Apple CarPlay Not Working [SOLVED] How to Fix Common Issues

With iOS 13 and onwards, Apple CarPlay brings an effortless view of the road ahead. It allows you to access your iOS apps by routing everything through your car’s infotainment system. 

CarPlay is a convenient way to use your iPhone to make calls, texts, or listen to your favorite music. These features make you feel great until your Apple CarPlay stops working. You might not be able to connect, open up apps properly, or can not hear anything while CarPlay is connected.

If you are someone facing this issue, then you have landed on the right page. Here we will highlight some of the most common problems faced by iOS users with Apple Carplay and how you can fix them. 

Table of Contents

• Apple CarPlay: Common Issues
• How to Fix Apple CarPlay Issues
• Prefatory Checks
• Apple CarPlay Screen Time issue Fix 
• Allow CarPlay While Locked Fix
• Fix: Enable Siri
• Change USB Cable
• Make Sure Bluetooth is On
• Re-Connect Apple CarPlay Connection
• Restart your iPhone and Vehicle

Apple CarPlay: Common Issues

There are multiple reasons why Apple CarPlay is not working or might stop working. For example:

• Problems with iOS update
• Bluetooth connectivity issues
• Devices are not integrated well
• Outdated iOS version 
• Trouble with iPhone detection
• USB cable not working

Usually, people also face problems while setting up Apple CarPlay because they are not aware of the proper way of doing it. To set up Apple CarPlay, 

1. Start your car 
2. Make Sure Siri is On
3. Connect your iPhone to car

There are two ways to connect iPhone to your car:

• If your car supports CarPlay through a USB cable, plug your iPhone into it. 
• If your car supports wireless CarPlay, press and hold the voice command button on your steering wheel. However, make sure to turn on Bluetooth. Once this is done, go to your iPhone’s Settings -> General ->CarPlay. Tap on available cars and select your car. 

Note: For more information, refer to your car manual.

Regardless of the issue of no sound, no connectivity, and apps not syncing, several useful ways can help you fix the issue of Apple CarPlay not working properly. Before contacting your vehicle manufacturer, you should go through and follow the steps given below. 

How to Fix Apple CarPlay Issues

We have compiled a list of how to fix common Apple CarPlay issues users face most of the time.

Prefatory Checks

Before jumping onto solutions, there are some things you should check:

• Make sure your car’s infotainment system and iPhone are turned on.
• Since Apple CarPlay is not available in every region, make sure that it is supported in your country. 
• Check that your CarPlay is compatible with your vehicle. If it is not, contact your vehicle manufacturer. You can also buy an aftermarket stereo from Alpine and other brands. 
• Your iPhone should have the latest iOS version that supports CarPlay (iPhone 5 or newer).
• Unpair any Bluetooth device that has been previously connected to your stereo and is interfering with CarPlay. 

Try the solutions below to resolve the problem once you’ve performed all the preliminary checks and Apple CarPlay still does not work. 

Note: Before you begin to look at the solutions, make sure that your Apple CarPlay is supported in your region and by your vehicle. If it is not supported, then you will not be able to connect it or access any of its features. 

Apple CarPlay Screen Time Issue Fix 

Make sure that your CarPlay is enabled on your iPhone. Multiple settings might interfere with the CarPlay connection, so re-enable it. To do so, Go to Settings -> General -> CarPlay, and reconnect it to your vehicle. 

However, if you have iOS 14 and have turned off CarPlay in Screen Time, Go to Settings -> Screen Time -> Content and Privacy Restrictions -> Allowed Apps. 

Allow CarPlay While Locked Fix

Check that your CarPlay is enabled when locked. If it is not allowed when locked, it can not be activated when your phone screen is turned off. To sort this out, Go to Settings -> General -> CarPlay and tap your car from the list of connections available. Then toggle on Allow CarPlay While Locked.

Fix: Enable Siri

You need to check if Siri is enabled on your iPhone. For CarPlay to work, it is required to enable Siri, and if it’s not, then do so via the instructions below. 

Go to Settings -> Siri & Search and make sure that the following options are turned on:

• Listen for “Hey Siri”
• Press the side button for Siri
• Allow Siri when Locked

The last option, which allows Siri when locked, is often disabled for many iPhone users and is usually the main reason behind CarPlay not working. Make sure it is enabled. 

Change USB Cable

If your car supports CarPlay via USB cable, make sure it is not faulty. If the wire is original, check for any broken or damaged parts of the wire. Buy a new authentic cable because sometimes the problem you are facing is because of the ruptured wire. 

Make Sure Bluetooth is On

If your CarPlay is connected wirelessly via Bluetooth, make sure it is switched on. Usually, the reason behind CarPlay not working is that the Bluetooth connection is not turned on. So please turn it on, and while doing this, make sure you are removing other connected devices from the list. 

Re-Connect Apple CarPlay Connection

Another fix is to forget and re-establish the CarPlay connection. To do this:

1. Go to Settings -> General -> CarPlay and tap on the vehicle you are trying to connect.
2. Click on “Forget this Car.”
3. Restart your vehicle and iPhone to re-establish and reconnect.

Restart your iPhone and Vehicle

First, restart your iPhone and then restart your vehicle. Sometimes things work accurately when they are restarted and eliminate the problem we are facing. To restart your phone:

• For iPhone X and later models, press and hold the side button and Volume up buttons simultaneously. 
• To restart earlier models, press and hold the Sleep/Wake button. 

Lastly, if you are still facing issues with Apple CarPlay connectivity, you will have to contact Apple Support Centre. They will further look into this issue and help you out. 

Apple CarPlay is one of the most convenient and safest features launched by Apple. However, sometimes the connectivity issue creates a hindrance to the user’s seamless experience. But every problem comes with a solution, and we have highlighted those above. If you have another hack or a way to rectify this issue in mind, do share it with us in the HackerNoon Community. 

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