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Door staff@engadget.com (Filipe Espósito) - 07 Nov 2026
If you've tried the steps above and still can't watch videos in your car with CarPlay, it's most likely because your car doesn't support it. Automakers need to add support for video apps, and many older car dashboards don't support it and probably never will. Apple requires CarPlay screens to be at least 1,920 x 1,080 pixels to play video. CarPlay systems also need to support the HEVC codec and at least 4GB of memory, which older systems may lack.
You'll also need up-to-date software. AirPlay to CarPlay requires iOS 26.4 or later, while native video apps are only available on iOS 27. If you haven't updated, open your iPhone's Settings and go to General, then Software Update to check whether any updates are available. iOS 27 is available for the iPhone 11 and later, so your iPhone most likely supports it.
If your car isn't compatible with CarPlay video, brands like Carlinkit and Ottocast sell Android-based "AI boxes" for your car's dashboard. These let you install Netflix, YouTube or pretty much any other video app without jailbreaking your iPhone. Be aware that these workarounds will also bypass the restrictions that limit video playback to when the vehicle is parked, and that watching video on the road can be distracting.
You'll also need up-to-date software. AirPlay to CarPlay requires iOS 26.4 or later, while native video apps are only available on iOS 27. If you haven't updated, open your iPhone's Settings and go to General, then Software Update to check whether any updates are available. iOS 27 is available for the iPhone 11 and later, so your iPhone most likely supports it.
If your car isn't compatible with CarPlay video, brands like Carlinkit and Ottocast sell Android-based "AI boxes" for your car's dashboard. These let you install Netflix, YouTube or pretty much any other video app without jailbreaking your iPhone. Be aware that these workarounds will also bypass the restrictions that limit video playback to when the vehicle is parked, and that watching video on the road can be distracting.