How to customize CarPlay (everything you can change)
Want to customize CarPlay so it feels like your car, not a rental? iOS 26 lets you change more than ever, from the order of your apps to widgets on the screen. Here is everything you can change, where to find it, and what’s still not possible.
Updated November 8, 2026 · by the Stunny team
Rule number one: set everything up while you’re parked. The car screen is for glancing, not for tinkering.
What you can (and can’t) customize
| What | Where | Possible? |
|---|---|---|
| Which apps show, and their order | iPhone: Settings → General → CarPlay → your car | Yes |
| Wallpaper | Car screen: Settings in CarPlay → Wallpaper | Apple’s wallpapers only |
| Light or dark look | Car screen: Settings in CarPlay → Appearance | Yes |
| Widgets | iPhone: Settings → General → CarPlay → your car → Widgets | Yes, iOS 26+ |
| Startup sound | iPhone: Shortcuts app → Automation | Yes, with a little trick |
| Dashboard suggestions | Car screen: Settings in CarPlay → Suggestions in CarPlay | On or off |
| Album art | Car screen: Settings in CarPlay → Show Album Art | On or off |
| Notifications while driving | Car screen: Settings in CarPlay → Driving Focus | Yes |
| Your own photo as wallpaper | — | Not possible |
1. App order and your home screen
The first thing to customize is your CarPlay home screen: which apps you see, and in what order.
- Parked, open Settings on your iPhone.
- Tap General → CarPlay, then tap your car.
- Tap Customize. Drag apps to change their order, and use the remove or add buttons to hide or show an app.
Our tip: keep your map, your music and your phone on the first page, and push everything else back. Less searching, more driving.
2. Wallpaper and appearance
On the car screen, open Settings in CarPlay, choose Wallpaper and pick one of Apple’s options. You can’t use your own photo.
In Appearance, you choose whether CarPlay stays dark or follows the light outside. Most cars use the dark look by default, which is easier on the eyes at night.
Want the screen to feel personal anyway? Our CarPlay wallpaper guide explains what’s possible and the cute workaround with widgets.
3. Widgets
This is the big one in iOS 26. On your iPhone: Settings → General → CarPlay → your car → Widgets → Add Widgets. Widgets sit in stacks of square tiles, and you can swipe each stack.
The full walkthrough, with Smart Rotate and a troubleshooting list, is here: how to add widgets to CarPlay.
4. A startup sound
CarPlay has no “startup sound” setting, but your iPhone can play one every time CarPlay connects, with a Shortcuts automation. It takes two minutes: see cute CarPlay startup sounds and how to set one.
5. Split screen and the CarPlay Dashboard
The CarPlay Dashboard is the split-screen view: it shows your map, what’s playing and a few suggestions at the same time. How it’s split depends on your car’s screen, and you can’t design your own layout.
What you can change: turn Suggestions in CarPlay on or off in Settings in CarPlay, and choose which apps you use (a navigation app and a music app you like make the Dashboard look much nicer).
6. Notifications and Driving Focus
Nothing kills a vibe like a pile of notifications. In Settings in CarPlay → Driving Focus, turn on the option to activate it with CarPlay. Messages and notifications are then silenced or limited while you drive.
7. Go further with Stunny
Apple’s settings give you the structure. Stunny gives you the personality:
- Your real car in a widget: 812 models, drawn one by one, in 10 paints. Find yours.
- 13 worlds that restyle every widget in one tap, from Pink Baddie to Line & Linen. See them.
- Startup sounds like a sparkle, a kiss or “hey queen”.
- Car care, made cute: where you parked, the meter timer, and gentle reminders for the car wash, service, insurance and registration.
FAQ
Can I put my own photo as my CarPlay wallpaper?
Not as of iOS 26. CarPlay only lets you choose one of Apple’s wallpapers. You can still make the screen feel like yours with widgets, including Stunny widgets with your real car. See the workaround.
Do I need a jailbreak or a tweak to customize CarPlay?
No. Everything in this guide uses Apple’s own settings and normal App Store apps. We don’t recommend jailbreaks or tweaks for something you use while driving.
Does this work in any car?
It works in any car with CarPlay. The layout adapts to the screen, so a small screen shows fewer widgets at once than a wide one.
Can I change the app icons on CarPlay?
Not with Apple’s settings. You can choose which apps appear and in what order, but not how their icons look. Widgets are the way to add your own style.
Make it yours with Stunny
Your real car in your color, dreamy worlds and startup sounds, all set up from your iPhone.