CarPlay can pair with multiple iPhones but supports only one active connection at a time. When the car selects the passenger’s phone instead of the driver’s, users may need to switch devices manually through the infotainment system, with the exact process varying by manufacturer.

Some cars allow a preferred phone to be selected in Bluetooth or device settings, while others support switching connections directly; disabling Bluetooth and Wi-Fi on the unwanted phone may also help. A wired connection is another possible workaround, though it is not consistently reliable. For music, iOS 17’s SharePlay and Spotify’s Jam let passengers control the driver’s session without taking over CarPlay, although navigation and messages still require switching the active connection.