CarPlay and my iPhone 15 Pro Max won’t connect

If your iPhone isn't detected by CarPlay, make sure that CarPlay isn't restricted. Go to Settings > Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions. If Content & Privacy Restrictions is on, tap Allowed Apps, and make sure that CarPlay is enabled.

That worked for me just now on 15 pro

Follow-up:

If anyone needs this info, here’s how to make the cord connection work between a 15 Pro Max USB-C and a car USB-A, like it used to work with your 14.

1. Check that all of the proper settings in “Settings,” are turned on appropriately as mentioned in earlier posts. Make sure Siri is on and you don’t have other restrictions in place. In setting up the new phone some things may have been turned off or on. If you have done this, as I had then it’s probably an issue with the car not knowing what to do with the new “USB-A to USB-C” cord you’re trying to use. USB-C apparently communicates more information than the old Lightning connection so the car will charge the phone, but isn’t processing the app info. So basically you’re going to fool the car into thinking it’s still connected with the old connection.
2. Buy the “USB-C to Lightning” Adaptor at the Apple Store..
3. Plug your old “USB-A to Lightening” cord into your car.
4. Plug the Lightening end (that you used to plug so easily into your 14 Pro Max) into your new adaptor, then…
5. Plug the USB-C end of the adaptor into your phone.

This should allow the car to find the phone and you should get a message about using CarPlay automatically etc. on your car display. Declare Victory.

If for some reason this doesn’t work, unplug your phone and turn off the car. Go to “General” “Car Play” on your phone and tell it to “Forget this device.” Then Go to “Bluetooth” and do the same thing. Check your settings again in “Settings,” make sure you have notifications on, and again that there’s nothing off or other restrictions that would prevent the phone and the car from talking. If you call Apple Support, they can share your screen and walk you through those steps.

When you’re sure the settings are appropriate, plug the phone back in to the USB-A/adaptor/C arrangement as outlined above and start the car again. You should get a message from the car saying that the phone wants to use CarPlay, and whether you want it to start automatically when it’s plugged in, etc.

Thanks to Apple Support for hanging around while we worked all this out. The engineers apparently know this is an issue with the C, but it hasn’t been definitively disseminated to the phone support people or people at the Apple stores. I just happened to have bought the adaptor when I bought my phone so I had it on hand to try.

The remaining issue is that using CarPlay via Bluetooth which worked on my 14 Pro Max, does not work on the new 15 with this car. If my car has updated software, which I will confirm with the dealer, then the issue is with the new 15, and is something the engineers have yet to de-bug.

This article worked… I just upgraded from a 12 to the 15 Pro and Siri would NOT read back my text message I was trying to send, nor ask me if I wanted to change it, etc…. I tried everything… I have a 2019 Honda Accord, and tried “forget this phone” in the infotainment center settings, deleted my old phone, even unplugged my battery to car to reset and nothing worked….

I saw the suggestion to go into my new Phone’s settings while car is on, plugged into Honda infotainment system, then went to CarPlay > FORGET THIS CAR…. Cut off engine, restarted and added phone back to Honda infotainment and voila! It is now working line it should… I hope this works for you

I got a rental 2024 Mazda 3. Had the same issue where the car would allow me to connect my phone or even charging the phone. All I was getting was “Unsupported USB device connected”. Had to use my phone’s map on a 3 hour drive until at the end of the trip the battery on phone started dying, and that’s when I found a “loophole” that worked for me.

Solution: connect a wireless power bank charger to the back of the phone so it’ll start charging the phone. Once that’s done connected the USB-c cable from your vehicle to the phone and that’ll give the prompt to connect to Apple CarPlay. Once you connected to CarPlay you should be all set. No need to have your power bank connected to the phone anymore and shouldn’t have to redo this process anymore. It should work as a regular CarPlay connection.

Not 100% sure what makes this loophole work but I’m assuming that when you initially connect your phone to CarPlay the car sends a test signal to check the device and when the phone tries to request both power and signal from the car, it freaks out thinking something is wrong cutting all communication with the device. By adding an external power source the phone eliminates the request for power and only worries about signal. Once the original “handshake” was made they now know what they are and what they need to make magic happen.

I found the issue that my Apple Watch was making my car play disconnecting .I turn off my watch and used same cables that were disconnecting and connecting my phone to my car and now they are working looks like Apple Watch Bluetooth strength

I bought a USBA TO USBC Cable and I could play CARPLAY if I plugged the phone into car port. My Honda has USBA inputs and the max 15 is a USBC. Iphone Max shows HONDA and I could get some preset ICONS like WAZE, MUSIC ETC. It got late so I will disconnect and see if I can get wifi to works. If you see words in caps disregard, I have carpal tunnel and when typing I hit CAPS.

Hello OHMG,

We see you're having an issue with CarPlay, and have a resource that could help If you need help with CarPlay:

"Connect your iPhone with a USB-C connector to CarPlay with the USB-C to Lightning Adapter

You can use the USB-C to Lightning Adapter with wired CarPlay in most vehicles. However, some combinations of adapters, cables, and vehicle entertainment systems might disrupt the wired CarPlay connection. In this situation or for cars that support only wired CarPlay, use a direct connection with a USB cable."

The information above might be helpful. We also recommend making sure you've worked through the steps below:

"Check your wired or wireless connection and your iPhone settings

If your iPhone is updated to the latest version of iOS, follow these steps—checking CarPlay after each step:

1) Check your connection to your CarPlay stereo:

• If you have a wired connection, try connecting again with a different USB cable to a different USB port if you have one.
• If you have a wireless connection, make sure that Bluetooth is turned on on your iPhone under Settings > Bluetooth. Then go to Settings > Wi-Fi, and make sure that Wi-Fi is also turned on. Tap the CarPlay network, and check that Auto-Join is turned on.

2) If CarPlay doesn't activate automatically, look for the CarPlay logo on your car's display and select it.

3) Restart your iPhone and your car. 

4) Make sure that Siri is on.

5) If your iPhone isn't detected by CarPlay, make sure that CarPlay isn't restricted. Go to Settings > Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions. If Content & Privacy Restrictions is on, tap Allowed Apps, and make sure that CarPlay is enabled.

6) Go to Settings > General > CarPlay, tap your car, then tap Forget This Car. Then set up CarPlay again.

7) Make sure that your CarPlay stereo is using the latest firmware from the car manufacturer. Check your car's manual for more information."

Let us know if that helps. Have a good one.

I’m ready to dump the 15. It was a gift and has become a nightmare gift. Everything worked with my 14, Nothing works with the 15. Bluetooth won’t work with anything (not speakers, not buds, not watch, not Oura ring, not Ring camera), despite a minimum of 20+ ‘fixes’. It will not connect with my car even with a cable. I think Apple doesn’t give a sh*t anymore and are producing garbage bc they know it will sell. This has become a 1200 dollar doorstop brick of uselessness.

Of course the cable will works because its directly for Airplay. This topic is not about using the Cable. This topic is about wireless connection that is only happened in stupid iPhone 15, i have 13 Pro, 14 Pro all have no issues. Restarting my phone works but its annoying, it actually says connected in Bluetooth but there is no audio from car stereo… its already been Debug, This is causes by iPhone 15 bugs, you engineers at Apple, do your job well, fix it.

It's May 2024 and I have just received my new iPhone 15 pro max. You've guessed it I can't get CarPlay to work in my VW Golf. No problems with my old 11. The complaints are dating back coupler of years so wondering id Apple are close to resolving the issue. I have already tried numerous options given by various people which has at least got my phone working but not CarPlay.

An update would be appreciated.

Thank you

Hi can anyone help me. I’ve got a Suzuki 2019. I have just brought an apple I phone 15. I also brought the usb adapter but all it’s doing is flashing on and off. Any other lead from before the 15 works. Just not the 15. Does anyone have any ideas. Ty so much x

It’s August 2024 and this issue with the 15 Pro Max not connecting to cars has been going on since 2023. I should be able to plug in my phone to my 2016 Mercedes and get on with my life. It is not my job to make this extremely expensive new phone work correctly. I can get the car to recognize the phone by Bluetooth but then nothing will actually work, not music, maps, or books. If all of you Apple employees who are presumably using this horrible phone are making calls, seeing maps, and listening to music, then please be so kind as to tell us clearly what magic fairy dust we must apply to enjoy the same extremely basic requirements for CarPlay.

I would LOVE to be able to plug my phone in, just like I did my 14 Pro Max, and see the display with Maps and other apps. BTW, I am using your included cable currently to connect to my car and it obviously doesn’t work.

I have a same problem. iPhone 15 pro max is not a good iPhone.

iphone max 15 question. My Honda Carplay will not work with carplay when using bluetooth. I am still playing with it because I had to get a new battery and I am having the same issue.