CarPlay Not Working? 9 Fixes to Try Before You Call Anyone
Most CarPlay problems are fixed by restarting the phone, swapping the cable or pairing the phone again. Work through the nine steps below in order. If none of them help and the same cable and phone work in another car, the problem is probably the head unit or its USB port, not your phone.
1. Restart your iPhone
It sounds basic, but a restart clears many connection glitches. Turn the phone off, wait a few seconds and start it again, then reconnect.
2. Check that CarPlay is allowed
On your iPhone, open Settings, then General, then CarPlay, and make sure your car is listed. CarPlay also needs Siri turned on, so check that Siri is enabled in Settings. If the screen stays blank while the phone is locked, check the option to allow CarPlay while locked.
3. Try a different cable (wired CarPlay)
A worn or charge-only cable is the most common cause of a dropping wired connection. Use a good quality, short cable that carries data, ideally the one that came with the phone or a certified replacement.
4. Use the right USB port
Some cars have more than one USB port, and only one of them supports CarPlay. It is usually marked with a phone or CarPlay symbol, or sits near the screen. Try each port.
5. Turn Bluetooth and Wi-Fi off and on (wireless CarPlay)
Wireless CarPlay uses both. Switch them off and on again, then reconnect. Make sure the phone is not stuck on another Wi-Fi network or connected to a different Bluetooth device.
6. Forget the car and pair it again
On the iPhone, go to Settings, General, CarPlay, choose your car and select Forget This Car. Then remove the phone from the Bluetooth list on the car's screen and pair it again from the start.
7. Update the iPhone and the head unit
Install the latest iOS. If your head unit has a software or firmware update, install that too. Connection fixes often arrive in updates.
8. Restart the head unit
Turn the car off, open and close the door, wait a minute and start it again. If the screen is frozen, some units have a reset button, but check the manual before using it.
9. Remove interference and extra phones
If two phones are paired, the car may connect to the wrong one. Turn Bluetooth off on the other phone. A wireless charging pad or other devices near the phone can also upset a wireless link, so try moving them.
When it is the hardware
If it works with a different cable and a different phone but not yours, or the USB port feels loose, or the head unit restarts by itself, the fault is probably in the unit or its wiring. If it started right after a new head unit was fitted, go back to the installer. If you are using a wireless adapter, try the car without it to rule it out: adapters and head units work differently.
If your head unit has failed, we fit new wireless CarPlay and Android Auto head units at your home or work anywhere in Auckland with a 2-year warranty. New to all this? Start with what Apple CarPlay is.
Frequently asked questions
Why does CarPlay keep disconnecting?
On a wired connection the usual cause is a poor cable or a loose port. On a wireless connection it is often a Bluetooth or Wi-Fi glitch, interference or out-of-date software. Work through the steps above in order.
Why is my CarPlay screen black?
A black screen usually points to a cable or connection problem, or a CarPlay setting. Try another cable, check that CarPlay is allowed in the phone settings, and restart both the phone and the head unit.
Will a new cable fix wireless CarPlay?
Only the first connection setup on some units needs a cable. For wireless problems, focus on Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, pairing again and software updates instead.
How do I know if the head unit is faulty?
If the problem follows the car and not the phone, and different cables and phones all fail the same way, the head unit, its USB port or its wiring is the likely cause.