Play music together in the car using SharePlay and CarPlay on iPad
Using SharePlay and CarPlay, you and your passengers can all control the music that’s playing in the car.
Passengers can join SharePlay in two ways: by tapping a notification on their iPad or by scanning a QR code, either on the CarPlay Now Playing screen or on the Now Playing screen of another passenger’s iPad.
Before you begin
The driver must have an iPad with iPadOS 17 or later and be an Apple Music subscriber.
Passengers must have an iPad with iPadOS 17 or later, but don’t need to have an Apple Music subscription.
Everyone must allow their contacts to discover them when playing music in the car—go to Settings
> Apps > Music, then turn on Discoverable by Nearby Contacts if it isn’t on already.
Start SharePlay with CarPlay on your iPad
To use SharePlay in the car, you and your passengers each play a part.
Begin playing music from your iPad using CarPlay.
A notification appears on the Lock Screen of passengers’ iPad devices. After they tap Connect, you receive a notification in CarPlay.
Tap a passenger’s name, then tap
to allow the passenger to choose and stream music from your iPad.
After you approve a passenger, they can join SharePlay in the future without going through the same process unless you end their access.
Use a QR code to join SharePlay
You can also let passengers join SharePlay over Bluetooth® by scanning a QR code.
On the Now Playing screen in CarPlay, tap
.
A QR code appears on the CarPlay screen.
Ask a passenger to open the Camera app on their iPad and point the camera at the QR code.
A button appears below the picture of the QR code on their iPad to request a connection to SharePlay. The passenger taps the button, then taps Connect.
Tap
on the CarPlay screen to allow the passenger to join.
Use a QR code to add other passengers
If you’re a passenger using SharePlay to control music in a car, you can invite other passengers while the driver focuses on the road.
Go to the Music app
on your iPad.
Open the Now Playing screen, then tap
at the bottom of the screen.
A SharePlay window appears, listing all the participants as well as a QR code for joining.
Ask a passenger to open the Camera app on their iPad and point the camera at the QR code, tap the button that appears below the code, then tap Connect.
The driver taps
on the CarPlay screen to allow the passenger to join.
Leave or end SharePlay in the car
If you’re a passenger: Tap
at the bottom of Now Playing, then tap Leave.
If you’re the driver: Tap End on the CarPlay screen.