Apple Carplay is a boon for anyone who wants to use their phone apps from the comfort of the driver’s seat. With Apple Carplay, drivers can use apps like Google Maps, Waze, Spotify and WhatsApp on the car’s touchscreen. They can also ask Siri to read text messages aloud for them so they don’t have to take their eyes off the road.
There’s no denying that Apple Carplay offers almost everything you can do with your phone while driving, but did you know there’s more? Here are seven tips for getting the most out of Apple Carplay.
1) YOU CAN TAKE SCREENSHOTS
While this tip may seem unnecessary, some Apple Carplay users may find it useful. Believe it or not, you can actually take a screenshot of the Apple Carplay screen. To do this, hold down the power and volume down buttons on your phone while logged into Carplay. This will save two separate photos to your Iphone’s camera roll so you can share them with your friends.
If you want to learn more about how to hide an app in Carplay, check out our article.
2) CUSTOMIZE THE HOME SCREEN
You can customize the apps you want on your iPhone, but what about Apple Carplay? Fortunately, it’s possible. In order to customize the Carplay home screen, you need access to your iPhone. On your phone, tap the Settings app, then General, then Carplay. After that, select your car and choose custom. This screen will allow you to choose which Carplay apps you want to see on the home screen and hide the apps you don’t want to see.
3) CUSTOMIZE THE APPEARANCE OF CARPLAY
If you like to change the Apple Carplay wallpaper, that’s possible too. Click on the Settings app in the Carplay dashboard, then click on Appearance. In this menu, you’ll be able to enable the dark mode and decide whether to turn it on all the time or only at night. You can even choose from several different skins to further customize your Carplay experience by selecting the Wallpaper menu.
4) APPLE CARPLAY CAN REMEMBER WHERE YOU PARKED
Since Apple Carplay is closely connected to Apple Maps, it can remember where your car is parked. To enable this feature, click on the Settings app on your phone, then Maps. From there, you can turn on the “Show Parking Locations” option, which will allow Carplay to remember where your car is parked, provided your phone is connected to the system before you turn off the car.
5) STEERING WHEEL CONTROLS
You probably use your steering wheel controls every day, but did you know they also control some Carplay functions? With Carplay, you can adjust the volume, use Siri and browse playlists, just like your car’s in-car audio system.
6) THERE IS A “DO NOT DISTURB” FUNCTION ON CARPLAY
If you don’t want calls to go through your phone, you can click on the “Do Not Disturb” feature. But you can even do the same thing on Apple Carplay. Tap the Settings app on the Carplay dashboard and select Do Not Disturb While Driving. Then select “Enable with Apple Carplay” and when you connect your phone to the system, Do Not Disturb will be enabled.
7) YOU CAN USE YOUR PHONE WHILE CONNECTED
Unlike before, you can now use your pretty Iphone independently while connected to Apple Carplay. This means that if you have passengers, they can play games on your phone while you use the app on Carplay alone. It’s a handy feature, but we wouldn’t recommend using your Iphone while driving, leaving it with your passengers.
