I've recently discovered the joy of driving a car, but honestly, it's not always joyful, especially in a country like India, where people just ram into each other every minute of the way. Despite the chaos, driving has become genuinely enjoyable thanks to Apple CarPlay on my car's 8-inch HD screen. Every day feels like a new, fun adventure with it. The setup is very easy: plug my iPhone into a Type-A-to-C cable, and CarPlay springs to life instantly. Sure, a wireless CarPlay receiver would've made everything more seamless... but that's a story for another day.
Now, onto the feature I am really excited about. To give you a small hint: I had no idea CarPlay worked, even when the car is parked and locked. And chances are, you didn't either. So just trust me, because this feature genuinely changes the way you use your car every day. Before you try this feature, here's a quick guide if you're new to CarPlay or need a quick refresher.
A CarPlay feature that won't pause
Even when you step out, the tech stays committed
On the way to the mall today, I plugged my iPhone into CarPlay to pull up directions on Google Maps and also enjoy some music while driving. Once I reached the mall, I had to park my car in its basement. I parked the car, disconnected my iPhone, locked it, and went to the mall upstairs. Now, the parking basement in most malls is like a giant maze. And knowing me, remembering where I parked my car is not my strongest skill. Thankfully, Google Maps saved me from wandering around cluelessly. With just a few taps, it showed me exactly where my car was parked:
- Open Google Maps on your iPhone.
- Type Parked Car in the search bar.
- You'll see a blue pin labeled You parked here.
- Tap the blue pin to see the exact spot.
- Tap the start icon to get step-by-step directions back to your car.
- The location will be saved for exactly 48 hours from the time you park your car. After that, it won't be visible.
This is a lifesaver for people like me, who forget their parking spot five seconds after locking the car. And this feature comes in handy whenever you park your car away from your exact location or at a place with ample parking. With that said, I am quite sure this Apple CarPlay feature will significantly change how you use your car every day. But here are a few more features up my sleeve that make the overall driving experience even better.
This feature works on both Apple and Google Maps. However, it's important to connect your iPhone to CarPlay via a wired or wireless connection for CarPlay to reach that location. If you don't use CarPlay to reach your parking spot, it won't be saved on either map.
A clean dashboard view of all your apps
A tidy screen is a happy screen
Apple CarPlay usually keeps just one app front and center. So, if you're following directions in your preferred maps app while also wanting to switch songs, it can feel a bit limiting. Tap the dashboard icon in the bottom-right corner of the infotainment screen, and suddenly, three apps appear on it. And honestly, it's delightfully tidy.
The map, Apple Music widget, and the detailed directions panel all sit side by side in one clean dashboard view. For a neat freak like me, it's weirdly satisfying; for everyone else, it simply makes CarPlay easier to use by putting all your essentials in one place.
On the other hand, if you receive a call, CarPlay won't take over the entire screen and hide your dashboard view. Instead, a capsule appears at the bottom. The same happens with WhatsApp and iMessage notifications. In short, when you're using the dashboard view, nothing jumps in and disrupts your screen while you're driving.
Set up your directions, music, and everything else before you start driving. This habit will keep your ride safer and ensure everything is ready to go before you hit the road.
Widgets that streamline your screen in seconds
Choose which widgets stay and which go
Widgets can completely transform how your CarPlay looks and feels. And the best part is that you can add or remove them directly from the Settings app on your iPhone. Here's how you can customize it:
- Open Settings and head to General.
- Scroll down and tap CarPlay.
- Select your car under the My Car section.
- Tap Widgets under the Customize tab.
- To add a widget, tap the + Add Widget icon.
- To remove one, tap the red minus icon on the left of any widget you want to remove. Then, tap the Delete button when it appears on the right.
Just a few taps will streamline the screen with the widgets you want. If you want to take customization even further, you can also rearrange the apps on your CarPlay screen. After you're done setting up the widgets in the Settings app, go back to the Customize tab and tap Apps.
Here, you can remove any app from the main screen by tapping the red minus icon on the left. This will bring up the Delete button on the right. Tap it, and the app will move down to the More Apps section. Now, if you want to take your CarPlay experience up a notch, these apps will make it far more useful.
These are just a handful of features. If you want a deeper look, here are six tricks that will make your Apple CarPlay experience even better.
Some apps like Phone, Music, Now Playing, and Settings app, among others, can't be removed. They'll always stay in the Included Apps section. Only removable apps show the red minus icon on the left, letting you delete them from the main screen.
Apple CarPlay: Your daily dose of driving ease
Ever since I started driving, Apple CarPlay has become my everyday companion. The more I use it, the more I want to explore. I keep switching wallpapers, tweaking widgets, and refreshing the whole look and feel, and honestly, I love every bit of it. It has genuinely made driving easier for me, and I hope it does the same for you.
With all that said, I'm excited to dive deep into the CarPlay system to try out more features and share everything I discover along the way.
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