You can make a difference in the Apple Support Community!

When you sign up with your Apple Account, you can provide valuable feedback to other community members by upvoting helpful replies and User Tips.

Siri can't play albums & playlists while connected via CarPlay

When my iPhone is connected my car via CarPlay, if I say "Siri, play album [x]" or "Siri, play playlist [x]", she'll respond: "Apple Music can't play that album/playlist." (Those aren't exact words of Siri's error message, but they're close.)


This error occurs only when I'm using CarPlay. Any other time I'm using my iPhone and ask Siri to play an album or playlist from my music library, she'll play it without issue.


Also, while connected via CarPlay, Siri can usually execute a voice command to play an individual song from my music library. It's only albums and playlists she can't play.


When I get the error, she specifically says "Apple Music" can't play the album/playlist. It's not clear whether she's referring to Apple Music the streaming service or the iPhone's native Music app.


If she means the streaming service, that might explain the problem. I don't subscribe to the streaming service. All of the music in my library is local, meaning the files are on the device. They were either purchased and downloaded from the iTunes store or ripped from a CD and transferred to the iPhone via the iTunes for PC app. (Before anyone asks, yes, all of the files are imported into the iPhone's native Music app library, not some third-party media app.)


If Siri is failing to look for local music and mistakenly thinks I'm asking her to stream, that presents two questions. One, why does Siri only make this mistake while in CarPlay mode? And two, is there any way for me to force her to look for local music in my library while in CarPlay, as she does any other time?


If the issue isn't caused by Siri being blind to local music when in CarPlay, then what is the cause of her inability to execute a voice command to play an album or playlist from my music library?




iPhone 13 Pro

Posted on Oct 1, 2024 3:20 PM

Reply
2 replies

Nov 20, 2024 8:28 AM in response to Atomic_Monkey

This is a work around for those with Apple Watch or iTunes Match Subscription.


From my observations Siri on CarPlay will only search the Apple Music Subscription for the playlist.


  1. Apple Watch: For those with Apple Watch, this method bypass the Siri interface via CarPlay, simply raise the watch to your lips and say: “Hey Siri, play playlist x” and Siri will play flawlessly. Just have to make sure the “‘’Listen for “Siri” or “Hey Siri”’’ is activated on your watch. Search the web, if you don’t know how to do this;


2. iTunes Match Subscription: This is a more complicated work around and make sure you do this on WiFi; or else, the iPhone will gobble up your mobile data.:

  • On your Mac or PC, on your iTunes app, Goto the “Settings” select “Sync Library”, then, “OK”. Following that - Click “File” - “Library” - “update Cloud Library”. This takes a while to complete.;
  • Delete your music library from your iPhone :- Goto “Settings” - “General” - “iPhone Storage” - “Music”; then, scroll down to the middle of the page for ”Edit“, next to “All Songs” click on the red circle with “-“. Wait for a few minutes for the iPhone to delete all songs from the device.
  • Goto “Settings” - “Music” - “Sync Library” toggle that option on.
  • Open the Music app, from here you’ll find all your music library and playlist. At this point, the music library is stored online. Select the playlist that you use most often, you will find “+” on top of the screen, next to the name of your playlist. Click on the “+” sign to download the songs onto your device.


So, bear in mind, other then the playlist you have downloaded, the rest of the songs reside online, should you play all music while using CarPlay, you are using Mobile Data. Download as many playlist as you want and only ask Siri to play playlist.


From now on, until Apple Developers fix the Siri on CarPlay playlist search parameter, do not connect your device to your Mac or PC. Any music from iTunes to the devices will render playlist unworkable again.


Good Luck!!



Siri can't play albums & playlists while connected via CarPlay

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple Account.