Apple introduced iOS 26 at WWDC 2025, and with it comes the most significant CarPlay overhaul in years. This update goes far beyond a simple visual refresh—Apple has thoughtfully redesigned how drivers interact with their vehicle’s infotainment system. From Liquid Glass visuals to smart messaging and deeper dashboard control, here’s a full breakdown of the best CarPlay features in iOS 26.
1. Liquid Glass Design Comes to CarPlay
Apple has extended its striking new Liquid Glass aesthetic to CarPlay, bringing a shimmering, translucent design language to your dashboard. This aligns perfectly with the design updates in iOS 26, iPadOS 26, and macOS 26 Tahoe, ensuring a unified Apple ecosystem.
CarPlay now features:
- Translucent interface elements
- Dynamic light and dark modes
- Liquid Glass app icons
This new design not only looks polished—it enhances readability and reduces visual clutter, making it easier to glance at driving-relevant info.
2. Widgets Make Their Way to CarPlay
After years of requests, Apple has finally added Widgets to CarPlay in iOS 26. These widgets allow drivers to view:
- Real-time weather updates
- Calendar events
- Smart Home controls
- Battery status or charging info
All this happens seamlessly—without requiring users to touch their iPhone. It’s a meaningful step toward minimizing distractions while keeping important data front and center.
3. Live Activities
Another great addition is Live Activities support in CarPlay. Previously exclusive to the iPhone Lock Screen and Dynamic Island, Live Activities now sync to your vehicle’s infotainment display.
Use cases include:
- Food delivery or ride-sharing ETA updates
- Live sports scores
- Timer progress or countdowns
These appear as banners or small tiles—often in the bottom right corner—making them visible without taking over the full screen. This keeps driving safer while keeping you informed.
4. Enhanced Messages App
With iOS 26, Apple has made major enhancements to Messages in CarPlay, creating a smoother and smarter communication experience for drivers. New features include
- Tapback reactions (👍 ❤️ 😂) right from your car’s screen
- Pinned conversations now visible within CarPlay
- Compact notification banners that keep navigation in view
These subtle changes make a big impact, letting you stay connected without shifting focus away from the road.
5. Compact Call UI
Phone call alerts have also received an update in iOS 26. Incoming calls now show up as a compact banner at the top of your CarPlay screen instead of taking over the interface.
This allows you to:
- Keep navigation directions visible
- Quickly decide to accept or decline a call
- Maintain your app session without interruption
It’s a small tweak that greatly improves the driving experience.
6. Deeper Vehicle Controls (CarPlay Ultra)
Available exclusively on CarPlay Ultra, Apple’s next-gen CarPlay interface brings vehicle control integrations right to your dashboard. With iOS 26, drivers can now adjust:
- Climate control
- Radio and audio input
- Seat settings or ventilation
7. Wireless Video Streaming
In addition to Widgets and Live Activity, iOS 26 introduces AirPlay video streaming support for both standard CarPlay and the upcoming CarPlay Ultra. This feature enables users to wirelessly stream videos from their iPhone to their car’s infotainment screen, provided the vehicle is parked, ensuring safety and preventing driver distraction. As soon as the car begins moving, the iPhone automatically stops video playback.
While other new features will be available at launch, AirPlay video streaming for CarPlay won’t roll out immediately, as it requires automakers to integrate support. It’s also unclear whether existing vehicles will receive this update.
8. Smart Display Zoom
iOS 26 introduces a new Smart Display Zoom setting for CarPlay, which automatically resizes the interface to better fit the shape and size of a vehicle’s infotainment screen.
When enabled, it reduces the size of UI elements, making room for an extra row of app icons and providing a better layout—especially on wider or uniquely shaped displays. Drivers can adjust the display scale directly within CarPlay settings, enhancing usability across various screen configurations.
Your Drive, Reimagined
iOS 26’s CarPlay upgrades are more than cosmetic—they focus on reducing distractions, enhancing accessibility, and seamlessly integrating real-time data. Except for Vehicle Controls, all features mentioned here are available on both standard CarPlay and CarPlay Ultra.
If you can’t wait for the public rollout, you can try the iOS 26 developer beta, which includes these new CarPlay features.
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