Technology has reached heights we simply could not imagine when we were kids.
Now we can use our phones to send messages, and emails, play games, listen to music, and more. With Apple CarPlay, we can do it all from our car’s display screen, including these top Apple CarPlay Siri commands.
Here are the top 6 Apple CarPlay Commands:
- Directions
- Phone Calls
- Voice-to-text
- Apple Music, Audiobooks, and Podcasts
- Reminders and Calendar
- 3rd Party Apps
There seems to be no limit to what Apple Carplay can offer.
I will break down each Siri command below to help you have the best experience the next time you go for a drive.
1. Directions
Command: “Siri, give me directions to [insert location name here] using [insert name of navigation app eg: Waze, Google Maps, etc..]”
Remember when you had to use physical paper maps to find directions to a place you had never been, or when MapQuest was the go-to for a quick list of turns and tips?
Those days are in the past since smartphone companies gave consumers the power to find the whole world in the palm of their hands.
With Apple Maps added to CarPlay, you do not need to worry about glancing at your phone at every turn.
Your GPS displays right on your car’s screen, so you never have to glance down at your lap and risk a ticket for using your phone while driving.
By simply asking Siri for directions to a certain destination, you can get from place to place safely—without looking at your phone even once.
There is a range of CarPlay navigation map apps to choose from.
2. Calls
Command: “Siri, call Yasmeen.”
One of the first features Siri gave us was the safety of driving with hands-free technology.
You may call your loved ones to let them know you are on your way, ask if they need anything from the grocery store, or simply strike up a conversation that will keep you occupied on a long drive—this is all standard now that everyone is connected through digital technology.
Apple Carplay makes it easy to quickly and safely make a call while driving. S
imply speak the command, and Siri will get you connected in an instant.
3. Voice-to-Text
Command: “Siri, text Yasmeen”
This command is probably one of the safest inventions in driving since texting has become one of the most common ways to communicate.
Voice-to-text messaging with Siri will type out your message as you are speaking and send it when you make a simple command: “send.”
When you receive a text that cannot wait, you can say, “Siri, read me the new text message.” Then, Siri can read the message and will ask if you’d like to respond.
With CarPlay’s intuitive Voice-to-Text feature, it’s easy to keep your loved ones in the know. No wonder it’s one of Apple Carplay’s top voice commands!
4. Apple Music, Audiobooks, and Podcasts
Command: “Siri, Play The Beatles Greatest Hits.”
The radio seems to play about four songs on repeat all day long.
That, mixed with commercials for services you do not want, can be a significant bummer during your commute.
With Apple CarPlay, you don’t need your phone to flip through playlists or skip songs. Siri carries out your commands using the voice prompting button and function buttons on your steering wheel or through the touch display.
5. Reminders and Calendar
Command: “Siri, remind me to schedule a doctor’s appointment at 3 pm.”
Command: “Siri, open my calendar.”
I have had several moments where I am driving somewhere and need to jot down a reminder—if I don’t write it down at that moment, I will forget entirely.
Other times, I might have a friend who wants to get together for lunch, and I cannot access my calendar at that moment. You can rectify these situations with Apple CarPlay’s ability to access your schedule and your notes or reminders.
This feature is excellent at helping you stay organized while on the go.
6. 3rd Party Apps
Command: “Siri, open Spotify.”
Apple realized that some of its customers do not always use Apple-specific apps, and they wanted to accommodate that as best as possible. Audio apps like Spotify, Audible, and iHeartRadio are popular among many CarPlay users.
Additionally, Apple added the ability to track your commute in real-time with the 3rd Party traffic app, Waze.
You can report an accident or delay and see the traffic in real-time right on your display.
Apple also allows users to open Google Maps with Apple CarPlay, even though Google is a hardcore competitor.
You can easily add these apps to your CarPlay by simply already having them downloaded on your iPhone.
The 3rd Party apps have the same user-friendly functions as they would on your smartphone but are now hands-free for a better and safer driving experience.
Apple CarPlay Siri Reminders and Limitations
There are two ways to access the Siri commands in Apple CarPlay:
- Press and hold the voice button on your steering wheel until Siri becomes activated.
- Press and hold the CarPlay Dashboard or CarPlay Home on your car’s touch screen.
Apple users have found a way around some of the blocks Apple CarPlay places, but the company itself states they have only approved safe apps that do not distract the driver.
Apps like Netflix or YouTube would qualify as distracting; they require attention to the screen and encourage you to take your eyes off the road and endanger others.
iDrop News states this is a deliberate safety feature created by Apple to ensure drivers are as focused on driving as possible.
If you don’t think the app would cause distractions but still isn’t compatible, it’s likely because the developers haven’t made it computable yet.
This is the case for the SoundCloud CarPlay app.
Other Useful CarPlay Voice Commands
See a list of other helpful carplay commands you might want to use in your vehicle.
I’m also going to assume you can figure out what most of the commands do, as they are mostly pretty straightforward.
- “Check my voicemails”
- “What time is it?” – Although you probably have a clock in your car
- “Tell me about today’s weather”
- “Is it raining?”
- “What’s the weather like in [X place]”
- See our article on CarPlay weather apps for more information
- “How is traffic today?”
- “How much is gas right now?”
- “How do you say [word] in [language]?”
- “When is sunset?”
- “Is [business name] open right now?”
- “How many calories are in [food/drink name]?”
- “How many calories are in a big mac?” – 520!
- “Set an appointment with [name] at [time]”
- “Cancel appointment with [name] at [time]”
- “What appointments do I have today (or any other day)?”
- “Remind me to [reminder] at [time, date, or location]”
- “Create a grocery list”
- “What’s my ETA ?” When navigating to a destination
- “Check the status of [airline and flight number]”
- “Is [X movie] playing around me?”
- “Did the [sports team] win?”
- “Tell me the scores for the [sports teams] match.”
- “Tell me a joke” – They are very bad!
- “Is winter coming?”
- “Roll a dice”
- “Flip a coin”
- “What can you do?”
There are lots more some may are may not be compatible with CarPlay.
Feel free to try it out and get to talk to Siri.
If you find any more, please let me know 🙂
