Music is very much essential especially when you driving and there’s a lot of traffic on the road. Whether you are using an Android or iOS phone, there are a few ways you can play music from your mobile device to your car. In this article, we will show you just how easy it is to do it. Moreover, tips on how to play music on old and new generation cars are also included.
Without further ado, let’s now look at the 8 options at your disposal.
How To Play Music From Phone To Car: 8 Simple Methods
1. The General Option: FM Radio Transmitter
Almost all contemporary cars come with an FM radio and a cigarette lighter or power socket. You make use of a combination of these features to play your music with the use of an FM transmitter. This is a fantastic way to play your music from phone to car because they are comparatively cheap and not difficult to configure.
Moreover, a very simple way to play music from your Android or iPhone to the stereo of your car is by utilizing an FM Bluetooth Adapter. You can use this tip on all types of cars including old models that don’t have an Aux-In port.
However, in this method, playing music in your car will depend mostly on the type of phone you have. Nonetheless, the standard is to plug these transmitters into your power socket or link your phone via Bluetooth functionality for more up-to-date cars.
Despite this method not yielding an excellent audio quality, many people are contented with the output. The quality of audio you get is determined by the quality of the adapter you will use.
2. Single Routing App
If you’re looking for a way to play music in your car that has hands-free Bluetooth call functionality yet lacks the option to play music through Bluetooth, then this is your best option.
You can navigate around this by utilizing an app that makes it seem you are just making a call. It is a cost-effective method that doesn’t need any FM Bluetooth Adapter.
3. Bluetooth Audio
Bluetooth audio is a convenient way as well. It works fine even without a supplementary phone jack. Recent car models all come with built-in Bluetooth functionality. If you have one, all you need to do is link your device to your vehicle’s Bluetooth just as you’d do with other devices. When you are done, you can play music from any app or music platform of your choice.
Some cars will even allow you to change the songs via the steering wheel. It equally allows you to make hands-free calls. One downside though is that the audio quality is not as good as when you use an auxiliary cable.
4. Auxiliary Cord And Ports
If you are looking for a more reliable means to play music from phone to car, then this is a great option for you. This method is best for cars that have an auxiliary port but lacks Bluetooth functionality.
To play music using this method, link up the adapter first to your phone via Bluetooth. You won’t need to connect a wire to the 3.5-millimeter headphone jack on your phone.
Many contemporary builds of cars come with a 3.5mm auxiliary jack. This can either be structured into the stereo unit or beneath it. Doing this helps you to connect the cable from your phone’s headphone port straight into your stereo. Once connected, you can start playing any music you like from your phone.
Auxiliary audio produces a better sound quality as compared to cassette and FM transmitters. However, it only works with phones that have a 3.5-millimeter jack. If your phone and car come with a stereo jack, then it will be much easier for you to play music from phone to car. It equally works for recent models of phones that lack a headphone jack.
5. iPod 30 Pin Adapter
This method is best if you have a car that comes with an iPod 30 pin adapter. Some interfaces connect with the cable of a 30 pin adapter and will help you to link your iPad and iPhone through Bluetooth. Notably, the iPod adapter produces a better audio quality as compared to the FM transmitter.
6. Cassette Adapter
The cassette adapter is a clever way to play music from the phone to an old model of car. If your car comes with a cassette slot, the Bluetooth Cassette Adapter will serve as a wireless connection.
While learning how to play music from phone to car, rather than plug a cable into your phone, you’d link it up through Bluetooth so the cassette has a Bluetooth receiver. Likewise, there must be a battery inside the cassette adapter.
This option has only a few benefits as compared to FM transmitters. Their sound quality is not perfect as well. They equally leave a hanging auxiliary wire around your dash. Also, new models of phones such as the iPhone 7 and other most recent models lack the 3.5mm port; this method won’t work on such phones.
7. Android Auto And Apple CarPlay
Many cars come with Apple’s CarPlay and Google’s Android Auto apps. With these apps, you can link up your phone to your car’s head unit for you to play music, display your phone screen straight away, send messages, view navigation maps, and many more.
They are not supported by all car models but they are great features to use if your car is capable of this functionality. You can equally integrate your voice using Google Assistant and Siri, which is fantastic. If the infotainment unit of your car lacks these features, you can utilize the Android Auto on the screen of your phone. Link up with a Bluetooth or a USB cable and you can get similar sound quality. Currently, there is no such feature on Apple phones.
8. USB Input
The USB input is a more recent option. Many new car models currently feature a USB port. With these, you can charge your phone in your car without a standard a power socket adapter or use the USB flash drive or plug your phone directly to play music from phone to car.
For cars that have USB ports, this is the best option to play music. It comes with a reliable connection and a decent sound quality. It equally charges your phone and allows you to take calls hands-free while driving. However, you must have an alternative cable for it to function.
Final Thoughts On How To Play Music From Phone To Car
The sound quality you get from the methods mentioned above varies. They also come with different levels of convenience. The USB input and auxiliary connections offer the best sound quality, whereas the cassette adapter and FM transmitter offer the least.
Bear in mind though that the audio sound can be affected by other factors like your phone’s audio quality, car speaker’s quality, noisy car set up, or noisy environment.
We hope that with the multiple methods we provided here, you can now find a convenient and functional way to play music from your Android or iPhone to your car’s stereo.
If you want to know how to download music to your phone, check out our ultimate guide right here.
