topic Re: Search functionality missing from spotify carplay on IOS26 in iOS (iPhone, iPad)

Search functionality missing from spotify carplay on IOS26

Natenn — Wed, 17 Sep 2025 14:27:57 GMT

Plan

Premium

Country

USA

Device

Iphone 14 Pro Max

Operating System

IOS 26, Carplay IOS26

My Question or Issue
The search function/button/voice search is gone now from spotify in carplay. It still works from the app on my phone and I can search on my phone to find a song for carplay to play but I should not have to pick up my device while driving to search for a song when then the voice search functionality existed previously. Is this fully gone or was it moved to a new spot I cant find?

Re: Search functionality missing from spotify carplay on IOS26

TarynT27 — Wed, 17 Sep 2025 16:12:36 GMT

I thought I was going crazy. Following in the Hope there is a resolution.

Re: Search functionality missing from spotify carplay on IOS26

joshhaftel — Thu, 18 Sep 2025 00:32:33 GMT

I cannot use Spotify in my car—my kids ask me to play random songs non stop (which also don’t show up in recents even when I have searched via Siri).

this was a bone headed feature release

Re: Search functionality missing from spotify carplay on IOS26

joshhaftel — Thu, 18 Sep 2025 00:37:24 GMT

Guess I can use the voice button on my steering wheel (but won’t work on my other car since it keeps forcing the car voice assistant vs Siri).

why you have to move my cheese 😛

Re: Search functionality missing from spotify carplay on IOS26

ShaPeR — Thu, 18 Sep 2025 10:14:41 GMT

Who came with the idea to remove a feature which has been used a lot? Should we now all use our phone in the car to search for a specific artist or song? wth Spotify…

Re: Search functionality missing from spotify carplay on IOS26

L2207 — Thu, 18 Sep 2025 14:07:03 GMT

I have this issue! My son asks for random songs al the time and Spotify was the only way I could get them. He’s only 2 so doesn’t understand me saying I can’t get them now, so I just have to endure the repeated request non stop until we reach our destination 😆

I hope this functionality returns!

Re: Search functionality missing from spotify carplay on IOS26

Joan — Wed, 01 Oct 2025 07:25:38 GMT

Hi there folks,

Thank you all for reporting this to us.

We've forwarded everything you've provided us to the appropriate team and will look into this. We'll update you with any new information if and when we have it.

In the meantime, you can initiate Search via the "Hey, Siri, ..." command as a workaround.

Cheers!

Re: Search functionality missing from spotify carplay on IOS26

TarynT27 — Thu, 18 Sep 2025 15:57:03 GMT

YES. This is why this feature is so needed. Any parent knows that this was an essential attribute of Spotify CarPlay

Re: Search doesn't work on carplay

JP123456789 — Fri, 19 Sep 2025 07:52:16 GMT

The search option is now gone on Spotify Apple CarPlay. What is going on?

Re: Search functionality missing from spotify carplay on IOS26

JP112 — Fri, 19 Sep 2025 08:53:09 GMT

Same issue! Please fix this

Re: Search functionality missing from spotify carplay on IOS26

mamallama — Fri, 19 Sep 2025 15:28:36 GMT

Same issue - this is driving me crazy! I'm still on iOS 18 but 2 days ago, Spotify app updated to version 9.0.80. I think that's when it broke!!

Re: Search functionality missing from spotify carplay on IOS26

annajsch — Sat, 20 Sep 2025 00:32:40 GMT

Please fix. I just spent a 30 minute car ride with my toddler losing it because she asked me to play a specific song I could have ordinarily searched for with the voice function, and I told her I couldn’t anymore. Somewhere in the middle of the backseat meltdown that resulted, I attempted to call Spotify customer service from the car to let someone from your company listen to the havoc you created by removing this function, as a treat. This was so stupid.

Re: The Search function is not working since I installed IOS 26 this morning

s722bcd — Sun, 21 Sep 2025 08:43:07 GMT

Same issue here since the upgrade. 2 phones 2 cars no Search function

Re: Search functionality missing from spotify carplay on IOS26

joshhaftel — Sat, 20 Sep 2025 21:49:15 GMT

Ive finally figured out the settings needed to switch to a Siri voice command from the steering wheel on both cars. Once done, it’s actually better than the old way, still annoying that someone decided I needed this new side quest. But I imagine daily minutes played (or some other NSM) is up, otherwise it wouldn’t have been GA’d 😕

Re: Search functionality missing from spotify carplay on IOS26

Nowv3 — Sat, 20 Sep 2025 23:02:03 GMT

To the product team: I’ve been a loyal Spotify user since 2010 (!). My family has paid in the thousands for premium service during this time.

The disappearance of CarPlay search created such a negative experience for how I habitually use and enjoy Spotify that I have downloaded and activated a 3-month Apple Music trial. I don’t think I am alone in this. Hope this is escalated and resolved soon.

Re: Search functionality missing from spotify carplay on IOS26

KBW3 — Sun, 21 Sep 2025 15:24:47 GMT

I am the same - please return the search feature to CarPlay ASAP - it's a disaster. I thought it was just me - and was hopeful I could fix it - but now to read it is a change from within Spotify is so upsetting as I can't do anything to resolve it. Please sort it. Thanks

CarPlay with iOS 25

Mandyfin1 — Mon, 22 Sep 2025 08:45:25 GMT

PlanPremium

Country

Canada

Device

Operating System

iOS 26

My Question or Issue

I’m not sure where to post this but since iOS 26, there is no search button that I can find in Spotify when I’m connected to CarPlay.

I have all my playlists but no search option. Any advice?

Re: Search functionality missing from spotify carplay on IOS26

Doetz — Mon, 22 Sep 2025 12:29:02 GMT

Following as I have the same issue

Re: Search functionality missing from spotify carplay on IOS26

SkyBreaksAtDawn — Mon, 22 Sep 2025 21:38:03 GMT

Who thought of removing Search? I mean that is the main reason to listen to spotify on the car because you can click one button and play anything you want and still have your eyes on the road?!?!

No one care about your AI telling me what songs I might want to listen to which is what was placed there instead.

I am an extremely loyal Spotify user, but I am going to look into Apple Maps before me, my wife, or multiple kids have an accident and during the accident hear, I'm your DJ playing this random song you once clicked on.

Re: Search functionality missing from spotify carplay on IOS26

joshhaftel — Tue, 23 Sep 2025 20:12:55 GMT

After living with this change and using the car-based Siri button, I’ve found that it takes a lot more tries to get the songs to play, since Siri isn’t approaching the search from a Spotify specific context.

for example, my kids really love the “Who’s the (bat)man?” From the Batman LEGO movie. With the search function within Spotify, I could just say “who’s the Batman”, with the car button, even with Spotify in focus, “who’s the Batman” results in a Wikipedia article. “Play Who’s the Batman on Spotify” results in a podcast about Batman, so I literally have to say “play who’s the Batman by Patrick stump on Spotify”, which is a lot of trial and error as well as extra words.