OS 26 has introduced a new feature that will help CarPlay take better advantage of the shape of your vehicle's display, Apple announced at WWDC 2025. When enabled, the new Smart Display Zoom will shrink down elements on the screen to fit an extra row of app icons.

The new iOS 26 CarPlay feature will allow users to use multi-touch gestures in supported vehicles when using mapping apps, like Apple Maps and Google Maps.

OS 26 brings a lot for the Apple CarPlay experience, particularly the ability to watch videos on infotainment devices.

Along with the redesign of iOS 26, CarPlay is following suit with a new look. The new design extends into the car for a consistent, expressive experience while you drive. This includes icons that look great in light or dark mode, and a more compact design for notifications so you can still see the directions clearly on your screen.

If there's one feature everyone wanted to see in CarPlay, it's video playback. Of course, watching videos while driving isn't safe. While parked, though, there's no reason you shouldn't be able to use your vehicle's big screen to watch movies and shows.

OS 26 is crammed full of upgrades for CarPlay users, including a refreshed Liquid Glass design, support for widgets,

Tesla Android Project integrated iOS 26 changes into its setup so that Tesla owners could test the latest Apple CarPlay version with the Liquid Glass redesign

Apple unveiled iOS 26 and, along with it, the new CarPlay features that will change the way you interact with the in-car information system forever. The improved CarPlay will be available for supported iPhone users later this year,