MagSafe has been promoted as the new generation Apple charger and is a great way to charge wirelessly.
If you have a stand that allows you to charge with MagSafe while driving, it would be a bonus to be able to connect to CarPlay as well.
However, can MagSafe connect to CarPlay, and can you use it in place of a regular USB cable?
MagSafe and CarPlay will not work on cars that don’t support wireless CarPlay. However, you can connect to CarPlay while your phone is charging on MagSafe if your vehicle supports wireless CarPlay. You can also connect to CarPlay with a USB while your phone is connected to MagSafe, although this is pointless.
This article will look at connecting to CarPlay while your phone is charging on MagSafe.
It will also look at whether you can connect to CarPlay with MagSafe if your vehicle’s CarPlay doesn’t support wireless connectivity.
Can You Connect to CarPlay With MagSafe?
While Apple has promoted MagSafe as a remarkable improvement toward wireless charging, it’s still limited in many aspects.
MagSafe uses magnetic waves, which you can only use for charging.
You can only charge one device with MagSafe, and it only supports the latest iPhones.
Older models such as the iPhone 6 will not work with this.
You can’t connect to CarPlay with MagSafe since MagSafe will only work on iPhone 12 and above, and it doesn’t support regular iPhones. Since MagSafe uses magnetic waves, you won’t be able to transfer data from MagSafe to CarPlay.
For now, the only options to connect with CarPlay are through a USB cable or Bluetooth if your vehicle has the latest versions of CarPlay.
While Apple is developing chargers that can transfer data, it may take several years before this becomes a reality.
Can You Use CarPlay When Your iPhone Is on MagSafe?
MagSafe is just like other Apple chargers, except that it charges the battery through magnetic waves instead of a charging cable.
MagSafe doubles down as a wireless charger, and you can also use it while driving.
You can use CarPlay when your phone is on MagSafe. However, you’ll have to use a MagSafe car stand to keep the charger in place. In addition, if your vehicle requires a USB connection to use CarPlay, you’d be better off not using the MagSafe in your car.
MagSafe charging will not interfere with your phone’s ability to connect to Apple CarPlay, so you can use both your charger and CarPlay at the same time.
However, having a MagSafe charger is most convenient if you plan to use AppleCarPlay wirelessly.
Most newer car models support wireless CarPlay connectivity, but your iPhone must be updated to the latest software to use wireless CarPlay.
If your vehicle supports wireless connectivity with CarPlay, but you still can’t connect to the service, check whether your Iphone’s firmware is up to date.
If you wish to use a MagSafe charger in your vehicle, you’ll have to purchase it separately since Apple doesn’t provide a car stand with MagSafe chargers.
This Belkin MagSafe vent charger is highly recommended:
This is similar to using a wireless charging CarPlay mount but has a magnet built into the iPhone. Previously manufacturers had built-in magnets to cases or sticky pads to allow for this instead.
Can You Connect to CarPlay if Your Car Doesn’t Support Wireless CarPlay?
While the latest car models support wireless CarPlay connectivity, many cars still don’t support wireless CarPlay. However, this doesn’t mean you can’t use CarPlay in these vehicles.
You can connect to CarPlay if your car doesn’t support wireless CarPlay. In such cases, you can connect your iPhone to the vehicle’s stereo system using a USB cable and a media port. In most cars, the media port will have a phone or headset icon.
Since you’ll have to connect to CarPlay with a USB cable in vehicles that don’t support wireless CarPlay, it makes no sense to use both MagSafe and a USB media port connection.
After all, the USB will likely charge your phone, anyway.
So, if you’re driving a car that doesn’t support CarPlay, keep a USB cable to charge your iPhone and connect to CarPlay.
Conclusion
CarPlay will work in most vehicles with a decent stereo system.
Still, you won’t be able to connect your phone wirelessly to CarPlay if your car doesn’t support wireless CarPlay connectivity. You can still use MagSafe to charge your phone, but you’ll have to connect a USB cable for CarPlay to work.
In such cases, it’s much easier to connect your iPhone to your vehicle’s stereo system with a USB cable. This way, you’ll be able to use CarPlay and charge your phone simultaneously.
