Which iOS 27 CarPlay features actually work in your car?

In iOS 27, available now, CarPlay gets its biggest update in years, but some features depend on the type of car you own rather than the model of your iPhone. Some of the larger additions will have no effect on the vast majority of vehicles on the road today. Here’s how the new features work out.

Works in any vehicle CarPlay

• Custom widgets: In iOS 27, CarPlay is no longer limited to Apple’s handful of widgets. Any compatible widget from your iPhone’s home screen can now be added to the CarPlay dashboard. To do this, go to Settings ➝ General ➝ CarPlay, tap your car, then tap Widgets ➝ Add widgets. You can drag widgets to rearrange them, tap to delete them, and enable smart rotation and widget suggestions.
• Audio cleaning: The Now Playing screen now has a proper progress bar, allowing you to drag to any point in a song or podcast rather than having to press skip multiple times. There’s also a persistent mini-player that keeps on-screen illustrations and controls as you navigate.
• Apple Music Filters: In Apple Music on CarPlay, you can filter your library to sort playlists, albums, artists, and songs by categories such as “Favorites” or “All Playlists.” Apple says third-party music apps can adopt it too.
• New wallpapers: New Wave designs found in iOS 27 and macOS 27 are now available in CarPlay in 14 color options. In previous years, most Apple platforms came with their own distinct wallpaper. This year, they all share a design called “Celosia,” featuring broad, layered curves and soft shadows inspired by layered flower petals or folded paper.
• Map Improvements: Apple has extended natural language search to navigation, and it also works with Apple Maps in CarPlay. You can ask Siri for directions that avoid toll roads, highways, etc.
• Better wireless reliability: Apple says wireless CarPlay connections are more reliable in iOS 27, with improved GPS accuracy and better navigation heading detection. These are phone-side modifications, so no new hardware is required.

Needs the right car

• Video apps: Apple has made a lot of noise about this feature, but it’s the one that the fewest people can use right now. Video navigation in the CarPlay interface requires automakers to certify AirPlay video integration for the vehicle. In other words, an iOS update alone cannot activate it. This makes sense when you think about it: playback only works when the vehicle is parked (it switches to audio if you switch to driving mode) and the car should be able to share its driving status with iOS. At the time of writing, no manufacturer has announced plans to support this feature.
• Share routes on your car’s own screens: Navigation apps can now transmit route data to a vehicle’s built-in infotainment system or digital instrument cluster, including EV charging stops and range. Again, your car has to support it, so your mileage may vary (no pun intended).

Requires a supported iPhone

• Siri AI: The upgraded Siri now handles back and forth conversations in the car, while chats sync with the Siri app on your iPhone so you can resume them later. It does, however, require an iPhone that supports Apple Intelligence, as well as a Siri AI waitlist to access it, which you can join on your iPhone in Settings ➝ Siri.

Video apps in Carplay require dedicated vehicle support

One to watch

Apple has provided developers with a voice control model that any category of CarPlay app can adopt for voice conversations. But nothing will change until individual app creators use it, so expect it to happen gradually.

Conclusion

If you own a car with CarPlay and a recent iPhone running iOS 27, you’ll immediately be able to take advantage of third-party widgets, audio cleaning, new wallpapers, and Maps improvements. For sharing videos and directions, you’ll have to wait for your car manufacturer to add support. iOS 27 was released on September 14 and is available to download now.