Poor audio quality on iPhone 18 Pro with Apple CarPlay

The only solution I have found is using FaceTime audio when connected to wired CarPlay. Otherwise, my wife and I can barely hear each other. With FaceTime audio, it goes back to being full quality, like before I got my iPhone 18 Pro. When I call people other than my wife, I just disconnect my phone from CarPlay and use speaker. Extremely annoying bug.

I’m also experiencing poor audio quality in a phone Call when I connect my iPhone 18 Pro Max to CarPlay. After disconnecting from CarPlay, the audio quality on my AirPods is also poor sound in a call until I restart the iPhone.

I’ve tried iOS 27.2, but the issue is still there. It’s incredibly frustrating. I’ve also reported the issue to Apple through the Feedback Assistant.

Has the most recent update helped anyone? I find that sometimes when I do wired CarPlay it doesn’t get as muffled. But it’s never as good as if I just restart it every time I disconnect from CarPlay.

Same here. My son and I both got 18 pro (Verizon) and sound quality is terrible on CarPlay. When I change to speaker it goes back to high quality. Does this in all CarPlay vehicles I’ve tried (Toyota and Jeep/Chrysler) and it’s only the 18 pro phones.

What carrier do you have? I have this issue with TMobile

I have the same problem. So do others - https://www.reddit.com/r/CarPlay/comments/1wlsgaq/carplay_phone_calls_sounds_much_worse_on_iphone/

What carrier do you have? I am wondering if this is a carrier issue or something hardware related, it doesn't make sense to be hardware related in my opinion if calls not on bluetooth or carplay sound fine. Its genuinely ******* me off

Same!! I have t mobile. But if I connect to car play and then disconnect phone calls are super muffled on the phone speaker and AirPods. But then it sometimes goes away after a various amount of time. It’s so weird. Stupid phone can do so much but can’t make a call.

18 pro. Also connected to car play via Bluetooth/wirelessly

has this gotten better for anyone after the 27.0.1 update? It still sounds horrible for me. I’m on Verizon and my vehicles are Jeep. I’ve done all troubleshooting - restarts, hard restarts, reset network settings, new eSIM, new usb cable, and re-setup CarPlay multiple times. It’s not quite a showstopper for me, but it’s getting close. The call quality is so horrible.

Mine somehow has semi resolved itself but I also have turned off CarPlay a lot and that’s helped. I think the last update helped it a lot.

so annoying. It can take amazing photos but it can’t make calls well!

You can add the Apple Air phone to this issue. When using wired CarPlay with wife’s new Air it’s muffled and sounds like Bluetooth 1.0 or old school phone calls. As soon as I unplug her phone it reverts back to high quality audio. My new iPhone 17 does not have this issue when testing on the same car, 2022 Honda Pilot.

I've officially tried everything, including a full restore and setting up the phone as new. Call quality it still terrible. I've pretty much gotten used to using FaceTime Audio for my calls. Hopefully something they address with an update, but I'm not holding my breath.

Terrible audio on iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max on Carplay (wired). Both phones, either car, audio sucks!

So bad I suggest people to NOT buy the iPhone 18 Pro or iPhone 18 Pro Max. Unless you like living in 1985 audio quality.

Very disappointed once-loyal Apple Cutomer

I’ve also been experiencing that, and issues with sound quality during phone calls but not FaceTime

Try with a car with apple carply ultra do not ask me why

Nothing helped me. Getting ****** off.

Has this improved for anyone?

Yup! It’s extremely annoying. Or I constantly have to restart it all the time