Your CarPlay screen should suit the way you drive. If your favourite navigation app is buried on the second page while an audio app you never use takes the best spot, you can usually tidy things up from your iPhone.
The key distinction is that you customise CarPlay on the phone, not by installing apps onto a wireless adapter. A standard wired-to-wireless adapter changes the connection method; it does not turn your dashboard into an unrestricted tablet.
The short answer: change the app layout on your iPhone
While safely parked, open Settings → General → CarPlay on your iPhone. Select the relevant car entry, then tap Customise. Use the add and remove controls where available, and drag the apps to change their order. The updated order should appear when you next use CarPlay.
Only apps that support CarPlay can appear in its app grid. Some built-in icons cannot be removed, and the car’s own interface or Dashboard layout may not follow the same arrangement.
What can you change?
| Change | Supported? | Important detail |
|---|---|---|
| Reorder supported app icons | ✅ Yes | Use Customise for the selected CarPlay vehicle entry. |
| Add an installed, supported app | ✅ Where available | The app needs CarPlay support and must be available to your account. |
| Remove a removable app from the grid | ✅ Yes | This is different from uninstalling it from the iPhone. |
| Remove every built-in icon | ❌ No | Some system icons do not offer a remove control. |
| Add any iPhone app | ❌ No | CarPlay support is required. |
| Choose every Dashboard widget and position | ⚠️ Limited | The Dashboard is not the same as the customisable app grid. |
| Install apps on a basic wireless adapter | ❌ Not its function | Manage supported apps on the iPhone instead. |
Step-by-step: rearrange your CarPlay apps
- Park before starting. Do not reorganise icons while driving.
- Open Settings on the iPhone you use with CarPlay. Go to General, then CarPlay.
- Select the right vehicle entry. If several cars or adapter entries appear, choose the one used for the connection you want to change.
- Tap Customise. Review the list of available apps.
- Drag the reorder control. Move your most-used navigation and audio apps towards the start of the list.
- Add or remove supported apps. Use the controls shown beside eligible apps.
- Reconnect and check the app grid. Look across the pages of icons, not only the Dashboard view.
A simple layout is often the best one: navigation first, your preferred audio app next, then the other supported apps you actually use. There is no need to fill every page just because you can.
Adding a new app: installation comes first
Install the app on your iPhone from the App Store, then check whether its developer supports CarPlay. Open it on the phone while parked to complete any sign-in or initial setup before looking for it in CarPlay.
A wireless adapter cannot make an unsupported app compatible. For navigation, our guides to Google Maps and Waze discuss those app-specific experiences. For music, see our Spotify guide.
Does removing an icon delete the app?
Removing an eligible app from the CarPlay layout does not mean you have uninstalled it from the iPhone. If you want it back on the dashboard, return to Customise and add it again where the option is available.
Can you change app names or design your own icons?
The standard CarPlay Customise screen is for supported apps and their ordering. Do not expect iPhone Home Screen folders, custom shortcut icons or arbitrary app renaming to carry over to CarPlay.
App grid versus CarPlay Dashboard
The app grid is the collection of icons you open to launch apps. Dashboard is the combined view that can show navigation, audio and other context. Rearranging the grid is not the same as freely designing that combined view.
Likewise, the car manufacturer’s own home screen is separate from CarPlay. Changing the phone’s CarPlay app order does not necessarily rearrange the vehicle’s radio, climate or built-in navigation menus.
| Screen | Where to start |
|---|---|
| CarPlay app icons | iPhone Settings → General → CarPlay → your car → Customise |
| CarPlay appearance options | Available settings within CarPlay; options depend on software and display support |
| Vehicle’s own home screen | The vehicle’s infotainment settings and handbook |
| Adapter pairing or connection settings | The exact adapter’s supplied instructions |
Troubleshooting: why is an app missing?
It is installed, but does not appear in Customise
First confirm that the developer offers CarPlay support for that app. An app being available on an iPhone does not establish dashboard compatibility. Check the current App Store listing or developer guidance, including any region or account requirements.
The icon is there, but the app will not work
Open the app on the iPhone while parked and check its sign-in, permissions and any relevant subscription. Update the app and iOS where appropriate, then retry. A visible icon does not guarantee that every feature works without an account or connection.
I changed the order, but the screen looks unchanged
Make sure you edited the entry used by the active connection. Reconnect normally, then check the app grid rather than only Dashboard. If needed, restart the phone and infotainment system following their instructions before making more changes.
Nothing in CarPlay appears at all
That is a connection problem, not merely a missing-app problem. Establish a working CarPlay session first. Our wireless connection troubleshooting guide can help you separate pairing issues from layout changes.
Should I forget the car and pair it again?
Try the simpler checks first. Forgetting a vehicle removes its CarPlay association and means setting it up again. Record the current arrangement and use that step only when appropriate for the connection problem, rather than as the first response to one missing icon.
Does customising apps work differently with wireless CarPlay?
The app-management starting point remains the iPhone’s CarPlay settings. Whether the connection is wired, factory wireless or through a compatible adapter, supported apps come from the phone. An adapter does not expand Apple’s supported-app catalogue.
If you want to remove the cable from an existing compatible wired CarPlay setup, the Homniva Wireless CarPlay Adapter is an option to investigate. It is not required simply to rearrange icons. See our first-time setup guide for connection context.
What to check in each market
🇺🇸 United States
Check the US App Store listing and any service subscription you use. A recommendation from another country may refer to an app or feature unavailable to your account.
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
Use the UK app listing and the developer’s current CarPlay guidance. Place the navigation and audio apps you actually use near the start of the grid, rather than copying a screenshot from a different service or region.
🇨🇦 Canada
Confirm Canadian availability and supported account features. The app’s language and content options may differ from a US demonstration even when its CarPlay icon looks identical.
🇦🇺 Australia
Check the Australian App Store and local service support. Set up and sign in before a journey so that an account prompt does not interrupt your first use.
🇪🇺 Europe
Across Germany, France, Spain, Italy and other European countries, app and service availability can vary. Use the listing for your account region and verify the language and subscription options you need.
Homniva’s adapter product page lists shipping to the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and Europe, with estimated delivery of 7–14 business days. Check the current delivery details before ordering. App availability is separate from shipping coverage and vehicle compatibility.
Frequently asked questions
Can I add every app from my iPhone to CarPlay?
No. Only supported CarPlay apps are eligible. A wireless adapter does not remove that requirement.
Do I need a wireless adapter to rearrange apps?
No. Customising the layout is a CarPlay setting on the iPhone, not a special adapter feature.
Will removing an icon cancel my subscription?
No. Hiding an app from the CarPlay grid is not a subscription-management action. Manage subscriptions through the relevant account or billing service.
Why can I not remove a particular built-in app?
Some system icons do not offer removal. Use the controls available in Customise rather than expecting every item to be removable.
Can two drivers have different app layouts?
Each driver should check the CarPlay settings on their own iPhone for the relevant vehicle entry. Connection priority is a separate issue, covered in our two-phone guide.
Will rearranging apps change my steering-wheel buttons?
Changing icon order is not a way to remap physical vehicle controls. See our steering-wheel-controls guide for what to test.
Can I customise the screen while driving?
Make these changes while safely parked. A tidy layout is meant to reduce distraction, not create another task during a journey.
A reader-exclusive offer
Already have compatible wired CarPlay and want a wireless connection? View the Homniva Wireless CarPlay Adapter and use READER10 at checkout for 10% off the adapter. You can customise your existing CarPlay apps without buying anything; the adapter is for changing the connection, not unlocking extra apps.
