Newsroom Update

Tap to Pay on iPhone is now available in Canada. Learn more >

Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

USB Music not playing in car after IOS8

After update to iOS 8 my iPhone 5s I am unable to play any online music or audio files via USB in my car. Before upgrade I was able to listen to any audio which I play online using Safari. Even if I play a YouTube video still I could hear the audio on car speakers if my USB is connected.But not anymore after the IOS upgrade.


note: there is no music stored on my phone, even i have deleted the U2 album as well.


will be thankful if someone can share his experience or solution to get my online music listening in car using USB.

iPhone 5s, iOS 8

Posted on Sep 21, 2014 7:34 PM

Reply
88 replies

Jan 12, 2015 8:10 AM in response to IOS8issues

UPDATE 1/12/2015 -- Everything works again. I did NOT do anything (still running iOS 8.1.1). I plugged in the phone to the car usb and everything worked. All car controls worked and I was able to move around my music just like before. Not sure why it works now, but happy it does.



Originally posted 12-2014 -- Same issue here but just started on Wednesday. I have a 2012 Buick Enclave, iOS 8.1.1., iPhone 5. The music app somehow enables repeat playlist and puts the music on pause. I have to manually un pause the music which defeats the purpose of having your hands free. audio and steering wheel controls will not work when plugged in. once I manually un-pause the song car controls will work with a lag however unable to go to another playlist. I tried a factory reset which worked immediately after the reset but not any subsequent times. I sent in user feedback to apple as recommended

Jan 21, 2015 8:32 AM in response to IOS8issues

I have exactly the same problem with an AUDI RS5 B&O system, everything fine until me and the girlfriend changed our phones for Iphone 6, now all I get is NO DEVICE CONNECTED, took the car to Audi who were very helpful and checked cables connections etc but there was no fault, they did suggest that maybe they are waiting on a software update from Apple !!!! I was extra extra ****** because I had to drive from the UK to Marbella without my music.......

I too have been thinking of ditching Apple after many years of blind support for the product.

Jan 22, 2015 10:25 AM in response to geraldobenedito

THANKS mrmagicmphI did have a MASSIVE moan about not being able to play my music in my car since moving to the Iphone 6, but I must confess I tried your work around and it works perfectly, for listening to my music many many thanks for this work around that actually works !!!! ...... I just need to get my phone to work on bluetooth now but I can live with that for the time being. 🙂

Jan 23, 2015 7:02 AM in response to RMHY

UPDATE 1-23-2015 -- darn thing is not working again .... same issues as original post below. SIGH!


UPDATE 1/12/2015 -- Everything works again. I did NOT do anything (still running iOS 8.1.1). I plugged in the phone to the car usb and everything worked. All car controls worked and I was able to move around my music just like before. Not sure why it works now, but happy it does.



Originally posted 12-2014 -- Same issue here but just started on Wednesday. I have a 2012 Buick Enclave, iOS 8.1.1., iPhone 5. The music app somehow enables repeat playlist and puts the music on pause. I have to manually un pause the music which defeats the purpose of having your hands free. audio and steering wheel controls will not work when plugged in. once I manually un-pause the song car controls will work with a lag however unable to go to another playlist. I tried a factory reset which worked immediately after the reset but not any subsequent times. I sent in user feedback to apple as recommended

Jan 25, 2015 11:26 AM in response to swilson215

I have a 2012 Nissan Maxima and I thought I fixed the problem doing a Network Reset, a solution that was offered, but this was only a temporary fix because once you turn off your car the problem comes back again.

So you have to keep resetting your network each time you want your Iphone to work properly with your car controls.


This is a bug with the IOS 8.1.X.

I had no issue before the upgrade.

We just have to wait for the fix.

Feb 1, 2015 1:08 PM in response to St3v3h3

Works Now

  • Well, after reading every message in this thread I got depressed, as my iPhone 6 failed to work today - right after I loaded all my music for the first time. My prior phone (4S) worked just fine with IOS 7 and 8, so I was baffled. When I tried to stream music to my Tune2Air (Audi A4) I could see track names - all the songs on my phone, but none of the car controls would work. I could play songs using the phone, but different tracks would show on the car display.
  • However, after upgrading to iOS 8.1.3 everything works as before...it even autoplays Abba "Dancing Queen", which is I guess, the first song alphabetically in my phone's library - just like before. The weird thing is although it's autoplaying, the iTunes music app is not shown as running, active on my phone (just like before). But I can life with this.
  • Bottom line: works after iOS 8.1.3 upgrade.

Feb 4, 2015 4:57 PM in response to IOS8issues

Same boat, different car, just as unhappy.


Had an iPhone 4S. iPhone music NEVER worked with the Bluetooth in my '09 Mercedes (CLK 350, but I doubt the specific model makes as much difference as the year may...). (Phone? Yes. Music? Never, via Bluetooth.) But the iPhone play list *DID* work perfectly well with the USB jack in my car.


Went to iPhone 5S with the Lightning jack. Put a Lightning adapter on my existing old iPhone 4S-type cable, again, worked perfectly...


...until OS 8.x. Thought maybe it was the old-iPhone-type-cable. Had that replaced. Put the Lightning adapter cable on that, NADA. ZIP. CRICKETS.


OS 8.3 isn't changing anything. (So the most recent posts here that say 8.3 solved their problem? All I can say is, I'm GREEN with envy!) I *KNOW* the car is still communicating with the phone, because throughout this unfortunate debacle, the phone's calling features have worked flawlessly, via Bluetooth, with the car, and the car's dash and steering column controls for my phone work equally flawlessly.


Plug in the USB cable for music to play my iPhone playlist? "No iPod" on my dash, and "no input" on my stereo display.


Tunes are really important to me when I drive. I *hate* radio. (And internet radio is getting just as undesirable as broadcast, IMO.) I am very frustrated, and seriously considering throwing my iPhone out the car window at 80+ mph, then going to buy something that WILL work with my car.


If anyone has an answer, I'm all ears... Have been ever since 8.x destroyed my in-car listening experience!

Feb 10, 2015 6:46 PM in response to IOS8issues

I recently bought an iPhone 6. For a week, I was able to listen to Spotify in my 2014 Nissan Frontier through the USB port. Then my phone updated to 8.1.3 and that was no longer possible. I connected my phone to the USB cable and my truck's dash would say something along the lines of "Reading files...No song".


Remembering how my iTunes music always autoplayed when I connected my phone to the USB cable, I checked iTunes to see if I had any music in it. It was all gone. **Note: It was there when I restored a backup from my iPhone 4S to my iPhone 6.***


I went to iTunes, found a free song and downloaded it to my phone. Then I connected my phone to the USB, played the song, and heard music through my speakers. I then went to Spotify and was able to play music through my truck's system as well. If you don't want to hear the same song autoplay when you start your car, I recommend buying a "white noise" track.


If this helps anyone, please let me know.

Feb 26, 2015 2:55 AM in response to IOS8issues

I too have this issue with my iPhone 6 and both my Alpine head unit in my Suburban as well as the MyLink unit in my Sonic. I'm running 8.1.3 and before that update this issue was sporadic, now it is constant. I've submitted feedback and hopefully enough people are doing the same so that they can fix this major issue.


Apple seems to have lost some of it's quality control in the last year or so. If Windows 8 weren't so bad I might have bought a PC laptop instead of my MacBook and I'd probably have sold my iPhone for an Android device. Let's see what Windows 10 looks like.

Mar 4, 2015 2:40 AM in response to Jean Jones2

I've had the same run around as all of you between Apple and my car manufacturer (VW). Apple told me that since my car is a 2014 model, the car's stereo software/firmware is not up to date. I phoned VW and they said that no other customer has complained of this issue and don't seem to understand why I can't hear my music; I can connect the bluetooth just fine, and I can make phone calls (haven't "received" any yet) but as per the music, my "Media-In" shows as not functional; I can hear the radio, but nothing happens when I choose "Media", whereas when I used my iPhone 3gs the media worked just fine.


So is this an ios 8 issue or my car's software issue? I'm perplexed!

Mar 4, 2015 5:55 AM in response to Psych13

Unfortunately, based on the number and diversity of automobiles which suddenly became incompatible with iOS 8.x, it's on Apple, and they're pretty much ignoring it, and / or playing "hot potato" ("it's the car"). My 5s worked just FINE with my car until 8.1 was released, and then crickets. So it's NOT my car. It's NOT my jack or cable. My bluetooth (for music) never worked, but I still had the hardwire link and I was fine with that. Apple software change = incompatibility and a sad, sad silence... not only through my sound system, but from Apple (except to blame our cars). I am genuinely disappointed.


Steve Jobs would be, too.

Mar 4, 2015 12:07 PM in response to SiestaDawn

I hear you loud and clear; I'm not defending Apple whatsoever (in fact, I'm a recent convert over from PC's to Mac's) but it is unclear who's responsibility it is, in that if my car came out before the new iPhone, I can't expect the car to have the latest and most up to date software, but at the same time, is it realistic and possible for Apple to ensure that their latest phone entails all of the software components needed for *all* car stereo systems? From what Apple told me, my car is missing two "profiles" and VW would have to update my car stereo software, however, VW said that they often only get updates a year after a phone comes out......it's not a great situation however you look at it:).

Mar 5, 2015 6:09 PM in response to Psych13

Issue has to be with the OS 8.1.3. My iPhone 6 when first released worked fine for music over USB to my 14 Stingray. The last couple updates for it it gets worse. Almost can not play music from the phone via USB. Sometimes it goes 20 minutes before it stops, other times right away. My iPod touch has zero issues playing same cable and same usb port. Memory stick works too.


Everything works on my 15 Harley via USB except again the iPhone 6 os 8.1.3

USB Music not playing in car after IOS8

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