One of the most annoying issues Apple CarPlay users face is the car radio screen going black.
At first, it was thought to occur only in specific car models, such as Honda Civic. But this turned out to be false, as many Hyundai, BMW, and Kia car owners have reported this issue in recent years.
This problem has no single fix, as it can happen for various reasons. Some solutions that have worked against this problem include resetting the car radio, restarting the iPhone, updating the iOS/radio firmware, using a new USB cable/port, etc.
In this article, we’ll discuss these methods in great detail.
What is Apple CarPlay?
The Apple CarPlay is one of the most sought-after features in car radios these days.
And for good reasons. It allows the users to operate different iPhone apps from the car’s infotainment screen. This way, you can do navigation, listen to podcasts, or make calls/messages in your car without touching your iPhone.
How to Fix Apple CarPlay Black Screen?
But like any other software, the Apple CarPlay is not immune to technological issues.
Over the last few years, many car owners have reported that their CarPlay screens suddenly go black. Others have complained that while their screen doesn’t go entirely black, they have the content blurred in apps like Google Maps and Spotify.
These issues mainly happen due to compatibility and can be solved using the methods listed below.
1. Quick Fixes for Black Screen
Apple CarPlay is notorious for malfunctioning without any reason. In such situations, you only need to apply some quick solutions to fix your problem. These fixes include:
- Restarting your iPhone
- Restarting your ca.
- Updating the radio firmware.
- Updating the iOS version on the iPhone.
- Turning the ‘Allow Carplay While Locked’ setting to ON.
- Switching from wireless CarPlay mode to wired.
- Reset Network Settings.
If you’ve applied all of them and your problem didn’t solve, only then proceed.
2. Change the USB Cable And/Or Port
If you’re using the wired version of the CarPlay and having the black screen issue, you should first check your USB cable.
Physically examine the USB cable and ensure it’s not damaged or frayed. Otherwise, replace that cable.
When replacing the USB cable, double-check that the new one is an Apple-certified lightning cable. CarPlay relies on a reliable and stable connection, so cheap b-grade wires should be avoided at all costs.
And while you’re at it, you can also test your USB cable through another port in your car. The USB port can often accumulate dust or debris over a long period, which can cause an unstable connection and a black screen.
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3. Re-Pair Your Device
If you’re using the wireless CarPlay, delete your vehicle from the iPhone’s Bluetooth and WiFi device list. And then re-pair your phone to check if anything improves.
Here’s how you can do it:
- From your iPhone, go to Settings > Bluetooth.
- Tap on the icon next to the vehicle’s device name.
- Then, tap on ‘Forget This Device.’
- Similarly, go to Settings > WiFi and tap ‘Forget This Network’ to remove your device.
To re-pair your device, return to Settings > Bluetooth/WiFi, select your vehicle from the available device, and follow the on-screen instructions.
The last thing you can try is removing your vehicle from the CarPlay devices list before adding it again.
To do that, Go to Settings > General > CarPlay, tap your vehicle name, then tap on ‘Forget This Car.’
And then set up CarPlay again.
4. Disable Waze integration in Spotify settings
Some CarPlay users have reported getting a black screen when using the Spotify app while getting navigation directions from Waze.
This issue is mainly due to some conflict between these two apps. While their integration works perfectly on an iPhone, it creates issues in CarPlay.
Therefore, disable this integration to see if anything changes. You can do so by going to Settings (from Spotify App) > Social > Waze Navigation. Then turn that option to Disable.
5. Force-Close Navigation Apps
If you’re having the black screen issue only in the navigation apps (Google maps, for example), you can try force-closing these apps.
When we leave these apps after using them, iOS suspends their processes. So, when we re-open the app, the iOS can’t properly resume these processes, and the maps don’t render correctly.
On the other hand, when you force-close these apps, iOS terminates its processes. And, when you re-open them, their background processes start from scratch, which allows proper rendering.
6. Turn off Low Power Mode on iPhone
The iPhones come with a low-power mode that helps to prolong their battery life. But in doing so, this mode limits the power output of the iPhones, which can make some features sluggish.
Therefore, disable this mode (go to Settings > Battery and toggle off Low Power Mode) and see if anything changes.
7. Soft-Reset Your Infotainment System
If none of the above methods worked, soft resetting your infotainment system is the only option.
This process generally varies between different car models. In Ford F150, for example, you have to press and hold your power and skip forward buttons. The Chevy Malibu vehicle has a similar process where you need to press and hold the home button and skip ahead buttons for 10 seconds.
On the other hand, in Mazda vehicles, you have to press and hold the Nav button, back button, and volume control buttons around the commander knob for 10 seconds.
Therefore, you’ll have to go through your owner’s manual to see the correct procedure for your vehicle.
You also need to remember that resetting the infotainment system will delete all the previously-saved audio settings, and you’ll have to reconfigure them again from scratch.
Conclusion
So these are some of the fixes you can apply to fix your Apple CarPlay black screen.
As I said in the beginning, there’s no single fix to this problem, and you’d have to apply all of the abovementioned solutions to see if there’s any change.
In most cases, these solutions will fix your issue. If they don’t, I suggest you have a certified technician examine your car radio, as there could be a bigger issue causing the screen to go black.
