How to fix iPhone 15 Pro Max CarPlay not working issue

CarPlay is not working as expected for some iPhone 15 Pro Max users. In this article, I’ll explain why CarPlay is not working on your iPhone 15 Pro Max and show you how to fix the problem.

Note: information in this article apply to iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max.

Apple CarPlay lets you access your iOS apps, hands-free, while you’re driving by routing everything through your car’s infotainment system. And that’s great until Apple CarPlay stops working correctly. It could be iPhone 15 Pro Max won’t connect to CarPlay, CarPlay keeps disconnecting, CarPlay apps won’t open properly, or you can’t hear anything when CarPlay is connected. Sometimes CarPlay may freeze and you may see a black screen.

Here’s how to get everything reconnected if Apple CarPlay isn’t working on iPhone 15 Pro Max.

Why is CarPlay not working on iPhone 15 Pro Max?

There are various reasons that Apple CarPlay may not work on iPhone 15 Pro Max. For many, the iPhone 15 Pro Max CarPlay problems boil down to a compatibility issue with certain USB-A to USB-C cables. Most cars use a USB-A port to connect your phone to the car’s computer to enable useful features and apps that can aid in your drive like Apple CarPlay. Users report that some USB-A to USB-C cables will charge their phone, but the car doesn’t recognize that an iPhone is connected, thus rendering CarPlay unusable.

Other reasons include:

• Problems with an iOS update.
• Integration issues between apps.
• Incompatibility issues.
• iPhone 15 Pro Max not detected by CarPlay.

How to Fix iPhone 15 Pro Max CarPlay problems

Regardless of the issue, no connection, no sound, apps not working, there are a number of troubleshooting steps you can try to fix iPhone 15 Pro Max CarPlay problems. Try each of these steps to see if it solves your problem and gets CarPlay going again.

Check to make sure your vehicle or your car stereo is are compatible with CarPlay

An increasing number of makes and models are compatible. The numbers are changing quickly. There are currently more than 800 car models. The CarPlay compatibility page will help you find out if your specific car is compatible. If it’s not, there’s nothing you can do to get CarPlay working in your vehicle.

The following aftermarket stereos are also compatible:

• Alpine
• Kenwood
• Blaupunkt
• Clarion
• JVC
• Pioneer
• JBL
• Sony

Check if your country or region supports CarPlay

CarPlay is not available everywhere. See Apple’s website that CarPlay is currently available. If CarPlay isn’t available for you, you won’t be able to connect it or access any features.

Make sure CarPlay is enabled on your iPhone 15 Pro Max

A variety of settings could be interfering with the CarPlay connection. For example, if you’ve turned CarPlay off, you’ll need to re-enable it. To do that, go to Settings > General > CarPlay and reconnect your vehicle to the app. Or to re-enable it if you’ve turned it off in Screen Time, go to Settings > Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions > Allowed Apps and make sure that CarPlay is enabled.

Check if Siri is enabled on your iPhone

Siri needs to be enabled for CarPlay to work on your iPhone 15 Pro Max. Here’s how to check:

• On your iPhone, go to Settings > Siri & Search. Make sure that the following options are enabled:
  • Listen for “Siri” or "Hey Siri".
  • Press Side Button for Siri.
  • Allow Siri When Locked.

The Allow Siri When Locked option is the one that most often trips people up because it isn’t always enabled.

Make sure CarPlay is enabled when locked

If CarPlay isn’t enabled when locked, it can’t activate if your iPhone 15 Pro Max screen is turned off. Here’s how to rectify this:

On your iPhone, head over to Settings > General > CarPlay > Your Car > and turn on "Allow CarPlay While Locked".

Check if your iPhone and your car’s infotainment system are turned on

Yes, it is obvious. But check anyway.

Furthermore, make sure that if your car has a "activate" option, make sure that that option is selected.

If you are unable to connect

If you are having issues connecting your iPhone to your vehicle and using CarPlay. To connect your iPhone to your car, there are two ways, depending on your car:

1. Simply plug in your phone using a USB cable. If you are having issues:
   • Make sure that your USB cable is Apple certified, especially if you see the This Accessory Is Not Supported By This Device" message.
   • Make sure you’re plugged into the correct port. There are multiple USB connections in many modern vehicles, but they won’t necessarily all work to connect CarPlay to your vehicle. Look for the CarPlay or iOS icon. If you don’t see one of those, try each available USB port on your infotainment system to see if one of them is specific to your CarPlay connection.
   • If possible, try a different USB cable. Trying a variety of cables, specifically those from known brands and with data transfer support, seems to be the best way to get ‌CarPlay‌ to work on iPhone 15 Pro Max.
   • Make sure that your USB cable is connected properly.
   • Make sure that your charging port and the USB port are clean and there are no damages.
2. If your car supports wireless connection, make sure that Bluetooth is on, and the iPhone is connected to the car Bluetooth. If your Bluetooth is off, you won’t be able to connect the device. Go to Settings > Bluetooth.
3. Make sure Wi-Fi is turned on. Go to Settings > Wi-Fi.
   • Turn on Airplane Mode on your iPhone, wait 10 seconds and turn it off (Settings > Airplane Mode).

Update everything

Update your iPhone 15 Pro Max to the latest version of iOS. You can update your iPhone wirelessly. Here is how:

• Make sure that your iPhone is connected to the Internet.
• Then go to Settings > General > Software Update.
• Tap Download and Install.
• And follow the onscreen instructions.

If you are using an aftermarket device, please check the manufacturer’s website to see if a firmware update is available and if there is, find out how you can update.

Restart everything

Restart your iPhone, your car’s infotainment system and your car. Sometimes turning everything off and then back on will clear whatever error you’re experiencing, and things will connect just fine the second time around.

Here is how you can restart your iPhone:

• Press and hold the Side and volume up (or down) buttons together until you see the power off slider. Drag the slider to turn it off.
• Press and hold the Side button until the Apple Logo appears.

You can also restart your car’s infotainment system. This is different for different cars and models. For example, you may need to press and hold down the audio system power knob for at least 10 seconds. Again this may be different for your car. Simply check your car’s manual.

Forget and reestablish your CarPlay connection

If you are still having your problem, try to re-setup. Here is how:

• Go to Settings > General > CarPlay and then select the vehicle you’re trying to connect to. Then tap Forget This Car. Then, restart your vehicle and your iPhone and try to re-establish the connection. Here is how:

• If your car supports a wireless connection, go to Settings > General > CarPlay and tap Available Cars. Then select your car to create the connection.

• If you’re using a wired connection, reconnect the USB cable and follow any on-screen prompts that appear.

If you are still having this issue, this may mean that there is an issue with your car’s stereos system. You can also contact Apple Support for further help.

Conclusion

If you’ve had issues with ‌CarPlay‌ on the ‌iPhone 15 Pro Max, these troubleshooting steps will help you fix the issue. If you have any other questions, let us know in the comment section below.