Is Your Apple CarPlay Lagging? Here’s the FIX You NEED!

Is your Apple CarPlay lagging? If yes, then this complete guide contains all the solutions!

The CarPlay stereo’s performance may be slow/lagging due to an underlying problem with your storage, wireless connection, or even the CarPlay profile.

This article will clarify all possible reasons for the underperforming CarPlay and provide reliable solutions to quickly fix your issue.

If the Apple CarPlay is lagging, power the stereo “On” and “Off,” re-add the CarPlay’s profile, and switch to a wired USB connection.

If the fault persists, reset the iPhone’s network settings and force a factory reset on the stereo.

There is more so keep reading further!

Why is My Apple CarPlay Laggy?

Here’s why the CarPlay stereo could be lagging or freezing while connected:

Let’s fix those, shall we?

Apple CarPlay Lagging – 7 Easy & Working Solutions!

Tip: Verify you have restarted your car and reconnected with the radio before proceeding!

1. Power Off the iPhone and Stereo

The first solution is to power off the CarPlay-enabled stereo along with the iPhone and wait until both devices have cooled down.

All CarPlay systems use a software interface produced by your iPhone to produce an iOS menu that may be lagging or underperforming during high utilization. 

Let’s start with powering off the CarPlay stereo first!

How to Power Off CarPlay Stereo?

Locate the “On/Off” button on the side panel of the CarPlay stereo and hold the “Power” button for 5–10 seconds until the unit turns off.

Next, wait a full minute before turning on the radio and reconnecting the CarPlay over Bluetooth to test the performance.

How to Power Off iPhone?

• To power off through the system options, navigate to “Settings” → “General” → “Shut Down” and drag the slider right to power off the iPhone.
• To power off with the “Power” button, hold it for 5 seconds and drag the slider towards the right to shut down the iPhone.

Info: By default, the “Power” button’s “Hold” function is set to activate Siri!

2. Forget the CarPlay’s Connection

You can resolve lagging issues with CarPlay by forgetting and re-adding the stereo’s connection through the “CarPlay” menu on your iPhone.

Remember that forgetting the car stereo will erase all custom settings assigned to the CarPlay device and reset the settings of the wireless profile.

Here’s how to manually forget the CarPlay stereo’s connection on your iPhone:

1. Launch the “Settings” app on your iPhone.
2. Navigate to the “General” tab after scrolling.
3. Next, enter the “CarPlay” tab from the menu.
4. Tap the “>” icon next to the CarPlay’s profile.
5. Select “Remote this Car” to unpair the stereo.
6. Tap the car’s connection from “Available Cars.”

Warning: None of the CarPlay’s settings and custom configurations can be restored after removing the profile!

3. Switch to a Wired USB Connection

Switching to a wired USB connection is a technique that’s proven to improve the CarPlay radio performance instantly.

Your Bluetooth signal is often unreliable and may interfere with nearby devices transmitting identical frequencies, leading to lag or persistent disconnecting problems.

Here’s how to convert the CarPlay radio’s connection to a wired USB connection:

1. Acquire a USB type-A to lightning or USB-C cable.
2. Locate the USB type-A port on the CarPlay stereo.
3. Connect the cable with the USB port on the car radio.
4. Plug the other end with the iPhone’s charging port.
5. Next, wait until the CarPlay recalibrates automatically.

Upon connecting the iPhone via USB, all of CarPlay’s features will be automatically unlocked for use, allowing you to test the stereo’s performance.

Warning: Do not use an old or worn-out USB, as this may lead to further performance issues!

4. Deactivate the iPhone’s “PiP” Feature

The Picture-in-picture (PiP) is a feature that allows your iPhone to shrink a video into a small movable player on one of the corners while using other apps.

This can significantly utilize your iPhone’s CPU while using CarPlay, resulting in lagging, freezing, or other performance issues.

Here’s how to set the iPhone’s “PiP” feature to “Off:”

1. Access the “Settings” on your iPhone and enter the “General.”
2. Press on “Picture in Picture” underneath “AirPlay & Handoff.”
3. Press the green slider once to deactivate Picture-in-picture.

Notice: Applications that use the “PiP” feature by default will no longer have access!

5. Configure the App’s “Location” Settings

If a particular app is lagging on the CarPlay and you don’t know why, it can be due to restricted location access.

Navigational services such as Google Maps, Apple Maps, or Waze require full location access to function properly.

Here’s how to configure the location settings for an underperforming CarPlay app:

1. Open the “Settings” app on your iPhone and scroll down.
2. Find your app that’s underperforming on the CarPlay unit.
3. Tap on the app and pick “Location” at the top of the page.
4. Next, set the location to “Always” from the available options.
5. Exit the settings and re-launch the app on the CarPlay radio.

Bonus Tip: Set “Precise Location” to “ON”

For much more accurate location readings, you should activate the “Precise Location” for all navigational services you’re using through CarPlay.

The feature accesses your mobile’s exact coordinates and will recalibrate each time you move using the iPhone’s GPS technology.

Note: The “Precise Location” feature must be activated manually for each app!

6. Reset the iPhone’s Network Settings

The CarPlay could be experiencing broadcast interruptions or underperform due to a problem in the iPhone’s network settings.

Thus, resetting the iPhone’s network settings will permanently erase the remembered Bluetooth/Wi-Fi connections as well as custom cellular configurations.

Follow these instructions to reset the network settings of the iPhone:

1. Open the “Settings” app and navigate to the “General” menu.
2. Scroll to the bottom and press on “Transfer or Reset [Device].”
3. Choose the “Reset Network Settings” option from the menu.
4. Next, follow the on-screen steps to erase the network settings.

Once the network reset has been initiated, the iPhone will be temporarily idle, and then you will regain access to all wireless connections. 

Reminder: You must complete the CarPlay’s initial setup once the network reset has concluded!

7. Factory Reset the CarPlay Stereo

If you’re still unable to solve the CarPlay’s lagging, it is recommended to restore the car stereo’s system to factory defaults.

All modern “face” type CarPlay stereos can be factory reset through the settings, which reverts all network, storage, and audio settings to their factory default states!

How to Factory Reset CarPlay Stereo Via “Settings”?

1. Open the “Settings” app or tap the cogwheel icon on the stereo.
2. Next, search for a “Reset” or “Factory Reset” tab.
3. Next, tap the “Reset” tab and press on the “Factory Reset” button.
4. After that, wait until your radio reboots, resets, and starts up again.

How to Factory Reset CarPlay Stereo Via “Reset” Button?

If the radio does not have a factory reset function, search for a “System Reset” or “Factory Reset” pinhole button on the outer periphery.

Use a ballpoint pen or a paperclip to press the button inside the pinhole and hold it for at least 10–15 seconds, which will trigger the reset.

Quick Tip: You can find exact instructions on how to reset the car stereo in the user manual!

Quick Recap

If the Apple CarPlay lagging constantly, power off the stereo, reboot the iPhone and erase the CarPlay’s profile from your settings.

If the fault persists, switch to a wired connection, reset the iPhone’s network settings and factory reset the CarPlay stereo.

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