CarPlay: Your iPhone in the Car

The 60-Second Version

If you only remember a handful of things about CarPlay, make it these.

• CarPlay puts a big, simple version of your iPhone on your car's dashboard screen.
• Connect by plugging your phone into the car with a cable, or wirelessly if your car allows it.
• Once connected, tap Maps for directions, Phone for calls, and Music for songs — all on the car screen.
• Press and hold the voice button on your steering wheel to ask for anything out loud.
• Always set your destination before you start driving, and keep your eyes on the road.

What CarPlay Is

CarPlay is Apple's feature that shows a simplified version of your iPhone on your car's built-in screen — designed to be safe and easy to use while driving.

CarPlay takes the handful of things you actually want in the car and makes them large, simple, and safe to use. Your phone does the work; the car screen is just an easier window into it. You are not learning a whole new gadget — it is your familiar iPhone, made bigger and simpler.

• Maps and turn-by-turn directions, big and clear on the dashboard.
• Phone calls you can make and answer without touching your phone.
• Text messages read aloud to you, and answered by voice.
• Music, podcasts, and radio through the car's speakers.

Does Your Car Support It?

Most cars made in the last several years support CarPlay, but not all do. Here is how to find out for sure.

Many cars from about 2016 onward have it, but it varies by model and trim. If you cannot tell, the owner manual is the surest answer. A car dealership's service desk can also confirm it for you over the phone in a minute.

• Look for an Apple CarPlay logo or mention in your car's owner manual.
• Look on the dashboard screen's menu for an Apple CarPlay icon or setting.
• Check near the USB port for a phone or CarPlay symbol.
• Search your car's make, model, and year along with the words Apple CarPlay online.

What You'll Need to Connect

Connecting is simple once you have the few pieces in hand. Let's gather them before we start.

Every car with CarPlay supports connecting by cable — that is the reliable way and it charges your phone at the same time. Some newer cars also offer wireless, where the phone connects on its own with no cable. We cover both, starting with the cable.

• Your iPhone, charged and unlocked.
• The charging cable that came with your phone (for a wired connection).
• A USB port in your car — often in the console, dashboard, or center armrest.
• For wireless: a car that specifically supports Wireless CarPlay.

Connecting With a Cable

The cable is the simplest and most dependable way to start. Do this the first time with the car parked and running.

The very first connection may take a moment as the car and phone introduce themselves. After that, CarPlay usually starts up automatically each time you plug in. Look for the CarPlay home screen with its rows of large icons.

• Turn the car on so the dashboard screen is lit up.
• Unlock your iPhone (enter your passcode or use Face ID).
• Plug the cable into your phone, and the other end into the car's USB port.
• Watch the car screen — CarPlay should start up on its own within a few seconds.
• If your phone asks to allow CarPlay, tap Allow or Use CarPlay.

Setting Up Wireless CarPlay

If your car supports it, Wireless CarPlay connects with no cable at all — the phone links up on its own once you have set it up the first time.

Once paired, wireless CarPlay usually starts on its own each time you get in and start the car, with your phone still in your pocket or bag. If it does not, a cable connection always works as a fallback.

• Make sure your iPhone has Bluetooth and Wi-Fi turned on.
• On the car screen, find the setting to add a phone or start CarPlay (often under Settings or Phone).
• On your iPhone, a request may appear — tap to pair and Allow.
• Follow the prompts on both screens to finish pairing.

The CarPlay Home Screen

Once connected, you see the CarPlay home screen — rows of big, simple icons, much like your iPhone's Home Screen but sized for the car.

Tap an icon to open it. To go back to the home screen, tap the home button on the car screen — it often looks like rows of dots or a little house. If your car has a knob or buttons instead of a touchscreen, you turn and press those to move around and select.

• Large icons for Maps, Phone, Messages, Music, and more.
• A time and signal display along the top, like on your phone.
• A button to bring up more screens of icons if you have several apps.
• Tapping any icon opens that app on the car screen.

Getting Directions

Directions on the big dashboard screen are the best part of CarPlay for most folks. No more squinting at a tiny phone.

The car reads each turn aloud in plenty of time, so you can keep your eyes on the road. The screen shows your next turn in large print. When you arrive, the directions end on their own — there is nothing you need to tap.

• Tap Maps on the CarPlay home screen.
• Tap the search box, or press and hold the voice button, and say where you want to go.
• Pick your destination from the list, then tap Go or Start.
• The map fills the screen with clear, spoken turn-by-turn directions.

Making Calls Hands-Free

With CarPlay, you can make a phone call without ever picking up your phone. The easiest way is simply to ask out loud.

Using your voice is by far the best method while driving — you never take your hands off the wheel or your eyes off the road. Just say who you want to call, and the car does the rest.

• Press and hold the voice button on your steering wheel and say, Call, then the person's name.
• Or tap Phone on the car screen, then tap Contacts, Favorites, or Recents.
• Tap a name or number to place the call.
• The call comes through the car speakers, and they hear you through the car's microphone.

Answering and Managing Calls

When someone calls while you are driving, CarPlay shows it right on the dashboard, and answering is simple and safe.

To hang up, tap the red End button on the car screen, or press the phone button on the steering wheel. If you would rather not answer at all, simply let it ring — it will go to voicemail as usual.

• The caller's name or number appears on the car screen.
• Tap the green Answer button to take the call, or the red button to decline.
• Many steering wheels also have a phone button — press it to answer.
• The call plays through the car speakers, so you can keep both hands on the wheel.

Hearing Your Text Messages

Reading a text while driving is dangerous — so CarPlay reads your messages aloud to you instead. You never have to look at the screen.

The whole point is that you keep your eyes on the road while the car does the reading. You do not tap, you do not look — you just listen, and reply by voice if you want to. The next page covers replying.

• When a text arrives, CarPlay can read it to you through the car speakers.
• You can also press and hold the voice button and say, Read my messages.
• The car reads who it is from and what it says.
• It then asks if you would like to reply.

Sending a Text by Voice

You can answer a text message just by speaking. CarPlay turns your spoken words into a text and sends it, all hands-free.

Speak in short, plain sentences and it will get your words right most of the time. You can even say punctuation, like saying period at the end, though you rarely need to. If it mishears, just say you want to try again.

• After the car reads a message, say Yes when it asks if you want to reply.
• Or press and hold the voice button and say, Text, then the person's name.
• Speak your message clearly and naturally.
• The car reads your message back, then sends it when you confirm.

Playing Music

CarPlay makes your music easy to enjoy on the road — through the car speakers, with big buttons and simple voice control.

Your steering wheel buttons usually work too — you can adjust volume and skip tracks without touching the screen. Asking out loud is the safest way of all: simply say what you want to hear.

• Tap the Music icon on the CarPlay home screen.
• Browse your songs, albums, or playlists, and tap one to play.
• Use the large on-screen buttons to play, pause, or skip.
• Or just press and hold the voice button and say, Play, then a song, artist, or playlist.

Podcasts, Radio, and More

Music is just the start. CarPlay handles podcasts, radio, audiobooks, and other listening apps the same easy way.

Every listening app works the same familiar way in CarPlay — tap to open it, tap to play or pause, or ask out loud with the voice button. If an app is on your iPhone but not showing in the car, it may not offer a CarPlay version, which is normal for some apps.

• Podcasts — spoken shows on almost any topic, in the Podcasts app.
• Radio and streaming apps you have installed, shown as icons on the home screen.
• Audiobooks, if you enjoy books read aloud.
• Whatever app you use, it appears on the CarPlay screen once it is on your phone.

Using the Voice Button

The single most useful trick in CarPlay is the voice button on your steering wheel. Press and hold it, and you can ask for almost anything without lifting a finger.

You can say, Take me home, or, Call Dory, or, Play the news, or, Text my son I am on my way. Speak naturally, as you would to a helpful friend. This is the heart of using CarPlay safely — your hands stay on the wheel and your eyes stay on the road.

• Find the button on your steering wheel with a voice or microphone symbol.
• Press and hold it for a second until you hear a tone.
• Say what you want plainly — where to go, who to call, what to play.
• Let go and the car does it.

Rearranging Your Icons

You can put the apps you use most where they are easiest to reach, and tuck away the ones you never touch. This is done on your iPhone, not in the car.

Most folks like Maps, Phone, and Music right up front where they are easy to tap. Put the apps you never use at the end, or remove them so the screen stays simple and uncluttered. You can always add them back later.

• On your iPhone, open Settings, then tap General, then CarPlay.
• Tap your car from the list.
• Tap Customize (or the app arrangement screen).
• Drag apps into the order you like, and remove ones you do not use with the minus button.

When It Won't Connect

If CarPlay does not start up, it is almost always one of a few simple things. Work down this list while parked.

Try restarting your iPhone — turn it off, wait a moment, and turn it back on. You can also turn the car fully off, open and close the door, and start again. These simple resets clear up most stubborn cases.

• Is your iPhone unlocked? A locked phone often will not start CarPlay.
• Is the cable firmly plugged into both the phone and the car? Try a different USB port.
• Is your cable in good shape? A worn cable is the number one cause of trouble.
• For wireless: are Bluetooth and Wi-Fi turned on, and is the car's engine running?

Safety First: Eyes on the Road

CarPlay is designed to make driving safer, but only if you use it the right way. This page is the most important one in the guide.

The whole purpose of CarPlay is so you do not have to look down at a phone. Trust the spoken directions, listen to your messages read aloud, and answer with your voice. A screen is never worth a moment's distraction from the road ahead.

• Set your destination, your call, and your music before you put the car in gear.
• Once moving, use your voice for everything — never type or search while driving.
• Keep your eyes on the road, not the screen. Let the car read and speak to you.
• If something needs your full attention, pull over safely first.

Everyday CarPlay Tips

A few small habits make CarPlay even more pleasant to live with. Here are the ones folks appreciate most.

The first drive or two, CarPlay feels new. By the third, it feels like it was always there. Give yourself a little grace while you learn, and lean on the voice button whenever you are unsure.

• Plug in as soon as you sit down, before you buckle up, so it is ready when you are.
• Set your route while parked in the driveway, then just drive.
• Learn a few voice commands you will use often — Take me home is a favorite.
• On long trips, keep a charging cable connected even with wireless CarPlay.

What's in the 27-page PDF

• What CarPlay is and whether your car has it (pages 3-4)
• Connecting with a cable and going wireless (pages 5-7)
• The home screen and getting directions (pages 8-9)
• Calls, text messages, and music hands-free (pages 10-15)
• Siri, rearranging icons, and fixing problems (pages 16-18)
• Staying safe and everyday tips (pages 19-20)
• A cheat sheet and plain-English word list (pages 21-22)

Why I wrote this

I write these as printable handouts because a guide you can keep in a drawer beats a web page you have to find again. No jargon, no judgment, no rushing. If you'd rather have someone sit beside you and go through it together, that's a flat $99 first visit with the 30-day follow-up included — serving Portage County from Atwater, Ohio. — Bill