Updated : Corrected the claim that radio must stop for safety or energy saving and replaced the AUX and FM-transmitter advice.
If your car radio stops when Android Auto or Apple CarPlay connects, the head unit may have switched to the phone’s audio source, or a phone app may have started playing. That does not mean radio and navigation can never work together. The result depends on the car, head unit, app and audio settings. Make these checks while parked.
First, check what actually stopped
| What happens | Likely thing to check |
|---|---|
| Radio stops and a music app starts | Autoplay and the selected media source |
| Radio lowers briefly during directions | Navigation prompt volume or audio-mixing settings |
| Radio stays silent after a call or message | Whether an app still holds audio focus; reselect the radio source |
| The whole screen restarts or turns off | Cable, USB port, power or head-unit software, rather than ordinary source switching |
1. Reselect FM, AM or DAB on the car
After connecting the phone, use the car’s Radio or Source control and choose the station again. Some cars keep the phone’s map on screen while the radio plays. Others require using the head unit’s home screen to change the source.
CarPlay and Android Auto do not create the car’s FM or DAB tuner. The head unit decides how its radio and projected phone interface work together. Check the manual for your exact model; the same phone can behave differently in two cars.
2. Check whether the phone is starting media
Pause the phone’s music or podcast app, then reconnect. Search your phone’s Android Auto settings for Start music automatically and turn it off if the option is available. Also check autoplay settings in the media app and the car’s connection settings.
CarPlay does not have one universal switch that stops all third-party apps from resuming audio in every vehicle. Do not assume a setting from one car’s forum applies to every head unit.
3. Separate navigation prompts from media playback
Briefly lowering the radio during a direction is often normal. Adjust the navigation volume while a prompt is speaking, or use the separate navigation control in the head unit. Turning the main volume at another time may only change the radio volume.
For example, Hyundai’s phone-projection manual describes navigation sound playing alongside the system’s radio or media. That is a model-specific example, not a promise for every car.
4. If audio gets stuck, check the connection
- Restart the phone and head unit using their supported controls.
- Update the phone, apps and head-unit software where updates are offered.
- For a wired connection, try a supported data cable and the correct USB port.
- If CarPlay itself will not connect, follow Apple’s CarPlay troubleshooting guide.
AUX and FM transmitters do not mix two stations
An AUX cable or FM transmitter provides another way to play phone audio. It does not normally let the stereo play that audio and a different radio station simultaneously. Do not buy one on that assumption.
If you only need to charge the phone, check for a charge-only power socket or USB charging port that does not start phone projection. Our iPhone charging-cost guide covers the small electricity use; stopping the radio is not a necessary energy-saving step.