Koral K. Apps
Home › CarWidgets › Guide

Can You Change the CarPlay Wallpaper to Your Own Photo?

Short answer: no. CarPlay only lets you choose from Apple's built-in wallpapers, and no app can change that. You can still put your own photos on the screen with a widget. Updated October 27, 2026.

How to change the CarPlay wallpaper

  1. With your iPhone connected, open the Settings app on the CarPlay screen in your car.
  2. Tap Wallpaper.
  3. Pick one of the built-in designs. Many adapt to light and dark mode.

In iOS 26 the choice was six color variants of the default iPhone wallpaper. iOS 27 added a new wave design that comes in 14 colors. In both versions, the options are Apple's own designs only.

Why can't I use my own photo?

Apple keeps the CarPlay background, app icons and layout under its control so the screen stays readable while driving. Third-party apps can only show content in specific places Apple allows, such as audio, navigation and messaging screens, and since iOS 26, widgets.

Be careful with apps that promise to "change your CarPlay wallpaper." What they can actually do is show a photo in a widget. Several of these apps charge a weekly subscription for it.

The alternative: a photo widget

Since iOS 26, CarPlay has a widget area on the left of the home screen. A photo widget there can show a picture of your kids, your partner or your dog every time you get in the car. It doesn't fill the whole screen, but it's the only supported way to see your own photos in CarPlay today.

CarWidgets is a photo, countdown and reminder widget made for exactly this, with a one-time price and no subscription. To set it up, see how to add widgets to CarPlay.

Sources: 9to5Mac, CarPlay in iOS 26; MacRumors, iOS 27 CarPlay features.