Can CarPlay play video? Some might ask what’s the point of having an infotainment system in your car if you can’t make the most of the entertainment side of things.
There is a growing number of CarPlay compatible apps and it makes you wonder: is there such a thing as YouTube Carplay or Netflix CarPlay? Can I use these video streaming apps?
The answer is yes for both of these video apps. You can play videos and movies on Apple CarPlay but there is a very good reason not to do it while driving.
Before you read further, using this or other video player hack might be illegal in your country or state. Remember the risk of getting distracted by the video while driving and its consequences. Check your local legislation and be safe.
Don’t use it while driving!!!!
If you decide to try it, do it at your own risk.
Table of Contents
- Apple CarPlay Youtube & Netflix: can you play video in your car?
- How to watch YouTube on Apple CarPlay?
- How to watch Netflix on Apple CarPlay
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- Wrap Up
Apple CarPlay Youtube & Netflix: can you play video in your car?
The concept of Apple CarPlay is to reduce distractions while you are driving, mainly by not using your iPhone.
You can access your messages, reply, select music, and check out the weather by using your voice and having notifications read to you, all from the head unit or car screen.
So, setting up your favorite series on Netflix while you are driving to work defeats the purpose.
What bigger distraction is there than watching TV while you are driving? That’s probably why it isn’t a feature of this app.
Yet CarPlay video playback is probably one of the best ways to entertain your family on those long drives and despite how much we love them, kids tend to distract us!
We are going to show you a couple of Apple CarPlay hacks, but please, for legal reasons, and more importantly, for your own safety, be careful when playing videos on your entertainment system while driving.
This will not work on an Android smartphone. If you use Android OS devices, we have something for you at the end of the article.
How to watch YouTube on Apple CarPlay?
The simplest way to use YouTube for CarPlay is to install third-party apps. The WheelPal app has been released by CarPlay Hacks, so you won’t find it on the App Store.
WheelPal will let you install several apps that you can use with CarPlay alone.
Once you have installed WheelPal onto your iPhone or any iOS device and your iPhone or iPad is connected to your video CarPlay system in your vehicle, you will be taken through the setup.
The first step is to select the non-default CarPlay apps that are compatible with the iOS version you are using.
At this point, you select YouTube and other apps you fancy. If you don’t have YouTube on your iPhone, you will be able to install it there too.
The YouTube app will now appear on your car display along with your other CarPlay apps.
YouTube is compatible with Siri, so you can use voice commands, the touchscreen, or your steering wheel commands to control the CarPlay app.
That sounds great and easy, right? Unfortunately, there’s a catch…
Can I watch YouTube on CarPlay without jailbreak?
In order to use WheelPal, you will need to jailbreak your phone. Jailbreaking your iPhone means altering it to remove some of the restrictions that Apple has given it by default.
It allows you to use unauthorized software, hence not finding WheelPal iPhone app on the App Store.
To learn how to jailbreak your iPhone keep on reading or just jump to the FAQ right now.
How to watch Netflix on Apple CarPlay
If you have already set up WheelPal, you will also be able to watch Netflix movies with CarPlay by using Hexxa to get the Netflix repo. However, we will give you an alternative to Hexxa Plus.
CarBridge is available for any iPhone with iOS 10.0 to iOS 13.5 but you will still have to have a jailbroken phone and will need to follow the Hexxa Plus steps first.
It has a small monthly fee of around $5 but it is generally agreed that this is well worth it.
First things first: install CarBridge. After that, you will be able to use the desired app or a ton of other third-party apps.
When you open CarBridge, you can click on Bridged Apps. This has all of the available apps that you will be able to use.
If you choose an app to include, you will be asked to enable it and then decide if you want it landscape or portrait.
You can even choose the number of icons you want to display on your dashboard depending on the size of your Apple CarPlay screen.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Can you use CarPlay YouTube without Jailbreak?
No, there is no way around this. Apple limits the apps that you can use while driving to reduce potential distractions.
The only way to remove the restriction is to jailbreak your iOS device. We won’t blame Apple for this, it’s one of its safety features.
How do I Jailbreak my iPhone?
Before you do anything, make sure you have a strong internet connection and back up all of your data. It is unlikely that anything goes wrong, but it’s better to be on the safe side.
You will then need to go into “Settings”, followed by “General”, and then “Software Updates”. The latest version, which is iOS 13 by now, it’s required.
If you still have any doubts if you should jailbreak your iPhone, read this article first. If you’ve done your research and are still interested in going ahead with it, do it at your own risk.
Now let’s dive into the technical part with a jailbreak tool:
- From your iPhone, download Hexxa Plus, select “Allow” and Download;
- Now choose Settings and Profile Downloaded, select the downloaded link;
- Depending on your device, you might need to confirm your password;
- The Hexxa Plus app will then finish installing;
- Once installed, you will find a list of third-party “jailbroken” apps that you can enable.
Hexxa Plus is a repo extractor, and it will enable you to install CarPlay jailbreak apps, those apps that have restrictions.
With Hexxa Plus and WheelPal, you are lifting the restrictions that Apple has imposed on CarPlay and your iPhone.
There are more repo extracting apps but Hexxa Plus is probably one of the most popular for its ease of use.
What happens if I can’t get CarPlay YouTube or Netflix CarPlay to work?
Even with a jailbroken iPhone, you might not be able to get all of the third-party apps to work. This is because of the size of your car display.
The apps on your smartphone are developed to be seen on a small screen – your mobile interface, and not an infotainment system.
Unfortunately, if an app doesn’t work, there won’t be anything you can do about it.
However, YouTube and Netflix apps generally work very well with WheelPal and CarBridge for CarPlay video playback.
Wrap Up
Can CarPlay play video? Yes!
Traffic jams will be that little bit less boring and car trips with the family are way more entertaining when you can play videos on CarPlay.
You can enable your music app, navigation app, and even audiobooks with both of these solutions and in some cases, the jailbroken app will actually run better than the original.
With all of that in mind, always remember that there is a good reason we don’t watch videos when driving. Remember the safety of you and your passengers first.
If you come across any website that says you can Netflix or YouTube CarPlay without jailbreak, be very careful. It is most likely a scam.
There are some Apple CarPlay video hacks (Apple CarPlay Youtube hack or Netflix hack) but they all involve jailbreaking your iPhone or iOS device, whether that’s with Hexxa Plus or a similar repo extractor.
If you’re looking for a similar solution but have an Android phone, check our Android Auto YouTube hack.
Check out some of our other awesome articles:
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- Is CarPlay worth it?
- Is Apple CarPlay free to use?
- What is CarPlay and how to get it
- Is Tesla S compatible with CarPlay?
- Android Auto and Carplay in Tesla Model S and X
- How to watch to Netflix on your Android Auto
- What is Android Auto