Phone Charging, But CarPlay Not Working? – 13 Solutions!

“My Apple CarPlay not working but phone is charging. I want to find an immediate solution to this matter. Can someone please guide me? TIA”

Overview

As per this error, you can see that your iPhone is charging when you plug it into the car. However, the car’s media system won’t detect it. If so, using your iPhone in the car for things like navigation or Siri will be a huge pain.

Most vehicles can charge mobile devices without any problems. But some additional software is required for modern features like Apple CarPlay to function as intended.

Recently, numerous automakers have promoted Apple CarPlay integration. That is exactly why it isn’t model-specifically optimized and why you might occasionally encounter minor hiccups.

In this post, we discuss several typical reasons for this issue and offer suggestions for resolving them.

By the way, let’s figure out the reasons behind ‘My iPhone won’t charge but it says it’s charging‘ error and the top solutions to fix it effortlessly.

Reasons for Phone Charging But CarPlay Not Working

There are many reasons why your Apple CarPlay is not working, but your phone is charging.

Let’s take a look at those reasons before moving further.

• Your device’s CarPlay feature is disabled.
• Your car is not compatible with the CarPlay feature.
• Your device might have become overheated.
• The Siri feature is disabled on your iPhone.
• Your iPhone is not operated on the most recent iOS version.

Besides, if you wonder, is it possible to mirror a phone to a car screen, don’t worry, here are the top ways to mirror Android or iPhone to the car screen you should follow up.

Solutions to Try

Now that you know Apple CarPlay is not working, but the phone is charging, it’s time to look for solutions.

So, let’s go ahead and read the below section for solutions.

Solution 01: Enable the CarPlay Feature on Your Device

The feature called CarPlay on your iOS device must first be made aware of. It is possible that you accidentally switched it off and weren’t aware of it. Additionally, it might disconnect on its own. Simply attach it once more.

To enable it, adhere to the following steps.

• Open your device’s “Settings” app.
• Tap on “General“.
• Then, go to “CarPlay“.

• After that, you should search for your car so you can connect it properly.

Solution 02: Check Its Compatibility

You do not immediately have access to this service just because you have an iOS device and a car. Your car’s inability to use CarPlay may be caused by a number of issues. For instance, Apple CarPlay is not supported by your vehicle.

Additionally, since you reside in an unsupported area, CarPlay isn’t functioning. Only 36 nations can officially access Apple Car. You may wait and allow Apple and the manufacturer of your vehicle to handle bringing it to your area.

Solution 03: Check the Connection of Your iPhone

A Bluetooth or USB connection between your iPhone and car is required. If you’re using a WiFi connection, you can’t have your phone in Airplane Mode. Airplane mode completely disables your device’s wireless capabilities.

In addition, cellular and Bluetooth data must be turned on before you can use CarPlay. To solve this problem, try switching between cellular and Bluetooth data if you’re already connected.

If you’re utilizing a wired connection, inspect the USB cable to make sure it is in good working order. Use a different USB cord to see if it helps. Make sure you’re plugging the USB plug into the right slot. You may also try reconnecting the car’s USB cable to access CarPlay if it doesn’t work.

Solution 04: Check if Siri is Enabled

It is not possible to use voice commands with CarPlay. This indicates that Siri has not been activated. Siri can be activated to allow hands-free voice control of CarPlay.

Here are the actions you can take to see if it’s activated.

• First, you should go to “Settings“.
• Then, select “Siri and Search“.
• Finally, you should toggle the features located under the option “Ask Siri” to complete the process.

Solution 05: Allow CarPlay Even When the Screen Is Locked

If the CarPlay does stop whenever you turn off the screen, this solution might work. In this scenario, CarPlay stops working due to a lack of permissions. To resolve this issue, you can grant the required permission, so CarPlay can work normally.

Mentioned below is how to do it.

• Go to “Settings“.
• Click on the option called “CarPlay“.
• Choose your Car (you can find it under “My Car“).
• Tap on the option called “Allow CarPlay While Locked“.
• That’s it.

Solution 06: Check if CarPlay Has Unrestricted Access

If you value discretion, this is an excellent privacy-protecting function. However, it may prevent you from using some of the app’s functions. Even if you have enabled this function, you must still let the apps operate.

Here are the steps that should be followed if your Apple CarPlay is not working but the phone is charging.

• First of all, you should go to the “Settings” app and tap on the option called “Screen Time“.
• Now, go to the option called “Content and Privacy Restrictions“.
• After that, you should tap on the option called “Allowed Apps“.

• Toggle the option called CarPlay if it is already disabled.

Solution 07: Disable Any USB Accessories

Are you using a USB cable to connect your iOS device to the car? If yes, it may create an impact on the CarPlay connectivity. In fact, when your device is connected to another through USB, the other ports might malfunction. In that case, you should disable it.

Mentioned below is how to disable it.

• Go to the settings of your device.
• Then, go to the option called “Face ID and Passcode“.

• Now, you can enter the respective passcode if it is prompted.
• Under “Allow Access When Locked“, you should toggle off the option called USB Accessories.

Solution 08: Restart CarPlay Through Your Car

To quickly resolve issues with CarPlay, try restarting your vehicle. Because CarPlay is still being refined, you may encounter such problems now and then.

If problems arise because of bugs, a reboot will fix them. Most probably, it won’t help, though, if the issue is more than just a malfunction. You may give it a shot, though.

Solution 09: Cool Down the Device

After a certain scenario, it’s acceptable for your smartphone to get warm while using it in the vehicle.

However, when utilizing CarPlay while also connected to a charger, additional power is required, and the device heats up. Your iOS device could overheat after a while and stop communicating with other devices.

Therefore, you should give your iPhone a few minutes of downtime before trying to reconnect.

Solution 10: Reboot the Device

It’s possible that a problem with your mobile device prevents CarPlay from syncing with your automobile. Don’t worry; a simple reboot should take care of the problem.

The occasional hiccup can be fixed by restarting the system. Restarting generally has positive results and should not be undervalued. So, why not test it out?

To Switch Off the Device

• Press the volume down button along with the side button. Make sure that you press these buttons at the same time.
• When the power menu appears, you should swipe toward the right. That will switch your device off. Then, you should turn on the device simply by pressing and holding your device’s side button. Then, you will see its Apple Logo.

Force Reboot

If you want to force reboot the device, you may follow the steps mentioned below.

• First, you should press the Volume + button quickly. Then, quickly press the Volume – button as well. After that, press and hold the side button. This might take about 20 to 25 seconds.
• When the screen switches off, you can hold the side button. You should press it and hold it so the Apple logo will appear on the screen.

Solution 11: Configure the CarPlay Connection

If CarPlay was previously configured incorrectly, it may no longer function. This necessitates a factory reset and fresh configuration. If you do this, everything should go back to normal.

If you want to get CarPlay working, just follow these steps.

• Open the “Settings” app.
• Tap on “General“.
• Select “CarPlay“.
• Then, select the car and tap on the option called “Forget this Car” to complete the process.

For Reconnecting:

• Turn on your Bluetooth connection.
• Then, go to “Settings” and tap “General“.
• After that, go to the option called “CarPlay“.
• You should wait for a couple of seconds now. Then, tap on the car.
• Select “Unique Code” to proceed.
• Tap on “Allow Syncing….“.
• Then, you will see a six-digit code.
• Tap on Apple CarPlay to proceed.

Solution 12: Reset the Settings of Your iPhone

If your Apple CarPlay is not working, but the phone is charging, you may check the settings of the phone. In some cases, the settings may get changed even without your intention.

So, the best approach is to reset those settings to default and give it a try.

• Go to “Settings” and tap on “General“.
• Then, scroll further down. Tap on the option called “Transfer ot Reset iPhone“.
• Click “Reset All Settings“.
• Then, you should enter the passcode.
• Tap “Reset All Settings” so you can confirm it.

Solution 13: Update Your iOS Device

The last solution upon noticing Apple CarPlay is not working, but the phone is charging is to update your device. This can fix most of the minor errors associated with your device’s operating system.

Here’s how to do it.

• Go to “Settings” and tap “General“.
• Select “Software Update“.
• Click “Download and Install“.
• Enter the passcode.
• That’s it!

Didn’t any of the above solutions work? Still, your phone is charging, but CarPlay is not working. Then, you should contact Apple Support and ask for a solution.

In addition, is your MacBook charger not working, if yes, we will discuss some of the effective methods to fix the issue of the Macbook Pro not charging.

FAQs About Phone Charging But CarPlay Not Working

This section will explore some of the frequently asked questions about the issue and provide concise answers.