Unable To Play Podcasts CarPlay Error In iOS 15 (Fix?)

CarPlay Unable to Play Podcasts

Unable To Play Podcasts In CarPlay

Eric has recently reported this problem on our iOS 15.1 review page:

“I have an iPhone 12 pro. I updated to 15.1 and now I can’t get my podcasts to display within CarPlay. It states ‘Unable to play podcasts. When you stop driving, check Apple Podcasts on your iPhone.'”

He informs that the Podcasts CarPlay issue occurs both when driving and when the car is parked.

How To Fix Unable To Play Podcasts With CarPlay

We couldn’t replicate the issue yet, but here are a few troubleshooting steps that you can apply if you’re in the same situation:

1. Download Episodes

If you’re driving through an area with poor cellular signal, Podcasts might not be able to connect to Apple’s servers to stream the content. This can lead to the Unable to play Podcasts error.

I recommend you to download the episodes that you plan to listen before starting your drive.

How to: Open Podcasts. Select the Show that you want to listen. Tap the three-dots icon available next to the episode name. Go for Download Episode.

Fact: A similar issue is displayed by Apple Music. We’ve talked about the CarPlay ‘problem connecting to Apple Music’ error over here.

2. Reinstall Podcasts

A glitch coming with the Podcasts app might cause the CarPlay unable to play error. Delete the app from your iPhone and reinstall it! Use the Offload feature and it will help you save your data.

How to: Open Settings and browse for General -> iPhone Storage -> Podcasts -> Offload App. After the app is removed a Reinstall option is displayed. Tap it to get Podcasts back.

Now, reconnect to CarPlay and try to play a show again. Are you still getting the Unable to play Podcasts error?

3. Restart iPhone

One more thing that you can try is to reboot your iOS device. Minor glitches that could prevent it from properly connecting and airplaying to CarPlay might be fixed this way.

I recommend you to force restart your device by simultaneously pressing and holding Volume Up + Power Button.

Keep the pressed until the Apple logo is displayed on the screen. Be patient until the device reboots, reconnect to CarPlay and try to play Podcasts. Does it work now?

Have you managed to fix CarPlay Podcasts not working? Do you have a better solution? Use the comments section to share your feedback.

Related: We’ve also reported about CarPlay problems with the iPhone 13 Series and Apple Music. Here is another trick that fixes CarPlay not working in iOS 15!