CarPlay will soon get a new design (and that has one big disadvantage)

Apple will soon bring a new design to CarPlay, but that has one big disadvantage. This is what the new design looks like!

CarPlay gets new design

There is a major update for CarPlay! With iOS 26, Apple not only brings new functions to the iPhone, CarPlay also gets a series of improvements. One of the most important changes is the new design of CarPlay. With this design we see many Liquid Glass elements, which Introducing Apple in iOS 26. Because of Liquid Glass, many elements of glass and its frameworks seem transparent.

In iOS 26 it is possible for the first time to adjust the symbols of all applications in CarPlay. You can opt for the normal display, but you also get the option to choose the clear design with Liquid Glass. With the latter, all applications become transparent, just like the menu bar on the left. The same applies to widgets, they also become transparent. That looks like this:

One big disadvantage

Apple adjusts CarPlay’s design for the first time in years, but that unfortunately has one big disadvantage. The new clear symbols of all applications are much more difficult to read on the screen. Certainly with a lot of light you have to take a good look at whether you are tapping the right app in CarPlay. Moreover, the applications are more difficult to distinguish because they all have the same gray color. Most users recognize apps by the colored symbols.

Do you want to prevent CarPlay from becoming difficult to read due to the transparent design? In that case you can also opt for the display that looks like the design of iOS 18 and earlier. Apple has also adjusted this design, because the symbols of almost all applications have been redesigned. The advantage of these colored icons is that they are clear and easy to read, which is certainly of great importance while driving. This is how the colored display of CarPlay looks like from iOS 26:

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Customize CarPlay design

Liquid Glass is not the only adjustment in the design of CarPlay. With iOS 26, the operating system receives support for widgets for the first time. You can add this to the CarPlay home screen, so that you see more information at a glance. The widgets also have a transparent display, but you can also opt for the standard design.

The new design comes to CarPlay with iOS 26. You can adjust the symbols of all apps in CarPlay under ‘Settings> Custom Symbols’. Choose there which display you like best, under ‘Helder’ you see the new design with Liquid Glass. For a long time we no longer have to wait for the new design of CarPlay, because iOS 26 will be released soon. View here when the new design comes to CarPlay!