Apple CarPlay has changed ( and better ) a portion since it made its entry in 2014 , and it ’s more widely abide in fomite than ever before . Part of CarPlay ’s appealingness is its simpleness and ease - of - usage , but that does n’t mean that there are n’t some lesser - known john and tips that can avail you make more of the program .

1. Do Not Disturb

You do n’t necessarily want a bombardment of messages come through while you ’re labor , and you could make do this through CarPlay . launch the options app on your dashboard , then take Do Not Disturb While Driving , and work on the Activate With CarPlay choice to have the mode mechanically sound off in when CarPlay is associate . To actually define how it works in terms of notifications , choose Do Not Disturb from configurations on your iPhone .

2. Find More Apps

There ’s no lord leaning of CarPlay - compatible apps anywhere , thoughApple ’s official CarPlay pagementions quite a few of them . By this stage , just about every audio frequency and euphony app out there has CarPlay support , so you should be capable stock your CarPlay dashboard with useful apps . In terms of option to the default Apple apps , tryWhatsAppfor your content or Pocket Casts for podcasts , for example .

3. Take CarPlay Screenshots

This is something of a corner feature film for ability user rather than something you ’re lead to rely on day to day , but just in case : you’re able to actually take screenshots of Apple CarPlay by take a screenshot on your iPhone ( nurse down the power clit and the loudness down button ) , which will take hold of the CarPlay screen too . You ’ll get two freestanding images in the Photos app quick for sharing or editing as required .

4. Customize the Home Screens

To change the look of the CarPlay dashboard , go to your iPhone . From background , tap General and CarPlay , then take your connect gondola and foot Customize . The screen you ’ll then see LET you pick which CarPlay - compatible apps actually show up on the dashboard . You probably wo n’t want to include them all , so use the handles on the right field of the listing to alter the guild of the apps , which alter how they ’re register on the dashboard .

5. Get Help From Your Passenger

This was n’t always the case , but your iPhone can now go independently of CarPlay , which is big . We ’re not suggesting that you take your eyes off the road to begin toy around with your smartphone , but it does intend that if you have a passenger , they can use your iPhone for you . If you require to add some more tracks to a music play list , for good example , then your passenger can use the app on your telephone rather than CarPlay .

6. Make Full Use of Siri

The less fourth dimension you spend tapping at your silver screen while you ’re drive the safe you ’ll be , and Siri can help out here . Some utilitarian voice commands include “ get directions to … , ” “ call … , ” “ play more songs like this one , ” and “ cue me to … when I get home . ” you’re able to also say , “ Siri , read my messages ” to have your late text messages read out loudly , with the option to answer . Incoming messages prompt an alarm , but are n’t read out by nonpayment .

7. Get to Know Your Car

It ’s worth go through the teaching manual that come up with your railway car — or just running a search on the World Wide Web — to see which Apple CarPlay features can be control from your steering wheel . subprogram like mass adjustment , Siri voice command , and the ability to pass over forwards and backward through play list can normally be operate through strong-arm button on your direction roulette wheel or dashboard , which is a safe option than tapping at the CarPlay display .

8. Remember Where You Parked

This is perhaps more of an Apple Maps feature rather than an Apple CarPlay lineament , but remember that the two are often effectively the same . From preferences on iOS , spigot Maps then Show Parked Location — as long as you were connected to your car splashboard with CarPlay just before you incur out of the car , then your parking placement will be differentiate on Apple Maps . It should mean you spend less time hunting for your car on the way back … in theory .

9. Customize the Look of CarPlay

CarPlay come with a couple of useful customization options that you may access by launch the configurations app on your car dashboard . Choose Appearance to set whether Dark Mode is always enabled or only in the evening . you’re able to also select Wallpaper to pick a different backdrop for the CarPlay port . While there is n’t a huge amount of pick here , you’re able to at least exchange up the aesthetics a small if you get bored of the default look .

10. Set Up Siri Shortcuts

TheShortcutsapp work with CarPlay just like it works with your iPhone , so you could configure customized spokesperson commands for Siri that trigger sure actions . One of the most useful ways you could take advantage of this is by set up a Siri vocalization command that launches directions in Google Maps on CarPlay rather than Apple Maps . you may set up a shortcut with Dictate Text and Show Directions , as excuse by our friendsat Lifehacker .

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