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How to change the CarPlay wallpaper in iOS 26

Updated 30 September 2026

CarPlay has a set of built-in wallpapers you can switch right from the car. If you want your own picture on the screen, a photo widget does the job.

Change the wallpaper on the car screen

  1. On the CarPlay Home screen, open the Settings app (the gear icon).
  2. Tap Wallpaper.
  3. Pick one of Apple's wallpapers — each has a light and a dark version that follows the car's day/night mode.
  4. The change applies immediately, no need to reconnect.

Can I use my own photo as wallpaper?

Not as the background — iOS 26 only allows Apple's built-in wallpapers, and no app can change that. What you can do is put your own photo on the Dashboard as a widget: it sits next to the map and updates whenever you change it in the app.

Do it in two taps with CarMoodDownload on the App StoreDownload on the App Store

Put a photo on the Dashboard

  1. Install a widget app such as CarMood and pick a photo design — your car, your dog, your partner.
  2. On the iPhone, go to Settings → General → CarPlay → your car → Widgets → Add Widgets and add the app's widget.
  3. In the car, swipe to the Dashboard. The photo shows in its stack; add more designs to swipe between them.

What iOS 26 changed

  • A new Liquid Glass look for the CarPlay interface, including the wallpaper picker.
  • Widgets on the Dashboard — the first time apps can put their own cards there.
  • Show Wallpaper toggle in the car's widget settings: turn it off if you prefer a plain dark Dashboard behind the widgets.

Tips

  • Dark wallpapers make widgets and the map easier to read at night.
  • Some cars override CarPlay's day/night mode with the headlights — if the wallpaper looks wrong, check the car's display settings.

CarPlay guides