CarPlay not working with iPhone 16 Pro

Check to see if you have a VPN connection. If you do, turn it off. Carplay won't work with VPN in use.

Had same issue with my brand new iPhone 16 pro in my carplay enabled 2016 Skoda Octavia. Worked perfectly with my iPhone 11. But couldn’t connect with my new phone. Solved it today by buying the Apple USB-C to Lightning adapter (€35). Connected immediately!

I have same problem it intermittently connects some time stay connected than drops out again. I have to restart the car to get connect.

sadly this is one of the many issues I have with this new iPhone 16PRO

I for one would be happier if Apple Pay’s attention to product quality than bringing more emojis

Hi Dan

I have a 2018 Mercedes Benz E-Class and I’m experiencing the same problem going from an iPhone 13 to a new iPhone 16 Pro. CarPlay worked with the iPhone 13 with a USB A to Lightning cable but won’t work with the USB A to USB C cable I just purchased for the iPhone 16 Pro. It charges but doesn’t connect to CarPlay - I’m sure it is a data transfer cable so should work. How did the USB C to Lightening adaptor that you purchased help you, I only have USB A inputs in my car? Probably need to do full system reset and try again with the new cable… 😬

Anthvar-- I had my phone completely disconnected and then re-connected it as a new phone by re-pairing it through bluetooth on the Mercedes phone menu where one connects a new phone device. Once I connected it through bluetooth and had successfully paired it, it then immediately asked me on the infotainment screen if I wanted to use the phone for CarPlay as well. I don't think it should make any big difference what order you do it in but generally speaking setting up the phone first through bluetooth to me makes the most sense. Hope this helps.

I had the same and have managed to resolve it by trying a different cable. It seems some USB to USB-C are charge-capable only. If you have only just switched from a lightning type iPhone to the 16 which is obviously now USB-C, you may not have experienced this issue before now, but CarPlay requires a data-capable cable. The likelihood is it is not your phone or your car that is the problem! Also check your content and privacy settings to ensure CarPlay is enabled. Good luck 🤞

I have been unable to make phone calls after upgrading to iPhone 16 Pro Max. Maps and everything else works with CarPlay. Audio crackles, has static and drops every other word. I have a Toyota Sienna and I have done everything  everyone has suggested, to no avail. I have checked  Privacy/Content, new cords (from Apple and Amazon), uninstalled my phone from my Toyota and reinstalled it. I STILL cannot use my phone with CarPlay to make calls. If I do, all of the above happens, and worse yet, CarPlay won’t let me disconnect the call. The red disconnect button on CarPlay is frozen and when it finally disconnects on its own it randomly dials someone on my favorites list. Any additional suggestions will be greatly appreciated. Apple Support has poorly addressed at this entire debacle with CarPlay and I’m not sure, after this mess, that I will continue to be an Apple customer. Their support on this, and other products I have, has fallen way below par in the past year. They are not the company they used to be. 

I think I figured out where my issue is with CarPlay not working. I use WiFi for my CarPlay connection and the iPhone seems to disconnect from the WiFi since there isn’t data. If I keep my phone open to settings, and then once the CarPlay disconnects, I can manually select that WiFi network again and the CarPlay immediately reconnects and works for another 5 minutes.

The same issue is true for another device I own that uses a WiFi network to function but doesn’t have data. It’s like the iPhone senses that there isn’t data and then tries to change to another WiFi network or decides to use cellular, which is weird since I am actively having input from this network (it’s a medical device camera that is giving a video to my phone). I have to forget the regular WiFi networks that are also there so my phone doesn’t try to change over to them.

For me, it seems like some type of WiFi system setting on the iPhone 16 that is causing the CarPlay problems.

After spending close to 4 hours over 2 days updating software, resetting networks and alll the other hoops customer care has you do on day 3 I call and the tech asked if I tried a different cable and I replied 3 different cables he then asked were any of the ones I was using an OEM cable I said not. Let’s try a OEM cable so I go grab a OEM cable and Shazam it works. The new question is do I need OEM cables for everything😡

I had a similar issue. I found that I had to use native USB connections. I tried an adapter that was rated for data and was supposed to work. It failed. I ended up purchasing a cable that had usb A and usb C connections rated for all connections. I got some from Anker and Belkin and all have worked flawlessly since.

I had the same frustration after upgrading to iPhone 16. I tried all the suggestions below and checked all the settings to no avail. I was using the original Apple Lightning to USB Cable with Apple USB-C to Lightning Adapter, but that would not even maintain charging. Came across a thread that said the issue was the cable. I purchased an "Anker Car Carplay Cable for iPhone 15/16/16 Pro Max/Plus, USB A to USB C Flow Cable" and the problem was solved. Phone now connects quickly and maintains the connection.

Bought a USB-C to USB-A to use in my Skoda car. The cable would be with data transfer and not just charging according to specification. Only charging, nothing else worked...

Bought another cable, different make, quite cheap. Everything works!

I HAVE A SOLUTION!!!! If your car works with the original iPhone cord, get an adapter that makes it USB-C and that’ll fix it. I tried for over a week to fix my car or phone and I got an adapter for the iPhone cord and CarPlay immediately worked!!!!!

I got it to work!! I changed the settings first and then went and tried a few different cables it ended up being the main cable I was trying with was the issue as well! Seems like you need to use a good quality cable that supports better data transfer?

After a lengthy back and forth with Apple that’s still not resolved…. The last tech (6 in total now plus two supervisors) they came back and said they were sorry but the stereo in my 2008 Toyota Corolla is obsolete with the iOS 18 on the new iPhone 16 that I just purchased. Everything works except the microphone. Had I have known this, I never would’ve made the upgrade from my 11 pro max. They forced me to upgrade because my apps wouldn’t update without the iOS 18 update but my phone was too old to receive it then this 💩 it’s really wrong. They said there are over 800 car models that are now obsolete with this issue and sent me an email with them. I’m shocked at how this has played out. Not everyone has modern cars and from the looks of the complaints, there’s going to be a lot of angry people experiencing the same thing all over the world. Unacceptable Apple!