How to Add Intro to Apple CarPlay Using Shortcuts

Adding an intro to Apple CarPlay isn’t complicated and can add a nice little touch of personalization to your morning commute. “Intro” means Siri greeting you with a cheery hello as you get in, a snippet of the main theme from Back to the Future blaring through your speakers, or Siri telling you to take your coffee cup off the roof of the car and not forget your wallet. It’s not exactly technology that will blow your mind, but it can still liven up your trip.

To get the ball rolling, all you need to do is set up a CarPlay automation that runs as soon as your iPhone connects. Of course, this won’t replace your vehicle’s factory start chime, welcome and infotainment animations, or super annoying seat belt chime. This is simply an action triggered by the iPhone and played through the audio system. As it depends on your iPhone, results may vary a bit depending on wired and wireless connections and connection speed with your car.

For best results, keep the custom startup sound short and sweet. A two- to five-second clip is enough to convey what you want without interfering with navigation instructions or other important details. All you’ll need for this setup is an iPhone, the Shortcuts app, and an audio file saved to your Files.

Before you do anything, you need to download the audio file for the sound or clip you want to play. Create a folder in the Files app on your iPhone (not iCloud Drive) with a name that’s easy to locate in the Shortcuts app and save your file in that folder.

• Open the Shortcuts app.

• Tap the “Automation” icon at the bottom center of the screen.

• If you don’t have any previous automations, select “New Automation” or tap the + icon at the top right of the screen.

• Tap CarPlay (usually in the middle of the list, but you can search for it in the search box).

• Tap “Is Connected” if it’s not already highlighted and select “Run immediately,” followed by “Next.”

• Tap “Create new shortcut”.

• Scroll down and tap “Files.”

• There are several options here, but just select the tab labeled “File.”

• Now you will see a faded blue File button next to the file symbol at the top. Press the File button.

• Browse through your folders until you find the one you created and open it.

• Select the sound effect from the folder.

• Tap the blue checkmark at the top right and you’re all set.

Keep in mind that these steps may vary slightly depending on your iPhone model and iOS version. Support for Shortcuts dates back to the iPhone 5s, so older compatible models may display the Shortcuts options in a different order or with slightly different labels.

All that remains is to test it on your car. Connect to CarPlay and play your clip. If it plays too loudly or too softly, adjust your iPhone accordingly. Your iPhone may use the original volume levels from the recording when performing the action.

If you want to edit your CarPlay automation, simply go back to Shortcuts, tap Automation, and select the one you created. You can then tap the selected file and swap it for a different greeting, rearrange actions, or delete an action. If the sound gets old after a while, you don’t have to remove it. Return to the automation you created, select it, and change “Run immediately” to “Do not run.” This way you can rotate new sounds or just give yourself a break from the current sound.

Of course, Shortcuts and CarPlay don’t stop at just sound. You can add useful actions that follow the greeting. The initial greeting may be followed by opening the navigation app, launching a commute playlist, or viewing morning routine reminders. You can also create disconnect automations that pause media or initiate walking routes when you turn off the car and exit. In short, you can customize your CarPlay setup, whether you prefer a simple driving interface or a few automations that make every journey a little more stylish or practical.