press “+”.
• Previous Track: short-press “−”.
• Volume Up: press and hold “+”.
• Volume Down: press and hold “−”.

Still stuck?

If the issue persists after performing all troubleshooting steps, please raise a support request.

Our support team will assist you further.

Support

• Visit: www.portronics.com
• Support Portal: support.portronics.com