Why Can CarPlay Only Play Music but Not Screen Mirror?
2 Answers
It may be due to Bluetooth audio not being paired. Try holding down the volume adjustment button until the car's infotainment system shuts down, wait a few seconds, then turn it back on. Introduction to CarPlay: CarPlay is an in-car system launched by Apple Inc. in the United States, which seamlessly integrates users' iOS devices and iOS user experience with the dashboard system. Interfaces Supported by CarPlay: CarPlay only supports iPhone models with Lightning connectors. Although iPads now support this interface, Apple has not included iPads as hardware devices supported by CarPlay. On June 13, 2016, at the WWDC developer conference, Apple announced that its smart car system CarPlay would be updated alongside iOS 10, becoming the perfect companion for the new version of Apple Maps and Siri.
Encountering the issue where CarPlay only plays music but fails to mirror the screen is quite common, often stemming from settings and compatibility problems. Your iPhone's CarPlay permissions might be restricted, requiring you to enable the screen mirroring option in settings. Sometimes, privacy settings not granting app access to the car's infotainment system can also cause this. I've faced similar issues before—first, try restarting both your phone and the vehicle's system, as this can clear temporary software glitches. Check if the data cable or wireless connection is stable, as older cables tend to loosen and cause partial functionality loss. If the car's system version is outdated, it might not support the current iOS update; updating to the latest infotainment firmware often resolves this. Additionally, signal interference inside the car, such as strong WiFi or too many Bluetooth devices, can disrupt screen mirroring. Prioritize troubleshooting phone settings and connection hardware to rule out any misoperations. Spending two minutes checking these details before driving can prevent mid-journey frustrations and, more importantly, ensure safety by avoiding distractions while driving.
