CarPlay stopped working after iOS 26 update.

The CarPlay widgets are what’s causing the issue. Your CarPlay head unit isn’t powerful enough to have them running even in the background. To fix it, go to Settings > General > CarPlay, select your CarPlay stereo, and then go to Widgets. Now, slide the Show Widgets toggle off to disable them.

Came on here whining about mine stopping also. Turns out I’m just ret@rded. Must have coincidentally turned my express VPN on. CarPlay doesn’t work with VPN on (at least for me) turned it off and all is well again. Feel stup!d for coming on here whining that mine stopped too.

Hope this may help someone else.

Posting here in case this helps anyone. My old iPhone 14 pro was working fine with CarPlay, but I upgraded to an iPhone 17 pro recently. CarPlay was a spotty mess with the new iPhone 17 Pro, then the 26.1 update happened and my 2019 Jeep Grand Cherokee Trailhawk wouldn't recognize the phone at all when plugged in. I then reset my phone and the Uconnect Panasonic head unit.

After pulling my hair out trying new cables and accessories, I ended up making my way through the settings on the Panasonic head unit of the 2019 Jeep. I clicked Projection Manager and screen mirroring, made sure it was check marked, and CarPlay works again. I took my whip for a 30 min spin and it remained stable, which hasn't been the case prior to the 26.1 update.

My guess is that the 26.1 update helped with stability, and after I reset the head unit, I had to re-check screen mirroring. Seems like a combination of resets and the new iOS update has resolved the head-splitting problem (so far). Even works fine with the old cables I had prior to purchasing new ones.

Finally got it working. I had to enable CarPlay under Screentime Settings for allowed apps. Finally!

I think I got my car play to work. After I started having problems with the iPhone 17 I installed the 26.0.1 update and the problems got worse. CarPlay would shut off, then come back on, using Siri locked it up completely, and it would shut down during phone calls. I reset the phone, my jeep’s audio system, paired and re-paired the audio system and the iPhone. Nothing worked until I went to the Apple Store and bought a Morphie brand USB A to USB C cable. It solved the problem. I used CarPlay for an hour and a half without a single drop or lock up. Strange but true.

UPDATE: My issue appears to be resolved by updating the firmware on my Pioneer AVIC-6000NEX headunit to v1.21. iPhone 14pro on ios26.0.1

It didn't work...

I ended up disabling wifi on the iphone to see if wired carplay worked, but i think it turned it back on... i dont remember, but it didnt work correctly...

To force wired carplay i ended up disabling wifi and bt on the iphone and that allowed to used wired carplay with no issues...

at the end... i can have BT connection disabling Carplay on the bluetooth settings of my headunit on the iphone... or disable wifi and BT so i can use wired carplay...

iphone 17 with iOS 26.0.1

Apple Watch Ultra 2 with watchOS 26.0.2

Atoto F7 XE head unit

I think two things can be true at the same time. There was an issue with BT connections before iOS 26. When my dealer did a software update on my vehicle it was post-iOS 26 release. So thinking the update had fixed my issue, which was occurring on both of my iPhones I still had connection issues. I had already updated my phone(s) iOS 26 when the vehicle was updated. That's when I came across the latest issue with widgets on iOS 26.

I've tested turning off the widgets and that resolved it for me. So far...

Thanks @Brandon2021 for the solution.

Yesterdays 26.1 update has fixed my issues with CarPlay. In fact the widgets are gorgeous!

All of you, please update your iOS to the latest version, 26.1. I’ve tried it, and it worked for me, eliminating all disconnections.

I did what @Brandon2021 sugested... It seemed to work at first, but it failed again...

I ended up using the Ottocast Mini 2025, I´m still playing with the settings but seems to work ok. The label on the box reads "Ottocast Mini Flow".

I disabled wifi and bluetooth on the Atoto Unit and it "thinks" the connection is wired... it is to it...

Apple Support said the "new and improved" wireless chip is better, even if it looses compatibility with "obsolete" devices.

The only things I have to figure out yet with the ottocast dongle is:

• When i start my car it does connect automatically and starts transmitting audio, but i have to press the carplay button on the screen (it doesn't switch to the carplay display).
• I think I have to switch something in the ottocast settings about the GPS.

I'll also contact Atoto Support... they asked for me to inform them if the atoto dongle worked.

By the way, wired carplay works great, It's just that my drives where i live are short and i leave my phone on my pocket most of the time.

iPhone 17 with iOS 26.1 RC

Apple Watch Ultra 2 with watchOS 26.0.2

Atoto F7 XE head unit

Ottocast Mini 2025 (Flow)

Disabling the active VPN for me immediately fix the issue as well. In my case, it was Windscribe VPN.

I'd been having this too. Cleaned USB port, new Anker USB-A to USB-C cable, used port closest to screen, up-dated to 26.0.1, disconnected other devices in car. iPhone 17 Pro been dropping every 5 minutes or so using Waze. Drove five hours today -- knock on wood -- without a single drop. Not sure why.

While CarPlay widgets may be causing issues, it isn't anything to do with the Head Unit; CarPlay simply uses the head unit as a screen and input device; All of the code, including Widgets, is actually running on your phone.

Turning CarPlay widgets off and the back on seemed to resolve the problem I was having with the screen not being responsive to "swipes".

Hopefully Apple will address this bug in an update

Updating to iOS 26.1 actually made my problem worse. It was good with iOS 26.0.1 after disabling the widgets.

To help with maintain a connection I have created an automation in the shortcuts app that restarts my WiFi when CarPlay disconnects. This is also helped me somewhat debug the issue. What I’ve noticed is this seems to be related to when the phone switches cell towers as I live in a fairly mountainous region I lose my carplay connection at around the same areas the phone should be switching cell towers. That being said, I don’t think the cell towers are the actual cause but point to a bug in Apple‘s code that causes a small Wi-Fi glitch when cell towers are being switched.

I have attached a screenshot of the automation in case anybody is interested.