CarPlay Not Working After Update: How To Fix

Updating your iPhone ensures that you have the latest features, bug fixes, and security updates for the device.

However, one side effect of iOS updates is that the likes of CarPlay simply stop working.

If you’re an avid Apple and CarPlay user, this can be a frustrating experience. 

Here is how you can fix CarPlay not working after an iOS update: 

• Restart your iPhone.
• Check for possible restrictions on CarPlay.
• Ensure that Siri is enabled for CarPlay.
• Make sure you have the right cable.
• Reset your CarPlay connection.
• Remove and update your iPhone’s OS.
• Reset your iPhone’s settings.
• Allow Carplay while the phone is locked.
• Use AnyFix.
• Ask for help from Apple Support.

Keep reading for more information on how to fix CarPlay when it doesn’t work after an iOS update.

1. Restart Your iPhone

The first step you should take when CarPlay isn’t working after an iOS update is to restart your device. Here are the steps to do that:

1. Depending on your device, you can restart by pressing and holding down the slide button or the volume button until the power-off slider comes on the screen. 
2. Drag the slider and give it a few seconds. 
3. Press the power button to turn your device back on. 

If this approach doesn’t work, consider doing a hard reset to resolve this bug. If that doesn’t work either, move on to the next step below.

2. Check for Possible Restrictions on CarPlay

If you use certain restrictions on your device, you may have disabled CarPlay by accident. Therefore, you should check whether your phone has restrictions on CarPlay. 

To do so, follow these simple steps:

1. Tap on the “Settings” icon on your iPhone.
2. Tap “General” 
3. Tap “Carplay.” 
4. Locate your car from the “My Cars” section.
5. If you can’t see your car under “My Cars,” press and hold the voice control button. This button is located on your vehicle’s steering wheel. Holding and pressing the control button will start your iPhone’s setup and pairing process.
6. If your car is on the list, ensure that it’s enabled in “Screen Time,” which is located on the main “Settings” page.
7. Once you confirm that “Screen Time” is enabled, go to “Content & Privacy Restrictions.”
8. Tap “Allowed Apps” and confirm that CarPlay is enabled. If it’s not, swipe to the right.

3. Ensure That Siri Is Enabled

Siri has to be enabled on your smartphone for Carplay to work. To make sure Siri is enabled on your phone, follow these steps: 

1. Go to the “Settings” icon on your phone’s home screen.
2. Type Siri into the search bar. 
3. Swipe right to enable Siri on your device. Depending on your model, you can also turn on “Listen for Hey Siri.” 

4. Make Sure You Have the Right Cable

Sometimes, your cable may be causing the problem. This is likely the case if you’re using a new cable, or if you suspect that your cable has malfunctioned. 

Remember, if you’re using a cable that isn’t compatible with your iOS device, CarPlay will not connect.

To check whether you have the right cable, follow these steps:

1. Make sure the USB Lightning cable is compatible with your iOS device.
2. Ensure your cable is securely plugged in.
3. Consider plugging the cable into a different USB port and retrying.
4. Assess the phone for signs of damage.
5. Swap the USB Lightning cable and retry. 

If you want to buy a new cable, we’d recommend an Anker iPhone Charger Cable.

See our full guide to the best Apple CarPlay charger for more info.

5. Reset Your CarPlay Connection

There’s always a small chance the CarPlay connection has been interrupted or corrupted, causing it to not work.

If you think that’s the case, you should try resetting your vehicle’s CarPlay connection by following the steps below: 

1. Tap the “Settings” icon on your iPhone’s home screen.
2. Scroll down to the “General” icon. 
3. Tap “CarPlay.”
4. Tap on your vehicle and select “Forget This Car.”
5. Press the voice command on your vehicle’s steering wheel to restart the setup process.

6. Remove and Update Your Phone’s OS

Since your iPhone needs the latest update to sync seamlessly with CarPlay, it’s important to ensure that you have the latest iOS version for CarPlay.

If, after updating, your iPhone doesn’t sync with CarPlay, uninstall and reinstall the update as follows: 

1. Connect your iPhone to a wireless network or switch on your cellular data.
2. Go to the “Settings” icon on the home screen. 
3. Scroll down to the “General” icon.
4. Select “iPhone Storage.”
5. Search for the iOS update and delete it. You may need to confirm the deletion.
6. Go back to the “General” icon.
7. Tap “Software Update.”
8. Check the latest update.
9. Download and install the update.
10. Try and reconnect CarPlay.

7. Reset Your iPhone’s Settings

If none of the above tips has worked so far, try resetting your phone’s settings and reconnecting with CarPlay.

Make sure that, before resetting, you back up all the data on your phone.

As you know, a complete reset will erase all your data, so make sure there’s nothing valuable in your phone before you reset as follows: 

1. Go to the “Settings” icon on your phone’s home screen.
2. Scroll down to the “General” icon.
3. Under “General,” scroll down to “Transfer or Reset Phone.” 
4. Tap “Reset Phone” or “Reset All Settings,” depending on your model.

8. Allow CarPlay When Phone Is Locked

Make sure CarPlay is enabled even when your phone is locked. CarPlay can fail to sync because it’s disabled once your phone locks. You can easily fix this issue by following the steps below: 

1. Go to “Settings” on your iPhone.
2. Scroll down to “General.”
3. Select “CarPlay” from the options provided.
4. Select your car from the available connections and tap on it.
5. Tap the “Allow CarPlay While Locked” icon.

9. Use AnyFix

AnyFix is an iOS recovery system that resolves more than 130 iPhone issues, including constant restarting, phone not turning on, and so on. So, it’s worth a shot when your CarPlay isn’t working. All you have to do is:

1. Download and install AnyFix on a computer. 
2. Connect your iPhone to your computer via a USB cable.
3. Open the application and select “System Repair.”

10. Ask for Help From Apple Support

If none of the above fixes work, it may be time to call in the big guns. All you have to do is contact Apple Support and ask them for help resolving the problem. You can get in touch with Apple Support via phone call or chat. Alternatively, you can go to the nearest authorized Apple Service provider.

Key Takeaways

If your CarPlay isn’t working after you update your iOS, there are several possible fixes depending on the cause of the problem.

You can (among other things) reset your iPhone, reset your CarPlay, check the integrity of the connections between the two, and make sure there aren’t any restrictions keeping them from syncing properly.