Apple CarPlay Sound Not Working? (Here’s the Easy Fix!)

If your Apple CarPlay sound not working, then you’ve found the correct guide that will help!

Well, most Apple CarPlay stereos support wireless connection, allowing the user to set up the stereo through the “CarPlay” menu within the settings.

Potential issues or degradation in your sound typically occur due to improper audio management or system-related faults in the source.

Let’s have a look at the solution:

If the Apple CarPlay’s sound isn’t working, update the iOS version, check for Bluetooth interference, and re-add the CarPlay profile.

If the fault persists, force a factory reset on the CarPlay stereo.

Let’s learn more!

Why is the Sound Not Working On Apple CarPlay?

Here’s what can prevent the CarPlay’s sound from working:

Advance further to review the best solutions for Apple CarPlay audio issues!

Apple CarPlay Sound Not Working – Quick Ways to Fix!

Tip: Follow the instructions in a consecutive order!

1. Adjust the Car’s Audio Playback

There’s a possibility that the CarPlay stereo’s volume has been lowered through the radio’s dashboard.

Like on any other Bluetooth-enabled stereo, the audio can be controlled via two instances–the stereo’s playback menu and the source device.

How to Increase CarPlay Audio Via Dashboard?

To show the playback menu on the CarPlay-enabled stereo, play any song through your mobile, while the wireless dashboard is connected.

Next, check the volume controller bubble that will appear on the display, similar to the one on your iPhone. 

How to Increase CarPlay Audio Via iOS Menu?

Apart from the stereo’s playback menu, you must ensure the volume is also increased through the connected device’s audio menu.

Press the “VOL +” button on the side of your Apple device multiple times to ensure the audio output is increased well over 50%.

2. Reconnect the Apple CarPlay

You can re-establish a connection with the CarPlay stereo through the “Bluetooth” settings on your iOS device.

A potential fault or congestion of the signal may lead to audio issues or cause persistent interruptions.

Here’s how to reconnect your iOS mobile from the CarPlay stereo easily:

1. Open the “Settings” app on your iOS device.
2. Scroll down and enter the “General” section.
3. Tap on “CarPlay” to access the vehicle page.
4. Locate the connection of your current vehicle.
5. Tap on the connection of your car to manage.
6. In the vehicle menu, tap on “Forget This Car.”
7. Confirm the pop-up by pressing on “Forget.”
8. Wait until your phone rediscovers the vehicle.

Shortly after unpairing the vehicle’s Bluetooth, all nearby CarPlay-enabled stereos will be rediscovered by your mobile and will appear in the CarPlay menu.

Note: Forgetting the vehicle’s CarPlay connection will not remove the Bluetooth profile!

3. Re-add the Main Unit’s Profile

After establishing a wireless connection, the Bluetooth profile of the CarPlay-enabled FM radio will be assigned to your iOS device’s settings.

Well, an improperly configured radio profile may cause issues with the audio or result in re-occurring signal interruptions.

Follow these instructions to re-add the radio’s Bluetooth profile:

1. Open the “Settings” menu on your iOS device.
2. Navigate to the “Bluetooth” from the main page.
3. Next, scroll down and locate the CarPlay profile.
4. Press on the “Info” button next to the connection.
5. Next, scroll down and tap on “Forget this Device.”
6. Wait 30 seconds and re-discover the stereo unit.

Warning: All custom Bluetooth stereo settings will be erased after forgetting the profile!

4. Set Up a Wired FM Connection

Even if the Apple CarPlay connected but no sound via Bluetooth, you should test setting up the FM radio’s profile through a wired connection.

Based on the type of your CarPlay stereo and iPhone model, you must either use a lightning cable or USB-C to establish the connection.

• Only the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro use a USB-C cable, so you will require a standard lightning cable for all of the previous models.

Once you have the cable, connect the USB 2.0 with the CarPlay and plug the other end with the iOS mobile.

Note: The audio of the mobile should be automatically transferred to the multimedia!

5. Update the Mobile’s iOS Version

The CarPlay may not function properly or connect with your mobile if the iOS firmware version is outdated.

So, the next step is to upload the latest iOS firmware available for your device through the “Software Update” tab in the settings.

Here’s how to update any iOS device in easy steps:

1. Enter in the “Settings” app on your mobile iOS device.
2. Navigate to “General” from the third section in the tab.
3. Press on “Software Update” and wait for the scanning.
4. Tap on the “Update Now” button to begin the process.

Tip: If “Automatic Updates” are set to “On,” your iOS device will automatically update!

6. Activate CarPlay in the “Restrictions”

You can address issues with the CarPlay feature of your iOS or stereo by reactivating the option through the iOS device’s “Restrictions” menu.

So, apart from setting up a CarPlay through the vehicle menu, you can deactivate the app’s functionality and then restart it from “Restrictions.”

Here’s how to re-activate CarPlay through “Restrictions” easily:

1. First, open the “Settings” app on your iOS device.
2. Scroll to the second section and tap “Screen Time.”
3. Tap “Content & Privacy Restrictions” in the menu.
4. Optional: Enable “Content & Privacy Restrictions.”
5. Tap “Allowed Apps” from the menu below the page.
6. Scroll down to find the “CarPlay” tile within the page.
7. Tap the activation slider to turn off the CarPlay option.
8. Finally, wait 30 seconds and re-activate the function.

Notice: You can only access the “Restrictions” tab if the content viewing limiter is activated.

7. Factory Reset the CarPlay Stereo

If CarPlay is still unable to produce audio, you should perform a factory reset on your stereo!

Performing a stereo factory reset will erase all existing audio, wireless, and system settings of the device, allowing you to set up the CarPlay from scratch.

Notice: Each CarPlay-enabled stereo requires a unique method for factory resetting!

Here’s how to universally perform a factory reset on a CarPlay stereo:

1. Head back to the homepage of the CarPlay stereo unit.
2. Slide up and tap on “System” at the top part.
3. Scroll down and tap on “Factory data reset.”
4. Follow the visual prompts to finalize your factory reset.

Alert: None of the stereo settings erased after the reset can be restored!

Quick Recap

So, if the Apple CarPlay sound not working, boost the audio through both instances and reestablish a wireless connection with the stereo.

If the fault persists, forget & re-add the radio’s connection and update your iOS device’s version.

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