How to disable car autoplay on iPhone

So. Let us all send feedback. I think if we're paying high priced hardware, we can expect the software to behave correctly and for that matter, Apple, you could and should fix your software before any fancypants new looks, new "features" (like the unusable lables) or whatever - Just make it work flawlessly.
Here's the link: Feedback - iPhone - Apple

It's now late 2017 and this problem still exists, much to the chagrin of all those naysayers in these apple threads that go on about how it's time to move on or these are old problems. Old problems that still exist and still bug people.

For me, I have iTunes Match with mobile data turned OFF and no music downloaded to the phone.

When I plug in the phone VIA lightning to the usb on the car's head unit (I've tried sony, pioneer, some junky chinese brands, fusion, etc) the phone will:

1. Stop the audio that I am listening to, if it's not in the music app (e.g. a podcast app, a streaming radio app, a cloud music player like soundcloud, a music production app).
2. Play a song from my iTunes library. I thought it was the first song alphabetically, but it's not always the same. I think it's semi random.
3. If I bring up the controls from the bottom of the screen, the music player is in a STOPPED state (with music playing) and reports the name of the App that it stopped (e.g. SoundCloud).
4. If I then press the PLAY button, the background song stops, then whatever I was listening to in my app starts playing again.

So getting into the car is a quick jiggle between turning the car on, plugging in the phone and taking off my headphones, then jabbing buttons I shouldn't have to jab in order to continue listening to my podcasts or audiobooks or whatever. This is crazy.

The thing I don't get is WHERE does it get the song? It just seems to ignore my "don't use mobile data" setting for iTunes Match and grab something and start playing it. I keep having to go into settings then itunes then deleting the downloaded songs again. What is going on, Apple?

The only solution I have found is to turn the audio off in my car. This way the phone connection is still on, the bluetooth is still on but the audio is off, this means my music / books don't start automatically.

To follow up on this however, that would be nice to have a proper option somewhere. Also the car bluetooth automatically steal the connection of any connected headset which is annoying, we should be give the option to prompt for choice...

I found the solution!!!

It's 2017 and this happened to me, a Mazda CX-5 and upon entering the vehicle and after EVERY voice command, it would auto play music. Including if I said "turn music off" it would say okay and then it would turn right back on. I browsed all of the forums and nothing. Super frustrating!! So what did I do?

After having an iPhone since inception, without deviation, I got the Google Pixel and said screw you Apple and now I no longer have to deal with that issue and a crappy battery and Siri being inferior and, and , and . . .

Sadly, my girl went with the 7 (we both had the 6) and the Pixel blows it away, she comes home and her phone is dead or dying, mine doesn't need a charge until the next day and in 15 minutes it's charged for 7 hours.

I miss Steve Jobs but my phone is efficient and fun again.

How is this a solution when doing so disables the ability to get directions, make calls, send and receive messages, and listen to music? But then I switched to the Pixel and no longer have this issue.

1230 people have the same question, I guess that's not enough to warrant a fix, but I traded in the iPhone for the Pixel and have zero issues now, so it's absolutely an iPhone problem. Best of luck to you!

Sadly, the only solution I found was to delete the music app. Apple *****. They don't give a hoot. When I know I will be taking drives where I want to listen to music I reinstall the app. Apple, the company that forces its customers to become techies.

Just goes to show you how deaf apple is to customer complaints. The issue still isn't resolved. And if you don't have any answers to how this can be remedied without uninstalling apple musIc then stay off the thread.

I have the same issue with an MKi9100 connected to my 2008 Kia. Bluetooth operation for me is absolutely fine and plays an opened audio book on connection but when connecting via the USB lightning connector to keep my iOS 10 iPhone 5S charged it auto plays the first song alphabetically (even with shuffle set) in my Apple Music. This is even when I have Audible opened for playing my book or when a map/satnav is active with sound on.

As stated, this is a safety issue.

I queried them in my local Apple Store but they had no idea what a Parrot device or Auto Play was and offered no advice at all.

I have tried the various settings described in this trail and disabling Car Play in Restrictions does get round the issue since although it starts up USB connected Apple Music it is in pause mode. It also does auto play opened apps such as Audible just like when connected via Bluetooth which is perfect.

So, for me, this problem appears fixed but will repost if I find any foibles or if the next iOS update screws it up.

pity it's taken me so long to find a fix...

The USB connection in your 2008 Kia is NOT compatible with an iPhone. It's interpreting your phone as an iPod... and an OLD iPod at that.

This is NOT a "safety issue". This is strictly a 'wetware' problem.

Yes - two different issues - mine is the USB issue - whenever I plug my iPhone 6s into the usb port of our 2016 GMC Acadia, the SAME song starts playing right out of iTunes. Not the last song I played or even a favorite song, but the first song I ever played thru the Acadia's sound system via my iPhone 6s, a year ago! It remembers only that song for some reason. Craziness.

I know it is going to start playing the second I plug in so I wait for it and shut it off before heading down the road. But every stop and start of the car requires the same routine - wait for the song to start, turn it off on the iPhone and proceed. It happens whether or not I am logged into iTunes on my phone.

Would love to hear if there has been a solution found to this!

Same for me. 2013 Audi. I start the car and the iPhone starts playing a random song. I turn it off. I make a call. When the call is done, it starts the same song again. I turn it off. I make another call and hang up. And...it automatically starts the same song again... **** annoying.

What makes no sense to me is that on typical bluetooth headsets for music, wireless of course, the iPhone doesn't start playing automatically when they are turned on. And even when I am listening to music (of my own choice...) on the headset and make a call and use that headset for the call, it doesn't start playing automatically when the call has been completed. It only happens in cars...

This 'feature' (bug...) appears to only be limited to cars not to other bluetooth devices that have the exact same functionality as the car's systems. So is it the car manufacturers, who probably buy their stuff from the same electronics supplier, or is it the iPhone? I don't know but it isn't a problem with a typical bluetooth headset (e.g. Beats and others), only cars. Weird.

My reply is about Parrot connections and the Parrot MKi9100 as detailed does have a USB connection and it is that connection that I clearly (if you bothered to read it) was on about and yes it is a safety issue as it needs hand on in car effort to turn it off.

I tried the restrictions fix but no joy. I hate to say it but my droid using friends dont have this issue. I may have to scrap the new iPhone. I certainly cant return my new car because my phone is glitchy.

Sawzalot2 wrote:

What OS are you using? Is it part of a subgroup? I dont see it anywhere.

There is no such setting. The individual who said there is doesn't know what they're talking about.

This is a function of the head unit in your car, NOT the phone. The phone is responding to commands being sent by the head unit.