Car radio does not recognize USB stick - what to do?
If your car radio does not recognize a USB stick, it is probably not compatible with the radio. We will show you how to check this and what alternatives you have.
USB stick is not recognized by the car radio
If your car radio does not recognize the USB stick or does not display any files, there is usually one of the following problems:
- Older car radios are only compatible with USB 2.0 connections. If the stick works on a USB 3.0 port, this is the problem. You can get cheap USB sticks for around 8 euros.
- Some car radios can only handle USB sticks with limited storage space. If you use a stick that holds 32 gigabytes or more, you should first test a smaller data carrier on your radio.
The car radio does not recognize the format of the USB stick
If your car radio detects the USB stick but does not display the data stored on it, it may be incorrectly formatted:
- Plug your USB stick into a computer and right-click on the data carrier on the workstation.
- In the context menu click on "Properties". You can now see whether the stick is in NTFS or Fat32 format.
- If the stick is formatted in NTFS, you should convert it to Fat32 format. Many car radios handle this format better.
If everything doesn't help: Burn music to CD with iTunes
If you are still unsuccessful after formatting, the USB connection may also be defective. In order not to have to do without good music, iTunes can burn a CD in a very old-fashioned way. Our video instructions show you the individual steps.
In another practical tip, we will help you if your USB stick is never recognized.