CarPlay

When Apple moved the iPhone to USB-C with the iPhone 15, it left behind more than just the Lightning port. While each new iPhone comes with a USB-C charging cable, many cars and vehicles still use USB-A ports to enable wired CarPlay. That’s created an annoying gap for drivers: no first-party cable to connect a USB-C iPhone to a USB-A car. Apple’s first official workaround is a $29 USB-C to Lightning adapter. Since then, Beats has stepped in with the cable Apple never made. And since Beats is an Apple brand, this USB-A to USB-C cable is effectively the official solution for using CarPlay with USB-C iPhones.

Apple is making a major U-turn with CarPlay after a decade of not allowing video playback. Starting with iOS 26, Apple will allow apps to display video through the CarPlay screen while parked. Support, however, is a big question mark for now.

Over the last several years, CarPlay’s new features have been rare and few. But between CarPlay Ultra’s launch and everything new coming in iOS 26 for standard CarPlay, things have quickly changed. Here’s what’s coming next month in iOS 26, CarPlay’s biggest update in years.

British sports car maker Lotus is upgrading the CarPlay experience for iPhone users this week with a free software update.

After years of minimal changes, CarPlay is getting a huge update this fall. Among the variety of big and small new features in iOS 26, CarPlay has a much improved solution for how incoming phone calls are handled.

For the vast majority of people, CarPlay is a must-have. Apple’s in-car experience provides a vastly superior infotainment experience than most options from carmakers. There’s quick access to your favorite apps, integration with Siri, seamless connectivity, and more.

Here are some of my favorite tips and tricks for making sure you’re getting the most out of your CarPlay experience…

iOS 26 brings major changes to CarPlay, including a new Liquid Glass design and support for widgets.

There’s also a small change that addresses a years-long feature request for many CarPlay users: the ability to disable CarPlay screenshots.

Do wireless CarPlay adapters actually work? Several years ago, I bought a Honda Civic that came with wired Apple CarPlay. I really wanted wireless CarPlay in the Civic, but replacing its entertainment system at the time seemed like overkill. Fortunately, there’s a solution for turning standard CarPlay into wireless CarPlay, and it works with iOS 26 and iPhone 16.

For the longest time, one of AirPods’ best features has been absent when in the car. But in iOS 26, Apple is making AirPods and CarPlay work better together than ever. Here’s how.

Apple has changed up the wallpaper collection on CarPlay in iOS 26 beta 4. Several new options have been added. The update also removes many of the existing wallpaper options that were still hanging around from older iOS versions.

iOS 26 is a huge update for CarPlay users, with more new features than we’ve seen in years. One addition that’s especially noteworthy is the introduction of widgets to CarPlay for the first time.

Earlier this year, Apple officially announced CarPlay Ultra, the next-generation version of CarPlay that it first teased way back at WWDC 2022.

CarPlay Ultra began rolling out in May to Aston Martin owners in the United States and Canada. What about other automakers? Here’s what we know.

We’re less than 60 days out from the start of the 2025 NFL regular season, and football fans have something new to get ready for kickoff. Many NFL team iPhone apps are coming to Apple CarPlay, starting with three team apps that are already live.

Audi and Mercedes–Benz are among the car makers to reject CarPlay Ultra, despite Apple listing them as future partners, and they are not alone.

Aston–Martin was the first to adopt it, and Porsche has said that it will be doing so – but others previously named by Apple have either changed their minds, or are keeping suspiciously quiet …

It’s turning out to be a huge year for CarPlay, surprising many of us after years of middling updates. Among the host of new CarPlay features coming in iOS 26, there’s a key fix for what’s long been the most annoying Messages issue for me: the lack of tapbacks support.

CarPlay’s evolution has in several ways been a disappointment since the “next generation” of CarPlay was first previewed in 2022. But all of a sudden, in the span of a mere month, CarPlay’s future looks brighter than it has in years—in part because of a redefinition of what that future will be.

iOS 26 is crammed full of upgrades for CarPlay users, including a refreshed Liquid Glass design, support for widgets, and more. There’s even support for a new “AirPlay video in the car” feature that developers and automakers can adopt if they so choose.

Turns out you don’t need an Aston Martin to have a new CarPlay experience in 2025. That’s because iOS 26 brings a fresh coat of paint and some new features to CarPlay for everyone.

iOS 26 will pack a lot of changes and new features. But the new software won’t just improve the experience of using your iPhone. There are new features coming to CarPlay too, powered by the latest iOS 26 update. Here are three new CarPlay features on the way soon.