iPhone Charging but CarPlay Not Working? Here's the Fix!

What to Know

  • If Apple CarPlay isn't working, open Settings, tap General, tap CarPlay, and make sure your car is selected.
  • Check with your dealership for an available firmware update.
  • You can also reset Apple CarPlay. Select Forget This Car in CarPlay settings and then set up Car Play again.

What do you do if CarPlay is not working? Whether your iPhone is charging but CarPlay is not working, CarPlay is not connecting or has a black screen, the apps won't open, or the audio won't work, here's how to fix your iOS 17 CarPlay issues.

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Common Reasons Apple CarPlay Isn't Working & How to Fix Them

When Apple's CarPlay is working, it syncs a user's iPhone with a compatible car's built-in display to perform all kinds of functions. You can send and receive calls and messages, get directions, listen to music, and much more. If your Apple CarPlay is suddenly not working, there are several possible reasons for your problems with CarPlay. Before we get into more involved approaches, here are a few basic reasons why your Apple CarPlay might not be working and how to get CarPlay working again.

  1. Check with Apple to be sure CarPlay is supported in your area. 
  2. Make sure that your car supports CarPlay, as well. If your car isn't on Apple's list, check with the manufacturer to be sure.
  3. Update the software on your iPhone to iOS 17. 
  4. Restart your car and reboot your iPhone.
  5. If your iPhone won't connect to your car via USB, check your owner's manual to be sure your CarPlay can connect via a cable, and that you're using the correct port. You can also try replacing the USB cable with a new one to see if the issue is a faulty cable. 
  6. If you use a VPN on your iPhone, it may interfere with CarPlay. Try turning your VPN off to see if that gets CarPlay working for you. 

More Apple CarPlay Issues & Their Solutions

1. Make Sure You Set Up CarPlay Correctly

Let's go over how to set up Apple CarPlay to make sure you didn't miss any steps. Here's how to set up CarPlay for USB-connectable models:

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  1. Start your car and make sure Siri is enabled on the iPhone you want to pair. If you're not sure about this, here's how to activate Siri.
  2. After you've activated Siri on your iPhone, connect your iPhone to your car with a USB cable to the USB port in your car. If your car supports wireless Apple CarPlay, you'll still need to connect via USB the first time, but will be prompted to go through the steps to use wireless CarPlay for future drives.

Some newer cars only support wireless CarPlay. Here's how to set up CarPlay for wireless models:

Make sure your car stereo is in Bluetooth or wireless mode. Then, press and hold the Voice Command button on the steering wheel. On your iPhone: 

  1. Open the Settings app, tap Wi-Fi, and make sure Wi-Fi is toggled on.

    how to set up apple carplay make sure wifi is on
  2. Tap the CarPlay network, and make sure Auto-Join is toggled on.
  3. Now go back to the main menu of the Settings app and tap General.

    how to set up carplay in iphone settings
  4. Tap CarPlay.

    tap carplay in general settings
  5. Tap your car to connect CarPlay.

    tap your car in carplay settings

If CarPlay won't connect, check your car owner's manual for different or additional steps. For my car, a 2015 Prius, I had to set up CarPlay for the first time using a Lightning cable, then go through my car's Audio menu to find the Bluetooth settings and pair from there. 

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2. Make Sure Restrictions Aren't Blocking CarPlay

If your phone is charging, but Apple CarPlay isn't working, you might have restrictions enabled that are blocking CarPlay. To make sure that your content and privacy restrictions aren't blocking CarPlay:

  1. Open the Settings app and tap Screen Time

    open the settings app and tap screen time to check content and privacy restrictions
  2. Tap Content & Privacy Restrictions.

    Tap content and privacy restrictions in screen time settings
  3. Tap Allowed Apps & Features.

    tap allowed apps and features in screen time settings
  4. Make sure CarPlay is toggled on.

    make sure carplay is turned on in screen time settings ip phone charging but carplay not working.PNG

CarPlay not connecting yet? That's ok; we have several more ways to get CarPlay working!

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3. Check Your Bluetooth Connection

If your vehicle supports wireless CarPlay, check your Bluetooth connection to make sure it's on. To do this:

  1. Open the Settings app.

    open the settings app to check bluetooth connection
  2. Tap Bluetooth.

    tap bluetooth to make sure bluetooth connection is on
  3. Make sure Bluetooth is toggled on.

    make sure bluetooth connection is on

CarPlay not working still? Read on for more ways to fix CarPlay issues!

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4. Make Sure Airplane Mode Is Off

If CarPlay is not connecting, it might be that AirPlane mode is turned on. To make sure it's not:

  1. Open the Settings app and look at the Airplane mode toggle.
  2. If Airplane mode is toggled on, toggle it off.

    make sure airplane mode is toggled off

If your phone is charging but CarPlay is not working after all these steps, don't give up! Read on for a few more ways to fix your CarPlay problem.

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Enable CarPlay from Lock Screen

You also need to make sure that CarPlay is enabled from your iPhone's Lock Screen. To do this:

  1. Open the Settings app and tap General.

    tap general in settings
  2. Tap CarPlay.

    tap carplay in general settings
  3. Tap your car from the list of connected vehicles.

    tap your car in the list of apple carplay cars
  4. If this is the first time you're connecting CarPlay, tap Allow in the pop up notification that appears.

    carplay not working allow while phone is locked
  5. If your car is already connected, make sure that Allow CarPlay While Locked is toggled on.

    toggle on allow carplay while locked

If your iPhone is not connecting to CarPlay after all these steps, it's time to reset CarPlay; learn how below.

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6. Reset Apple CarPlay

If your CarPlay connection isn't working properly, here's how to reset CarPlay and try for a better connection.

  1. Open the Settings app and tap General.

    tap general in settings
  2. Tap CarPlay.

    tap carplay in general settings
  3. Tap your car, then tap Forget This Car

    tap forget this car to disconnect car from apple carplay
  4. Go back to Make Sure You Set Up CarPlay Correctly and work through all the steps again. 

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Hopefully, one or more of these steps helped you to fix CarPlay. If CarPlay won't connect or CarPlay isn't working after all these steps, it's time to contact Apple for help. Be sure to check out our free Tip of the Day for more CarPlay tutorials. 

FAQ

  • How do I manage my CarPlay apps? You can manage your CarPlay apps in the CarPlay settings on your iPhone. We have a tutorial on how to add, remove, and manage Apple CarPlay apps, with recommendations for the best CarPlay apps to try. 
  • Can I find my parked car with Apple Maps? Yes. You can enable the feature in the Maps settings on your iPhone. Check out this article on how to use the Show Parked Location for more details on how to use your iPhone to help you find your parked car. 
  • What do I do if Apple Maps is not working? You will need to figure out what is causing Apple Maps not to work, whether that's poor connectivity, incorrect location settings, or something else, and then you can easily get Maps working again. We have a step-by-step guide that will help you fix Apple Maps and get back on the road.
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Author Details

Leanne Hays's picture

Author Details

Leanne Hays

Leanne Hays has over a dozen years of experience writing for online publications. As a Feature Writer for iPhone Life, she has authored hundreds of how-to, Apple news, and gear review articles, as well as a comprehensive Photos App guide. Leanne holds degrees in education and science and loves troubleshooting and repair. This combination makes her a perfect fit as manager of our Ask an Expert service, which helps iPhone Life Insiders with Apple hardware and software issues.
In off-work hours, Leanne is a mother of two, homesteader, audiobook fanatic, musician, and learning enthusiast.