Your iPhone not connecting to your car can be frustrating, but there are several things for you to do before panicking. In this article, we will answer the question, “Why won’t my iPhone pair with my car”, and go through some troubleshooting to help you find the solution without bringing your device in.
At imFixed, we offer local tech repairs in Rochdale, Oldham, and Manchester, and offer Apple screen protectors, chargers, and cases, as well as Android cases and holders. We aim to help you with all kinds of tech issues that you might come across, from iPhones that won’t charge or stay charged, detect SIM cards, vibrate, or connect to Wi-Fi.
Simple Solutions for Getting Your iPhone to Pair With Your Car
First off, we will start with a few simple things that could fix the issue, from checking your settings to replacing the cables you’re using. If these don’t work, we can go into some more in-depth solutions and test them out before admitting defeat.
Check That CarPlay is Enabled
For CarPlay to work, you need to make sure that it’s enabled. It’s ridiculously simple, but so easily forgotten. To do this, follow these steps: Settings → General → CarPlay → reconnect the app and vehicle or re-enable it if you have, for some reason, turned it off
You should also check to make sure that your CarPlay is enabled while your phone is locked. You can do this by following these steps: Settings → General → CarPlay → Allow CarPlay While Locked
Make Sure Siri is Enabled
Double-check that Siri is enabled by following these steps: Settings → Siri & Search. Make sure that “Allow Siri When Locked” is enabled, along with “Press Side Button for Siri” and “Listen for ‘Hey Siri’”, as these are all important, but very easy to forget about.
Check or Faulty USB Cables
In the world of technology, faulty and damaged cables are a very common problem, but one that can easily be fixed. This is no different here if you aren’t using a wireless connection.
If your iPhone won’t pair with your car, you should test the USBs for any issues. In most cases, switching an old cable for a new one fixes all your problems.
Are the USB Cables in the Right Port?
This is another common place where you might accidentally go wrong – plugging the USB into the wrong port! In most contemporary vehicles, there are plenty of port options to choose from, and not all of them will work for your particular needs.
Look for the iOS or CarPlay icon and use that. If you can’t locate it, you might need to go through each port to see which one works for CarPlay, so be prepared to spend some time doing this.
Check What Mode You’re On (Airplane Off)
In the case where you are using a wireless connection, make sure that you aren’t in Airplane Mode, as this will prevent it from working.
To turn off Airplane Mode, follow these steps: Settings → Airplane Mode → Toggle Off
Is Bluetooth On?
In order for CarPlay to work, you need to have Bluetooth turned on. Find this in settings and toggle it on, and maybe it will start functioning how it should be.
Why Won't My iPhone Pair with My Car
If you have done through the above, and you are still asking yourself, “Why won’t my iPhone pair with my car?”, we will explore some more in-depth options for you to try out. If none of these work, you may need to bring your device into a trusted repair shop like us to figure out what the issue might be.
Make Sure Your Device is Up-to-Date
Usually an iPhone will update without an issue, but if you are having trouble, you can follow the steps we’ve outlined below.
You will need the latest version of iTunes on a Windows or Mac laptop/PC for this method.
Follow these steps:
- Connect your Windows/Mac device to the phone
- Do a force restart to get your phone in Recovery Mode
- Don’t let go of the buttons until the phone screen has the Recovery mode screen (a charging cable with an arrow pointed at a laptop)
- Select ‘update’ when the option to restore or update on your computer shows up
- Confirm, then follow the instructions given to you (it can take up to 15 minutes, so have some patience)
- Your phone will restart on its own once you’re done
If this doesn’t work, you can try updating your iOS in DFU Mode. This mode is more complex than Recovery Mode, and varies depending on the device model you have, follow these steps to effectively go through the process.
Just be aware that DFU will restore iOS to a clean slate while bypassing iBoot, which Recovery Mode uses. As such, make sure you back up all your important data before proceeding.
If this doesn’t work, you will need to get in touch with a professional like us, or Apple.
Restart Your Device
Sometimes a simple restart is all that’s needed to jumpstart the correct processes in your iPhone. Depending on the iPhone model you have, you will need to take different steps to force restart your device, but none of them require your home button to be working.
For iPhones that Support iOS 16 or Later
- Quickly press the volume up button and release
- Quickly press the volume down button and release
- Hold down the side button
- Release the side button when the Apple logo shows
For iPhones that Don’t Support iOS 16 (iPhones 6, 7, 8 and SE (1st Gen)
- iPhone 6 models and iPhone SE (1st Gen) – Hold down the home and sleep/wake button at the same time, then release the buttons when you see the Apple logo
- iPhone 7 – Hold down the sleep/wake button and volume down button at the same time, then release the buttons when you see the Apple logo
- iPhone 8 and iPhone SE (2nd Gen) – Quickly press the volume up button and release, then do the same with the volume down button. Hold down the side button, and release it when you see the Apple logo
Wipe and Re-establish CarPlay Connection
You can also try forgetting and then reconnecting the CarPlay connection to get it working again. Like many things, a simple reset/forget can go a long way, and is often the solution to a problem.
To do this, follow these simple steps: Settings → General → CarPlay → select your vehicle → Forget This Car → restart the vehicle and re-establish the connection.
You can follow these steps if your vehicle supports a wireless connection: Settings → General → CarPlay → Available Cars → select your vehicle
For anyone using a wired connection, make sure to use a functioning USB cable and reconnect it to the vehicle, then follow the prompts that come up on the screen.
imFixed Can Help You
Here at imFixed, we deal with more tech issues than you could ever imagine, from unresponsive iPhone screens and broken lenses to software update fails and iPhone speaker problems that we all experience. Our repairs deal with the front glass of iPhones as well as the back of the phone, broken power buttons, audio issues, faulty cameras, and so much more.
If you want to know how to access your rear iPhone camera, why you have poor sound quality while on calls, or if it’s worth replacing your iPhone battery, we go through everything you need to know.
So, why won’t my iPhone pair with my car? The wrong settings could be on, there could be faulty connections, or there might be a software issue in your iPhone that is causing it. In either case, hopefully this article has helped – and if it hasn’t, be sure to bring your iPhone in for a repair.
