The basic steps to pair your phone
Connecting your phone to your car's Bluetooth takes about five minutes the first time, and after that your phone will reconnect automatically when you get in the car. The process is the same whether you have an iPhone or Android phone, though the exact menu names vary slightly.
Start by turning on your car's Bluetooth system. This is usually a button on your dashboard, steering wheel, or infotainment screen — look for a symbol that looks like a Bluetooth logo (a rune made of two triangles). Your car's manual will tell you exactly where if you cannot find it. Once Bluetooth is on, your car will start looking for nearby phones to pair with.
Next, open your phone's settings and turn on Bluetooth there too. On an iPhone, go to Settings > Bluetooth and toggle it on. On Android, go to Settings > Connected Devices > Connection Preferences > Bluetooth and toggle it on. Your phone will now start searching for devices to connect to.
Key Takeaways
- Turn on Bluetooth in your car first, then turn on Bluetooth in your phone's settings — the order matters because your car needs to be discoverable when your phone starts searching.
- When your car appears in your phone's list of available devices, tap it to pair, and your car may ask you to confirm the connection on its screen.
- After the first pairing, your phone and car will reconnect automatically each time you get in the vehicle, so you only do this setup once.
- If your phone does not see your car, restart Bluetooth on both devices and make sure your car's Bluetooth is set to discoverable mode.
- Once paired, you can make and receive calls through your car's speakers and microphone, and stream music from your phone to your car's audio system.
Finding your car in your phone's device list
After you turn on Bluetooth on your phone, it will show you a list of available devices nearby. Your car should appear in this list with its own name — this might be the car's make and model (like "Honda Civic"), a generic name (like "Car Audio"), or a custom name the previous owner set. Look through the list and tap on your car's name.
Your phone may ask you to enter a PIN code to complete the pairing. This code is usually 0000 or 1234, and your car's manual will tell you which one. Some cars do not require a PIN at all. Once you enter the code (or skip this step if there is no code), your phone and car are now paired.
Your car's screen may also ask you to confirm the connection on its end. If it does, press yes or confirm on your car's touchscreen or use the buttons on your steering wheel to select yes. After this confirmation, the pairing is complete.
What to do if your car does not appear in the list
If you turn on Bluetooth on your phone but do not see your car in the available devices list, the most common reason is that your car's Bluetooth is not in discoverable mode. This means your car is on, but it is not actively looking for new phones to pair with. Turn off Bluetooth on your car completely, wait five seconds, and turn it back on. This usually puts it into discoverable mode automatically.
If your car still does not appear, restart Bluetooth on your phone as well. Go back into your phone's Bluetooth settings, toggle Bluetooth off, wait a few seconds, and toggle it back on. Then check the available devices list again. Your car should now show up.
If you have already paired your phone to your car before and it is not showing up now, the pairing may have been forgotten. Check your car's Bluetooth settings (usually found in the infotainment menu under Settings or Bluetooth) and look for a list of paired devices. If your phone is listed there, select it and choose "forget" or "remove." Then start the pairing process over from the beginning.
Reconnecting after the first time
Once your phone and car are paired, you will not need to do this process again. The next time you get in your car and turn it on, your phone's Bluetooth will automatically connect to your car's Bluetooth. This happens in the background — you do not need to do anything. Your phone will show a notification that it has connected, and you will be ready to make calls or play music.
If your phone does not reconnect automatically, make sure Bluetooth is turned on in your phone's settings. Some phones turn off Bluetooth when you restart them or when the battery gets very low. You can also manually reconnect by going into your phone's Bluetooth settings, finding your car in the list of paired devices, and tapping it.
Using calls and music after you are connected
Once your phone is connected to your car via Bluetooth, incoming calls will ring through your car's speakers instead of your phone's speaker. You can answer the call using your car's steering wheel buttons (usually a button with a phone symbol), your car's touchscreen, or by speaking a voice command if your car supports that. Your voice will come through your car's microphone, so the person on the other end will hear you clearly.
To play music from your phone through your car's speakers, open your music app on your phone (like Spotify, Apple Music, or YouTube Music) and press play. The audio will automatically play through your car's speakers instead of your phone's speaker. You can control the volume using your car's volume knob or buttons. Some cars also let you control music playback using steering wheel buttons or voice commands.
If you want to switch back to using your phone's speaker instead of your car's speakers, you can pause the music or end the call, and then manually disconnect Bluetooth on your phone. However, most people leave Bluetooth on all the time since it reconnects automatically.
Troubleshooting common connection problems
If your phone keeps disconnecting from your car, the most common cause is that Bluetooth is turning off on one of the devices. Check that Bluetooth is still on in both your phone's settings and your car's settings. If it keeps disconnecting, try forgetting the pairing on both devices and pairing them again from scratch.
If you can connect to your car but cannot hear anything when you play music or receive a call, check that your car's volume is turned up. Also check that your phone's volume is not muted — look for a mute switch on the side of your phone (iPhones have this) or check your phone's volume settings. Make sure the audio is actually set to play through Bluetooth and not through your phone's speaker.
If you have multiple phones and want to switch which phone is connected to your car, you can forget the old phone's pairing in your car's Bluetooth settings and then pair the new phone. Your car will usually only stay connected to one phone at a time, though it can remember multiple phones and will connect to whichever one is closest and has Bluetooth turned on.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to pay anything to use Bluetooth in my car?
No. Bluetooth is a built-in feature on most cars made in the last ten years, and it does not cost anything to use. Your phone's Bluetooth is also free. You only pay for your phone's data plan or music streaming service if you want to stream music from the internet — but playing music stored on your phone costs nothing.
Can I connect more than one phone to my car at the same time?
Most cars can only play audio from one phone at a time, but they can remember multiple phones. If you have two phones and both have Bluetooth turned on, your car will usually connect to whichever one it paired with most recently. To switch, you can turn off Bluetooth on one phone and turn it on on the other, or forget one phone's pairing and re-pair it when you want to use it.
What if my car is older and does not have Bluetooth?
If your car was made before 2010, it may not have built-in Bluetooth. You can add Bluetooth to an older car by buying an aftermarket Bluetooth receiver that plugs into your car's aux jack or cigarette lighter. These cost between $20 and $100 and work the same way as built-in Bluetooth — your phone pairs with the receiver, and audio plays through your car's speakers.
Will connecting my phone to my car use up my data plan?
Bluetooth itself does not use data. However, if you stream music from Spotify, Apple Music, or another streaming service through Bluetooth, that will use your phone's data plan. Playing music stored on your phone does not use any data. If you have a limited data plan, download your music to your phone before you drive, or use WiFi to download it at home.
Why does my phone keep asking me to pair again every time I get in the car?
This usually means the pairing was not saved properly. Try forgetting the pairing on both your phone and your car, then pair them again from the beginning. Make sure you complete every step, including any PIN code entry or confirmation screens. If it still does not save, your car's Bluetooth system may have a software issue — check your car's manual or contact the dealership for help.