[Update 1 Oct 2024 – Updated latest CarPlay info and products]
Wireless Apple CarPlay has been available since iOS 9, however, it took a few years for it to appear in factory-fitted CarPlay stereos or the latest aftermarket CarPlay systems. In 2024, Wireless Apple CarPlay will soon become a standard feature in newly released car systems. Some come with wired and wireless CarPlay, whilst some car brands such as BMW and MINI only offer wireless CarPlay in their car systems. If you have an older wired CarPlay system, you might be wondering what you can do to get Wireless Apple CarPlay in your vehicle today. We will go through a few options with you in this article and let you know how to enable it on your iPhone once you have a wireless-compatible vehicle or aftermarket stereo installed.
Option 1: Wireless Apple CarPlay vehicle
The list of wireless CarPlay-compatible vehicles is growing with each new model released today, and we will certainly see this become more of a standard feature in future models. Check with the manufacturer and system spec to confirm if the vehicle comes with wired and/or wireless Apple CarPlay.
High-end vehicle brands, such as BMW, Mercedes, Porsche, and Audi, to name a few, now come with wireless CarPlay as standard. Some only offer wireless connectivity, whereas some may offer it as a pack or update to their existing system. Check with the brand deals for more accurate information on whether the vehicle comes with wireless CarPlay.
Many other medium to low-range brands are also adopting wireless CarPlay as a standard feature, you’ll see it featured in several vehicles I tested in 2024, including the Mini SE, Peugeot e208, Volkswagen ID.3, Cupra Born, and Renault Megane Etech. All performed very well.
Option 2: Wireless Apple CarPlay receiver
The selection of compatible wireless Apple CarPlay aftermarket receivers is now vast. Below is a list of compatible aftermarket receivers that you can buy today that feature wireless Apple CarPlay:
There are plenty of wireless CarPlay aftermarket receivers selling today. Check the compatibility with your existing vehicle and factor wiring, trims and any other accessories you will need before attempting an installation. I installed an Alpine CarPlay receiver, an Android OS Wireless CarPlay receiver, and also an OEM stock CarPlay car system in my vehicle.
Option 3: Upgrade my stock stereo or aftermarket receiver to wireless CarPlay
If your vehicle isn’t already wireless CarPlay enabled, it is highly unlikely that it will be with a future firmware update from its maker. Why upgrade a year-old system, when you can release a whole new one with a major new (and enticing) feature -this is what automakers and aftermarkets will be saying. It makes good business sense, but at what cost of loyal users?
The likely reason though, is that the system in your vehicle does not contain the necessary parts for wireless CarPlay to function. It has been confirmed that wireless CarPlay requires both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi technology. Once your vehicle has been switched on, the vehicle’s Bluetooth connects to your iPhone and makes a digital ‘handshake’ with it to automatically connect to your iPhone over Wi-Fi, for a more stable connection in the vehicle.
If your vehicle has Bluetooth you are halfway there, but without Wi-Fi technology also inside, it is extremely unlikely you’ll be able to upgrade to wireless CarPlay using the same system. An upgraded OEM system with wireless CarPlay compatibility, or a wireless CarPlay compatible aftermarket solution is your only option here.
Option 4: Use a wireless CarPlay dongle
If you have a wired Apple CarPlay system already in your vehicle you can turn this wired car system into a wireless Apple CarPlay car system with a simple USB adapter. This simply connects to your CarPlay USB port and tells the car’s system that an iPhone is connected via a cable. Your iPhone then connects to this adapter’s Bluetooth and then connects wirelessly to the adapter over Wi-Fi for Wireless Apple CarPlay. It’s an easy an cheap solution if you have wired CarPlay existing in your car.
There are hundreds of Wireless CarPlay adapters now available in 2024, all with varying speeds and performances. You can read all my reviews of each wireless CarPlay USB adapter on this very site and also on my YouTube channel.
There are a few key brands out there worth considering:
- CarlinKit
- Ottocast
- MMB (also known as its parent company JoyeAuto)
- Exploter
- MSXTTLY / TNVTEC
- Curako
- Carabc
- ATOTO
- Kyebriq
The brands listed above in bold are the bigger brands. They have a larger volume of adapters and types and have been selling for a long time, are well established, with (some varying) customer support, and are worth considering. However, the brands beneath are up-and-coming and can also offer richer features and improved performance over the longer-lasting brands. Check out my reviews for each of these wireless Apple CarPlay adapters on my reviews page to learn which are good, and which you should avoid.
2-in-1 Adapters
It is also worth pointing out that there are a growing number of 2-in-1 CarPlay adapters out there now that offer both wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support. These are just like wireless CarPlay-only adapters, but they have a software switch inside that when booting up, will select the correct detected device platform between each Apple CarPlay or Android Auto platform. I have reviewed many of these and some perform better than CarPlay-only adapters. So check out my reviews for each 2in1 Adapter to see which are the best and which adapters to avoid.
Android OS Adapters
Do not get the above dongles mixed up with the Android OS only dongles that work with just stereos/receivers that run the Android operating system. These cost around $60 and will not work with factory-wired CarPlay systems. So be warned and select the right dongle, or better still, use our links above to be directed to the correct dongles for wired CarPlay systems.
Option 5: Use a wireless CarPlay Dashboard Console
If you don’t have CarPlay already in your car, you can buy an all-in-one car stereo solution that features both wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
There are many brands available and selling today that offer this type of solution. All of these displays offer wireless CarPlay and Android Auto as standard. Some will offer casting from your iPhone and Android over Wi-Fi and some come with built-in dash cameras on the back of them, as well as connecting to a wired rear-view camera for simultaneous recording.
Recommended brands that create wireless CarPlay car displays are:
- CarpodGo
- Carpuride
- Coral Vision
- ATOTO
- Eonon
- LAMTTO
Many brands copy the same hardware and rebadge them under their own brand name. Their experience and performance will be just the same, so check their features and pricing before buying. The one highlighted in bold is my favourite CarPlay display brand, which has built its display from the ground up using technology and materials that far surpasses other brands. It will cost more but you are getting a more superior car display.
But my car DOES have Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, but I still have no wireless CarPlay?!
Vehicles with both of these technologies, likely for data transmission for Maps and in-car entertainment, are slowly becoming more frequent with car models with expensive upgrade options. But with these technologies already existing inside your dashboard, there is still no guarantee of wireless CarPlay. I’ve yet to see such a vehicle be upgraded to wireless CarPlay yet, but it may happen.
If your vehicle can already do Apple CarPlay, and it also has both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi technology, there is a chance of it being upgraded, but the decision will be purely down to the automaker and whether the technology has the specification it needs to upgrade the system to wireless CarPlay. If it has Apple CarPlay it’s halfway there, and you in time you may read an announcement of existing systems being upgraded to support the wireless protocol. But that is a long shot.
My car has Qi wireless charging, so can I use this for wireless CarPlay?
I get a number of questions about this ‘myth’, and the short answer is, no you can not.
The Qi wireless charging plate in your vehicle only handles wireless power, not wireless data. The reason for the required Bluetooth and Wi-Fi protocols is to transmit data to your vehicle’s entertainment system, to display CarPlay visual content to the screen and audio through to your speakers.
A wireless charging mat or charging mount is just going to send power wirelessly to your iPhone, nothing more. Because it isn’t ‘connected’ to your vehicle’s in-car system it just can’t ‘communicate’ with it.
Are you holding out for wireless CarPlay?
There are a number of you still holding out for wireless CarPlay, and I don’t blame you. However, the convenience of connecting to your CarPlay system, wirelessly, is only as good as your iPhone’s battery life. Continuous navigating or streaming over Wi-Fi will certainly drain your battery even faster.
With wireless systems still a rarity; if the draw of owning a CarPlay system is strong, you may be waiting for at least over a year for a $1000+ system (excluding install costs) to arrive. Even Alpine’s iLX-107 has yet to arrive here in the UK since its launch in the USA a number of months ago.
A wired connection isn’t all that bad, it keeps your iPhone charged, ready for next adventure outside the car, rather than leaving the car with a drastically low battery level. You can take the plunge now and dip your toe into CarPlay for as little as $300-$400, with the feature-packed entry-level SPH-DA120 from Pioneer or the Alpine iLX-007/700.
Wireless CarPlay is slowly becoming a standard feature
Wireless CarPlay is highly desirable, for not just new buyers of Apple’s in-car platform, but from a number of existing owners too. Its convenience is very high for short commutes, but less so for longer journeys.
As time goes on, over the next year I am sure we will have a number of options to chose from, both from automakers new vehicles and new aftermarkets too. We may not see upgradable options, as makers push new systems under our noses with the bullet-point feature of wireless support, and early adopters will pay through the nose for high-end options and aftermarket systems before it gets to a more consumer-friendly standard feature.
I have Wireless CarPlay, how do I enable it?
If you’re one of the lucky ones and you have a wireless CarPlay enabled vehicle or aftermarket stereo, then the process of connecting to your CarPlay unit, wirelessly, is very simple.
Follow our simple guide on How to: Enable Wireless Apple CarPlay and combined with your vehicles or aftermarket stereo manual, you’ll be streaming Apple CarPlay wirelessly in no time!
