Wired CarPlay won't connect iPhone 17 Pro Max after iOS 26 update

I was having the same problem on my Ford F-150 trying to connect CarPlay to my new iPhone 17 Pro running ios 26. I had tried three different USB A-C cables before I learned that many of those cables are charge-only and don't carry data. When I switched to a different cable, it immediately connected to CarPlay.

So I found my new iphone17 on iOS 26 wouldn’t connect to wired Apple CarPlay. I tried pairing and unpairing Bluetooth, new cables, factory reset of stereo, checking phone settings and permissions etc., turning the car and the phone off and on. Nothing was fixing CarPlay even though Bluetooth connection was working fine.

WHAT FINALLY WORKED was unpairing and forgetting the car and vice versa for the phone. Then resetting network settings by going to Settings > Transfer or reset iPhone > Reset > Reset Network Settings

It does mean you’ll remove all stored WiFi passwords and need to rejoin them again.

This made my car show up again in CarPlay and I was able to reconnect the phone through my wired connection. (It took two tries of the above as I accidentally clicked out of the CarPlay joining prompt I think 🤔)

I just purchased an iPhone 17 Pro Max and was having the same issue with the CarPlay in my 2016 Chevy Tahoe.

I switched usb cords and the CarPlay still was not recognizing my phone.

Then I went into the apple carplay settings in my vehicle. I went to “Settings” then “Apple CarPlay” then “Manage Apple CarPlay Devices” then “Add Device”. As soon as I hit “Add Device” my new phone was added and CarPlay was working normal.

I understand this fix may not work for everyone, but it’s working for me. I tried the various usb cords that wouldn’t work before, and they’re all working now.

In attempt to try solve this, I bought 10 different USB-A to Type-C cables in lengths from 50cm to 150cm

All of them worked with iPhone 16 Pro Max (and 15, 14, 13)

the 17 Pro Max only liked 4 of them, a 100cm long braided Mophie I bought from Apple online was one of them.

Note: The Beats cables from Apple did not work, none of them.

The other 3 that worked were no-name cheap Chinese cables, one 150cm and one 50cm and one 100cm, unbraided. One of them only connected when Type-C plug was in one direction, not when turned 180 degrees.

Note: The 17 Pro Max would start charging from all cables

Hopefully Apple learn from this and do some more certifications moving forward.

I do see some reports online from random users which could connect but got randomly disconnection from time to time. It will take a few days before I know how stable this is.

Apple: I now have a few cables I don't need. Let me know if you want to buy them - perhaps we can make a trade.

I did some tests ... you find my post somewhere in this thread.

One branded cable that worked for me was 100cm long braided Mophie I bought from Apple online.

Based on the various tests, it seems like the real issue is with Apple's new hardware stack used for USB controller, and the power negotiations. This can explain why it only happens with some cars and not all, since USB power is different in most cars. iPhone 16 series and prior was not as sensitive as 17.

Some vehicles use older USB chipsets which does not handshake well with Apple's new stack.

iPhone 17 most likely has tighter rules for EMI noise and cable integrity.

And - after some digging it looks like some infotainment systems only partially support the updated CarPlay protocol layers that the 17 enforces by default. So you get a handshake loop instead of a stable session.

The fact is also that some high-end certified branded cables does not work, whilst some cheap noname does work. One reason can be that the certified might have E-marker chips or other electronic that makes them great (usually) and iPhone will try to negotiate a full spec link, but the car's USB might not be able to deliver.

Some of the noname cheap cables without any chips - that works - might work because they do not have any chips in them and the phone defaults to using a most forgiving lowest power and data mode. (This is pure speculations from my side but in my head it makes sense)

Some premium cables use thicker shielding and high frequency lines designed for fast charging and high data rates. Car USB hubs are often noisy and underpowered. The 17 detects noise and rejects the link. Cheap cables dampen the signal in a crude way and the phone gives up trying to run a high bandwidth channel, which ironically can stabilize it.

The 17 negotiates smart power and smart data. Cars negotiate like it is 2015. The cheap cable acts like a translator by being dumb.

So - try a fully connected(not charge only) unshielded cable, 100 cm or shorter and see if you get lucky.

The only way Apple can "fix" this would be to change how the USB stack handles power and data negotiations,... I think ....

Good luck

UPDATE: After swapping my usual cable out for the one sent with my phone from Apple, CarPlay is now working! No other software adjustments were required.

Anyone get in on the T Mobile iPhone 17 deal? The first day with my new 17 car play worked fine. I didn’t need to drive my car for a couple days but I noticed at home a T Mobile sign scrolling across the top of my phone saying T Mobile wi-fi. I wasn’t happy because I use my home wifi & it’s likely better. The next day I was driving & I notice my car play not working. I tried everything in my car settings & different cables and nothing worked. I was initially using the cable from Apple. I went thru my phone settings & turned off T Mobile wi-fi. The wifi you use in your car should be the same as your phone. Once I disabled T Mobile WiFi & put in my home WiFi which matched the car it started working. It doesn’t seem like it’s everyone’s issue but it was mine.

I just performed the Network Reset, and my wired connections to both of my cars are working again.

I just had this problem and went to BestBuy and bought the Nimble A to C cable and that fixed the issue I had. It was just the cable. The cable before still worked on my 16, but for some reason not my 17. Either way that’s what fixed it for me. Hopefully this helps!

Update: I ended up purchasing a beats USB-A to USB-C connector from the apple store and it seems to have fixed the problem. Carplay now works in my 2018 Buick.

Thanks for everyone's advice because this was making me nuts. Just got the 17promax today and tried to plug in as usual and no CarPlay. I was using my charging cable from beats headphones. I swapped it with my iPad cable and wouldn't you know CarPlay works. Crazy how it was just a simple cable.

Thank you! The comment about the cable being charge only and not carrying data saved me a ton of search time. Switched cable and it worked! Again, thank you.

Resetting the network settings will affect the wired connection as well. It's worth a try.

My current car doesn't have wireless CarPlay. I bought a wireless CarPlay adapter from Amazon and it works great.

Once every couple of months it will hang up, but unplugging it and plugging it back in clears that up. It consistently happens in the same areas, so I suspect RF interference from something in that area is to blame.

For me this also resolved my issue. I used the cable that was supplied with my iPhone 17 Pro in the box.

Check with Ford if it needs an update.

Test a phone that still has ios18 if a friend has one.