Content

• Steps
• Advice

Most car stereos these days support connecting to the iPhone. So you can always listen to your favorite music or use your hands-free phone while driving. Connecting iPhone to car stereos is quite easy and can be completed in a moment.

Steps

Method 1 of 3: Connect using Bluetooth

1. 

   Check the car stereo's Bluetooth connection. Check your car's manual to see if your car head unit supports Bluetooth connectivity. You can also find the Bluetooth logo (with the bow icon vertically) on the sound bar itself. If you see this icon, the car infotainment system supports Bluetooth.

2. 

   
   
   Turn on the Bluetooth pairing mode on your car stereo. Press the menu button on the stereo to find the Bluetooth pairing option. See also in the manual if you do not know how to turn on Bluetooth in the car.

3. 

   
   
   Turn on Bluetooth on iPhone. This feature is usually disabled by default to save battery power. There are several ways to turn on Bluetooth on iPhone:
   • Open the Settings app, select "Bluetooth" then turn on the Bluetooth switch.
   • Swipe up from the bottom of the screen and tap the Bluetooth button to turn on the feature.

4. 

   
   
   Select your car stereo from the list of Bluetooth devices that appear on your iPhone. As long as the car stereo is in pairing mode, this option will be visible in the list of available Bluetooth devices. It is possible that options will include a sound bar name or something similar to "CAR_MEDIA".

5. 

   Enter the Bluetooth passcode on your iPhone if prompted. If the car stereo requires a passcode to connect, this information will appear on the device's screen during the process, and the iPhone will prompt you to enter the number. Proceed to enter the password to connect.

6. 

   Play music or make a call. Open your iPhone's music app and start listening to music using your car entertainment system. If you make or receive a call, the in-car speaker will function similarly to the iPhone speaker and you will hear the other end of the line without holding the phone. advertisement

Method 2 of 3: Connect with an audio auxiliary cable

1. 

   Check if your stereo has an auxiliary port. Look at the surface of the front end and find the 3.5mm audio port (similar to the headphone port on the iPhone). Car stereos are often integrated with auxiliary ports that support MP3 players, smartphones and other music devices.
   • See the accompanying manual if you cannot find or are unsure of the auxiliary port on the front unit.

2. 

   Prepare an audio auxiliary cable. This type of cord with audio jacks at both ends allows you to connect all your music devices to any electronic device that has an auxiliary port. You can buy this cable at electronics stores with prices ranging from 50,000 - 150,000 VND.

3. 

   Connect the headphone jack on the iPhone and the auxiliary port of the stereo with a cable. Plug one end of the auxiliary audio cable into the headphone port on your iPhone. On the other end, you plug into the audio auxiliary port of your car entertainment system.

4. 

   Auxiliary mode setting on the stereo system. Press the menu button on the stereo and set to the AUX mode. That way the car stereo can receive information from the iPhone.
   • See your car's manual if you don't know how to set up your stereo specifically to the auxiliary mode.

5. 

   Listen to music or make a call. Open your iPhone's music app and start listening to music using your car entertainment system. If you make or receive a call, the in-car speaker will function similarly to the iPhone speaker, and you will hear the other end of the line without holding the phone. advertisement

Method 3 of 3: Connect using a Lightning USB cable

1. 

   Check if the car stereo supports iPhone connectivity. Observe the front of the head unit for the USB port (similar to that on a computer). Some modern cars have a built-in USB port that allows music to be played from a flash drive.
   • See also in the car stereo manual to see if the system supports iPhone connectivity. This connection allows you to plug your iPhone directly into your car stereo using the lighting / data cable that comes with the phone. Not all cars have USB ports that support iPhone connectivity, so you need to look in the manual of the front end to be sure.
   • Your new car can have a CarPlay-enabled infotainment center, which is a more advanced way for you to connect your iPhone to your car using a Lightning USB cable.

2. 

   Connect iPhone to car stereos. Plug one end of the lightning / data cable into the port on the bottom side of the iPhone. The other end is plugged into a USB port on the stereo.

3. 

   Set your car stereo to iPhone / USB mode. Press the menu button on the sound bar and set the USB or iPhone mode. This way, the car stereos will be able to receive information from the iPhone. Most car stereos automatically switch to iPhone or USB mode as soon as the iPhone is connected.
   • If the car's infotainment center supports CarPlay, you can tap or select the CarPlay feature displayed in the menu after connecting the iPhone.
   • See also in the car's manual if you don't know how to set up your car stereos specifically to USB or iPhone mode.

4. 

   Listen to music or make a call. Open your iPhone's music app and start listening to music using your car entertainment system. If you make or receive a call, the in-car speaker will function similarly to the iPhone speaker and you will hear the other end of the line without holding the phone.
   • CarPlay infotainment center supports a lot of other conveniences besides listening to music and chatting on the phone. You can check online for more details.
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Advice

• If the front end does not support any of the three connection methods listed above, you may need to consider upgrading your stereo.
• Check the car head's manufacturer's website and download the owner's manual for your stereo if you no longer have the accompanying manual.