How to Use Wireless Apple CarPlay® in Your VW

May 6th, 2023 by

Volkswagen Infotainment Home Screen

Many of the Volkswagen models in the Bud Brown Volkswagen inventory feature wireless Apple CarPlay®. If you are an iPhone user, you are already familiar with the appearance of your favorite application app icons and the behavior of the apps themselves. The purpose of Apple CarPlay® is to essentially let the infotainment screen of your VW double as your phone screen to use driving-appropriate iPhone apps in a safe and easy manner. Having the system operate wirelessly saves you the trouble of having to plug your iPhone in every time you enter the car. Instead, as long as you have your iPhone with you, you can get in your VW, turn on the ignition, and have the Apple CarPlay® interface ready to use without ever having to touch your phone.

 

Volkswagen Infotainment Bluetooth Screen

Pairing your iPhone to Your Volkswagen

Wireless Apple CarPlay® connects to your VW through the Bluetooth system, so the first step in using Apple CarPlay® is to pair your iPhone with your car. Follow these steps to pair your iPhone:

  • Sit in the front with your iPhone. Have the car in park and your ignition on.
  • Have both Bluetooth and Wifi engaged on your phone.
  • Press the “Phone” icon on your car’s touch screen.
  • The screen will inform you to have your phone’s Bluetooth search for “My VW” followed by a four-digit number.
  • When your phone finds “MyVW and the matching numbers, select it.
  • A six-digit password will be sent to the iPhone, which should match a number on your car’s display screen. If so, press “Yes” on the infotainment screen and “Pair” on your iPhone.
  • Your iPhone will next ask if you want to sync contacts and favorites. Doing so will make Apple CarPlay® much easier to use, so select “Allow”.
  • Your car’s infotainment screen will now ask if you want the phone to interact only through Bluetooth or through Apple CarPlay®. Select “Apple CarPlay®”.
  • The Apple CarPlay® home screen will now appear on your infotainment screen.

 

Volkswagen Infotainment Apple CarPlay® Screen

Basic Apple CarPlay® Operation

The home screen will display seven icons for Apple CarPlay®-compatible apps, plus a Volkswagen logo icon. Pressing the Volkswagen icon will switch the screen to Volkswagen’s own infotainment interface home screen. This screen will also include icons for seven infotainment functions plus one for AppleCarPlay, which will bring you back to the Apple CarPlay home screen. 

As mentioned, Seven iPhone App icons plus the Volkswagen icon appear on the screen. Additional iPhone CarPlay®-compatible apps can appear by swiping the screen to the left or right. At the left is a permanent display of the last three apps you have used, with a selection for the home screen below. The iPhone apps will be optimized for use in a car, including large, easy-to-see-at-a-glance controls, on a landscape screen configuration. 

With Apple CarPlay® active, the talk button on your steering wheel will now activate Siri, so you can make voice commands as you normally would on your phone. You can also use this voice system to create text messages, and if you receive a text message, Siri will read it to you and ask if you want to respond. It is all done without touching your phone. 

 

Volkswagen Infotainment Navigation Screen

Whether you use Apple Maps or Google Maps, one advantage of using either is you can search for a destination in advance on your phone, and simply pull up your recent search when in the car. The navigation data will also be updated continually as it is on your phone. 

One thing to keep in mind is that when in Apple CarPlay®, your audio system can only respond to audio apps installed on your phone. For sources outside your phone, such as local radio stations, you will need to leave Apple CarPlay® and access them through the VW audio system. Also, if there are two or more paired iPhones in the car, Apple CarPlay® will default to the last phone used. You can select which phone controls Apple CarPlay® through the “Phone” function on the VW infotainment system.

If you are an iPhone user, Apple CarPlay® can greatly enhance your driving experience, which is exactly what we want for you at Bud Brown Volkswagen. If you have any questions or problems with the procedures above, any of our staff will be happy to help you.

Posted in Features, Technology, Tips