How to watch Netflix on CarPlay

Between daily commutes, long road trips, and even just short rides to the grocery store, the time inside your vehicle adds up over the week. There are only so many podcasts to listen to and radio stations tend to play the same songs over again after a while. So, changing up the entertainment options seems like a good idea.

If you have an iPhone and your car supports Apple CarPlay, you have some options in that regard. You can enjoy funky celebrity voices from Wazewhile you’re driving somewhere you’ve never been before. You can listen to audiobooks from Audible or another app. Or, you can even enjoy Netflix while you’re in park.

Technically, you can’t watch the native Netflix app through CarPlay, as Apple doesn’t offer support for it. But there are ways around that, a few of which are rather simple. If you want to watch Netflix in your car, you can do so, and you don’t have to just stream it on your phone. Here’s how to watch Netflix on Apple CarPlay.

• Apple CarPlay

  Apple CarPlay is a platform that makes driving safer for users, as it connects to a car’s infotainment system and allows for easier control of commonly used apps in the car. It uses navigational apps, entertainment apps, and more and provides a place for them to function in the car.

• 

  Netflix

  Netflix is a global streaming service offering on-demand access to movies, TV shows, documentaries, and original content. Founded in 1997 as a DVD rental service, it transitioned to streaming in 2007 and now operates in over 190 countries.

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What you need to know about watching Netflix in your car

Apple looks after your safety

Apple doesn’t let you use Netflix or other streaming services when you plug your phone into a CarPlay-equipped car. Only Apple-approved apps appear on your infotainment system, so you’ll see music and audiobook apps, messaging apps, and car-specific apps like Mazda or Hyundai. Basically, if an app supports hands-free use with Siri, whether through voice commands, a steering wheel button, or touchscreen controls, Apple will typically allow it.

If you want to watch Netflix in your car, the safest way is to have a passenger stream it on their phone, tablet, or computer. But if you’re looking for a workaround for Apple’s lack of playback on CarPlay, there are options. These aren’t recommended if you’re the one driving, but if you want to show your passengers a movie or show on the screen, it is possible.

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How to display Netflix on CarPlay

There are a few ways to go about it

If you’re determined to watch Netflix through your car’s screen, you will need to circumvent the use of the Netflix app.

You won’t be able to stream Netflix just by plugging your phone into the USB port of your car and opening up the app. But, what you can do is launch a screen mirroring app — such as CarBridge or CarPlay Cast — that’s designed to work around the parameters of Apple CarPlay and mirror what’s on your phone screen through CarPlay. I’d recommend downloading these apps ahead of time.

1. Open up your screen mirroring app.
2. Plug your phone into your car and open up CarPlay.
3. Open up the Netflix app on your phone.
4. Select a video, and start to stream.

This can work for most cars. It may not work for every car or with every app, though, depending on the make and model of your car.

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Screen mirroring might not be the best option since the audio can lag through the speakers. Another approach is downloading a video from Netflix using a Netflix downloader app, transferring it to a USB drive, and watching it that way. But setting this up takes multiple steps, and you might have to pay for the downloader app. Plus, not all Netflix videos are available for download, so you may not even get to watch the show you want.

The other option is to jailbreak your phone to get around the restrictions. Jailbreaking is to get to the root of access to your phone, and it is legal. But, it’s a complex process that can void your warranty. I would not recommend this option, but it is a viable one.

Apps like LetsView ,AnyDesk, or ApowerMirror allow video playback in CarPlay. You need to download a jailbreak app from a jailbreak app store, such as Unc0ver, to get into your phone’s access. Once you’ve done that, you can open up the playback apps, then Netflix, and connect your phone to your car and start to stream. This process is much more complicated, but it can sync up teh audio and video with your CarPlay.