Since September, last year, our readers have continually experienced Bluetooth problems with iOS 8-8.3 and in-car infotainment systems. In fact we have over a 1,200 comments from readers with in-car Bluetooth issues who have tried all kinds of nuke-it fixes to fix Bluetooth connections with iPhones. There are also problems from Apple Watch owners who are experiencing in-car connections problems too. Today, we heard of a new fix that may help.
Recent Bluetooth problems included music skipping and even music skipping when the USB cable is some cars such as Hyundai. Some people who take their cars to the dealer find out all kinds of tiny things that worked. However, we still have reports from Mazda, Toyota, Subaru, BMW, Audi, GM, Chevy, Hyundai, Kia, Ford and most automakers.
There is a new fix we have never hear before what we call “off your Handoff.”
With iOS 8 Apple added a new feature “Handoff” that syncs Apple’s apps including Mail, Contacts, Calendar, Safari, Reminders, Messages, Maps, Pages, Numbers and Keynote with those on a Mac computer, or iPad so that you start where you left off. This is done within 30 feet of the other device.
We learned that an office was having problems with Bluetooth after the “Handoff” feature was launched. Bluetooth can also be used on Mac computers for keyboards and wireless mice. If your iPhone is trying to Handoff to a computer that is not there, it could be causing problems .
Sometimes resetting all the network settings has helped, therefore we think that it couldn’t hurt to see if you get better Bluetooth pairing in your car with the “Handoff” feature off.
How to disable Handoff on iPhone.
- Launch the Settings app from your Home screen
- Tap General.
- Tap Handoff & Suggested Apps
- Toggle Handoff to Off.
An update to iOS 8.4, is expected to coming soon, maybe the last week of June to launch Apple Music. Usually Apple announces an update at its World Wide Developer Conference which begins June 8. Then iOS 9 is coming with reportedly storefront photos of businesses on maps and HomeKit devices.
If you have updated your iPhone to iOS 8.3 or iPhone 6-6+ and it fixed or fried your Bluetooth issues with your in-car infotainment system, please let us know in the comments below, be sure to note your make, model and year of your vehicle as well as the problem or solution you are experiencing. Please also let us know if the “off your Handoff” fix helps.
See all Bluetooth articles on this subject.
I have a 2014 Chevrolet Cruz my Bluetooth quit working after a year. Tried your “Disable handoff fix” on IPhone6. Works again. Thanks for the tip, don’t have to sell the car now….
YAY! We’re glad it worked for you. Keep on Cruze-in!
I have 2013 Hyundai and. That didn’t work!!!! Any suggestions
I recently switched from iPhone 5 to 6s. New phone (iOS9.1) won’t even detect car but will detect other hands free near by. Have tried wiping car system, reinstalled previous back up and reset all setting on phone. Nothing has worked yet. Just turned of hands off, really hope this works as its required on daily basis. Will report back on result. 2008 Honda Accord.
Turning off the Handsoff didn’t help. Any other suggestions appreciated!
Hi, you could try – General>Accessibilty>Car Audio Routing and select “Bluetooth Headset” instead of of the default Automatic.
Looks like there is a bug in the Automatic setting.
Thanks Di, I’ll try that. Although I think the problem is with car and not phone. Connected fine to my other car today plus not other phone I’ve tried seems to pick up the Honda system. Even tried disconnecting the battery to reset car audio but to no avail
Am having same problem! Turned off handsoff! Didn’t work
I have a 2010 Acura RL. I am currently running IOS 9.02. The handsfreelink works OK with my phone. The bluetooth does not. What I mean is that when I try to play podcasts with the IOS Podcast app, or the Downcast app. (Much better app) no sound comes out. The phone claims to be linked and playing through bluetooth, but no sound comes out.
When I use the USB, I can get music to play, but get often “Unsupported” errors on the display when initially loading the phone. If I stop the car and re-start, things go back to working OK.
Very frustrating problem. By the way, the “Handsoff” fix does not work with my issues. I have also totally reset my phone back to factory settings, reloaded all my apps. (that was time consuming). Nothing has worked so far.
I tried everything on my 2013 Honda CRV EX. My IPhone 6 was working fine with bluetooth enabled. I used this a lot for GPS to come through car audio, which was great because it took over from the radio while giving instructions. Last week all of a sudden, the GPS voice was very, very soft even though radio sound was fine. I unpaired my phone, reset my phone, turned bluetooth on and off (a few times), checked the handoff feature setting (it was off). Now, I can’t connect my phone again. It gets through all of the process, even the passcode, then “connection unsuccessful, try again” and again,….. At one point, I couldn’t even get the options to clear system, etc. Now I can get those options, but was really hoping not to have to clear and redo my voice dials. Something tells me that is what I am going to have to do?
My handsfree worked for the first two weeks – then suddenly I couldn’t get my iPhone to switch to the car – always stays on the phone even though I can see my car on the phone. I switched hands off – so excited! Everything is working again! 2016 Mazda Miata! Problem solved!
Switching hand off worked for me – 2014 Subaru Forester XT | iPhone 6.
Thanks!!
I have a 2009 Mercedes-Benz CLS. I just upgraded from an iPHONE 5S to the iPHONE 6Plus and had issues connecting to my hands-free, in-car phone system. I searched through many forums for a fix, including the Network Reset. I was too chicken to try the Reset All. I came across this forum and tried disabling the Hand Off feature and BOOM. IT WORKED! I Must say that I initially disabled everything including My Apps and App Store under Suggested Apps within the Hand Off Setting and that didn’t work. I ENABLED handoff and kept MY APP and APP STORE under SUGGESTED APP DISABLED and that’s what the magic fix was.
Yes, please keep your hands off the handoff feature!
I have a 2015 Kia Forte and I’m able to make calls from my car but no music is able to be played. I updated my iPhone 6 phone just recently today at 1:44 pm and nothing fixed it’s turned off handoff still nothing and called Kia and they can’t do anything to fix it.
Skoda Fabia: de-selected “Handoff” and things – phonecalls – go fine (maybe reset network settings before this) with Belkin Aircast
I am running IOS8.3 on an iPhone 6 and this issue has just cropped up recently. I cannot make any calls with BT because it won’t work thru the speakers but is often silent in the handset. It’s as though my calls aren’t connecting, but they are for the people I am calling. I cannot hear them. We both eventually hang up.
Handoff has been shut down since I got my phone earlier this year, too.
I was able to successfully stream a downloaded podcast to the speakers though… I seem to only have the phone call issue. Which is really annoying. I hope the next update fixes this.
2014 Kia Sorento
The same thing happened with me – Call Transfer failed. Deselecting “Handoff” did not fix problem; but downloading iOS 8.4.1 DID fix problem. It also improved sound of voices coming through Bluetooth. Great Forum – thanks!
PF
Turning off the handoff feature fixed the issues I was having with making hands-free calls through bluetooth. Time will tell if it fixes the intermittent problem of iTunes music intermittently stopping for no apparent reason. I have a 2014 Subaru Forester, with iPhone 6 and IOS8.3.
Great. We think what the function did was eat up the Bluetooth bandwidth.
On my 2014 Mazda 3 Touring, my main issue is the infotainment system not being able to read my music library on my phone. Turning off the handoff feature fixed the issue for about a day. When I got in my car the next morning though, it once again won’t read my music library.
We have a 2014 Toyota Tacoma and my husband’s iphone 6 works like a charm but my iphone 5 will not transfer a call to the cars speaker system. The phone pairs with the car’s bluetooth no problem and my music will play without a problem over the speakers but when I make or answer a call, the call will not transfer over to audio bluetooth. I have to plug in my headset to be able to go “handsfree” which then completely messes up the bluetooth music audio thereafter and I have to shutdown/reconnect everything to get the music back after the phone call. It’s a major pain and very frustrating. Anyone able to fix this specific issue? I’ve tried a few things and nothing is working.
I have a 2015 Audi A4 with MMI and after changing from a 4S to iPhone 6, audio quality of incoming calls was less than excellent, and my voice was unintelligible. Dealer replaced microphone to no avail. They tested with phones using other operating systems and it worked well. They suspected device issue. Read this blog, turned of Handoff, and it now works perfectly? Hope the fix holds until software or firmware is updated on the car or the phone.
YAY! It worked for you. It doesn’t work for everyone….
I have a 2015 Hyundai Elantra and an iPhone 5c with 8.3. My Bluetooth feature doesn’t work at all now. Every time I try to use it, the screen says it’s in ‘Private Mode’. I’ve had my car for 4 months and just noticed the problem very recently.
I have a 2013 Subaru Outback and a IPhone 6 with 8.3 update. My phone will work for telephone calls through the car system but will not work for sending/receiving text messages. Turned handoff feature off with no change.
So far it’s helped one user. Sorry.
I disabled the Handoff feature then restarted my device. It worked like a charm. My car is a 2014 Honda CRV. Thank you for the helpful tip! I hope Apple fix this boring issue ASAP too.
Yay! It seems like the Handoff features should keep its hands off our cars!
I was having issues pairing and using my handsfree in my 2014 Honda CRV, it turns out all that I had to do was to reset my phone settings in my vehicle. This meant totally clearing my favorite numbers and starting over, but now everything works great!
2014 Audi A8. Tried “off your Handoff” fix.” It didn’t work for me; turns out Handoff was already turned off.
Sorry it didn’t work. We’ll keep looking….
My iPhone 5s with IOS 8.3 works OK for telephone hands free through Bluetooth. However,the issue is that despite turning on Personal Hotspot it will not download Internet data to my latest Comand system in Mercedes C Class Estate. Frustrating that two major brands cannot get their act together.