Choosing a wireless CarPlay or Android Auto adapter
This guide helps you understand which criteria to compare before you buy a product. We do not claim to have tested any product, and the guide contains no price or stock information.
Checklist
- Check what your car offers today: a wireless adapter plugs into the USB port of a car that already has wired CarPlay or Android Auto and makes that connection wireless.
- If your car already supports wireless CarPlay, you may not need an adapter: Apple's guide says to press and hold the voice-command button on the steering wheel or put the car in pairing mode, then choose your car under Settings > General > CarPlay.
- Match the adapter to your phone: some models work only with CarPlay (iPhone), some only with Android Auto, and others support both.
- For wireless Android Auto, Google lists a phone with Android 11 or later, an active data plan and 5 GHz Wi-Fi support; in the EU the phone must also meet extra regulatory requirements.
- Look at the USB port and the space around it: check whether your car uses USB-A or USB-C, which cables or connectors are included, and whether a compact body or an angled connector will fit.
- Decide whether you need extras such as an HDMI input for a streaming stick or game console, or whether a simple adapter is enough; follow your local road rules on screen use while driving.
- Before you buy, check how the firmware is updated, the compatibility list for your car model, and the warranty and return terms in your country.
Before you head to the store
Confirm the exact model number, whether it can be delivered to your address, the final total price, shipping costs, the return period and the seller's reliability directly with the store. For cross-border purchases, taxes, customs and warranty terms may differ.