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Apple CarPlay can be set up around the apps, information, and controls you actually use in the car. You can rearrange or remove Home screen apps, add widgets on iOS 26, change the wallpaper and appearance, manage Dashboard suggestions, control message announcements, and configure Siri and Driving Focus.
Most app changes are made on the iPhone, while visual and driving-related options are changed from the CarPlay screen in the vehicle. Park before changing settings, and remember that CarPlay stores these preferences separately for each vehicle.
Before you customize CarPlay
Make changes while the car is parked. If you use CarPlay in more than one vehicle, you must configure each car separately:
Settings > General > CarPlay > [your car]
The vehicle name in this menu identifies the CarPlay profile whose app layout and widget settings you are changing. Wireless and wired CarPlay may look slightly different depending on the vehicle’s infotainment system, screen size, and software.
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Rearrange or remove CarPlay apps
CarPlay does not mirror every app installed on your iPhone. It only displays apps that support CarPlay, such as compatible navigation, audio, messaging, calling, parking, EV-charging, food-ordering, and automaker apps.
- Open Settings on your iPhone.
- Tap General > CarPlay.
- Select your vehicle.
- Tap Customize.
Move an app
Touch and hold the Reorder button next to an app, then drag the app up or down the list. Apps near the top appear earlier on the CarPlay Home screen, so place your most-used navigation, music, or phone apps first.
Remove an app
Tap the Delete button next to an app, then tap Remove. Only apps with a Delete button can be removed. Some built-in CarPlay apps cannot be deleted.
Restore an app
Scroll to More Apps and tap the Insert button next to the app you want back.
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Add and arrange CarPlay widgets in iOS 26
iOS 26 adds glanceable widgets to CarPlay. Widgets appear in stacks to the left of the CarPlay Home screen or Dashboard area. The number of stacks and the available layout depend on the vehicle’s CarPlay display.
- On the iPhone, open Settings.
- Go to General > CarPlay > [your car] > Widgets.
- Tap Add Widgets.
- Follow the onscreen instructions.
To change the order, return to Settings > CarPlay > [your car] > Widgets, then drag the Reorder button. To remove a widget, tap its Remove button.
You can also enable automatic widget behavior in the same menu:
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- Smart Rotate: Allows CarPlay to rotate widget content based on context.
- Widget Suggestions: Allows CarPlay to suggest relevant widgets.
On a vehicle without a touchscreen, widget buttons may be inactive. They can display information but cannot necessarily be tapped to open an app.
Change the CarPlay wallpaper
Wallpaper is changed from the vehicle’s CarPlay display, not from the iPhone’s regular Wallpaper menu.
- Open Settings on the CarPlay screen.
- Tap Wallpaper.
- Select one of Apple’s available designs.
- Tap Set.
Standard CarPlay does not provide a setting for using a personal photo from the iPhone as the wallpaper. CarPlay Ultra is different: on supported vehicles, it offers deeper vehicle integration and additional automaker-specific theme and wallpaper options.
Choose light or dark appearance
From the CarPlay display, open Settings > Appearance. Select Always Dark if you want the dark interface at all times. Otherwise, supported vehicles can switch between light and dark appearance automatically.
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iOS 26 also introduces a redesigned CarPlay appearance with light, dark, and clear icon options. The options shown can vary according to the vehicle and its infotainment software, so two cars running the same iPhone may not expose exactly the same appearance controls.
Control Dashboard suggestions and album artwork
Hide Dashboard suggestions
CarPlay can show suggestions such as upcoming calendar events, destinations, and HomeKit actions. To turn them off, use the vehicle’s CarPlay screen:
Settings > Suggestions in CarPlay
Turn the setting on or off according to your preference.
Hide album artwork
If album covers make the music screen feel too busy, open:
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Settings > Show Album Art
Turn the option off. This changes the CarPlay display and does not remove artwork from the music app on your iPhone.
Set up Driving Focus
Driving Focus can silence or limit notifications and incoming messages when the iPhone is connected to CarPlay.
To have CarPlay activate it automatically, use the CarPlay screen and open:
Settings > Driving Focus > Activate With CarPlay
You can also configure the setting on the iPhone:
Settings > Focus > Driving > While Driving > Activate With CarPlay
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If you are a passenger and Driving Focus activates automatically, tap the notification and choose I’m not driving.
Configure Siri for CarPlay
The exact Siri control depends on the car. You can usually activate Siri by:
- Pressing and holding the steering-wheel voice-command button.
- Touching and holding the CarPlay Home or Dashboard button.
- Saying “Hey Siri” in a supported vehicle.
For voice activation, check Settings > Siri & Search > Listen for “Hey Siri” on the iPhone.
Use a long press on the steering-wheel voice button. A short press may launch the automaker’s voice assistant instead of Siri. If Siri does not respond, confirm that Siri is enabled and that the phone is connected to CarPlay.
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Enable or disable announced messages
CarPlay can read compatible incoming messages aloud so you do not need to look at the display. On the iPhone, go to:
Settings > Notifications > Announce Notifications > CarPlay > Announce Messages
You can also use the CarPlay screen:
Settings > Announce Messages > Announce Messages
The CarPlay menu also includes Announce Options, which controls whether announcements are spoken at the beginning of a drive.
Take screenshots of the CarPlay display
CarPlay screenshots are useful when documenting a problem or showing an app layout. First enable them on the iPhone:
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- Tap General > Screen Capture.
- Turn on CarPlay Screenshots.
While connected to CarPlay, take a normal screenshot on the iPhone. The captured image will also include the CarPlay display.
Why an app is missing from CarPlay
An ordinary iPhone app cannot be manually added to CarPlay. The developer must provide CarPlay support, and Apple must allow the app category and features.
| Problem | What to check |
|---|---|
| The app is not listed under Customize | Confirm that the app supports CarPlay. Apps without CarPlay support cannot be added. |
| The app was removed | Open Settings > General > CarPlay > [your car] > Customize, scroll to More Apps, and tap Insert. |
| The app order has not changed | Disconnect and reconnect the iPhone. Changes appear the next time CarPlay connects. |
| A navigation app is absent from Dashboard | Some compatible navigation apps appear in Dashboard only while actively being used. If navigation is inactive, Dashboard may show the last compatible navigation app used. |
Fix CarPlay when customization does not apply
CarPlay does not start
Select the CarPlay logo on the vehicle’s infotainment screen. Some cars do not switch to CarPlay automatically even when the iPhone is connected.
Wireless CarPlay will not connect
Make sure both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi are enabled. On the iPhone, open Settings > Wi-Fi, select the CarPlay network, and confirm that Auto-Join is enabled.
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The car does not detect the iPhone
Check Settings > Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions > Allowed Apps and make sure CarPlay is enabled.
The pairing may be corrupted
On the iPhone, go to Settings > General > CarPlay > [your car] > Forget This Car. Then pair the phone with the vehicle again. This removes the existing CarPlay connection for that vehicle.
Wired CarPlay keeps disconnecting
Try another USB cable and another USB port. Some combinations of USB-C-to-Lightning adapters, cables, and vehicle systems can cause interruptions. A direct cable connection is preferable when adapters are involved.
If the problem continues, update iOS, restart the iPhone and vehicle, verify that Siri is enabled, and check the automaker’s website for infotainment firmware updates.
Standard CarPlay versus CarPlay Ultra
Do not use CarPlay Ultra instructions for a regular CarPlay system. Standard CarPlay primarily occupies the vehicle’s main infotainment display and offers Apple’s normal customization controls.
CarPlay Ultra is a separate, deeper integration that can extend across supported instrument clusters and other vehicle screens. It supports automaker-specific themes and more extensive color and wallpaper personalization. It requires an iPhone 12 or later running iOS 18.5 or later, as well as a supported vehicle.
FAQ
Can I add any iPhone app to Apple CarPlay?
No. Only apps that provide Apple-approved CarPlay support appear in CarPlay. Compatible categories include navigation, audio, messaging, calling, parking, EV charging, food ordering, and some automaker apps.
How do I put an app back on the CarPlay Home screen?
On the iPhone, open Settings > General > CarPlay > [your car] > Customize. Scroll to More Apps and tap the Insert button beside the app. Reconnect the iPhone for the change to appear.
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No. Standard CarPlay provides Apple’s available wallpaper designs but does not offer a personal-photo wallpaper setting. CarPlay Ultra has separate theme and wallpaper features on supported vehicles.
Why did CarPlay activate Driving Focus when I was only a passenger?
CarPlay can be configured to activate Driving Focus automatically whenever the iPhone connects. If you are not driving, tap the Driving Focus notification and select I’m not driving.
The Bottom Line
The most useful CarPlay changes are found in two places: Settings > General > CarPlay > [your car] > Customize on the iPhone for app order and widgets, and the CarPlay display’s Settings menu for wallpaper, appearance, suggestions, album artwork, Driving Focus, and message announcements. Configure each vehicle separately, reconnect after app changes, and do not expect unsupported iPhone apps to appear.
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