Hey everyone. We talked a lot this summer about the new CarPlay stuff in iOS 26. Lots of cool changes, right? But it turns out not everyone loves it completely. Some things are bugging people.
Like Stephen Hackett over at 512 Pixels. He wrote about four big problems he has with the new Messages app in CarPlay on iOS 26. One thing he hates? Name truncation.
That means names get cut off short. I totally get this! I really don’t like when things get cut off for no good reason.
Like on my Mac, the Settings app sometimes cuts off “Siri and Apple Intelligence” even on my normal screen. It’s a bug that annoys me every time.
Anyway, Stephen has other complaints too, mostly about how things look and where they put stuff.
It’s good that CarPlay Messages now shows your pinned chats. But showing them in a grid that’s different from everywhere else – like on your iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, or Mac – that messes with your muscle memory.
And when you’re driving, muscle memory is super important! On other devices, it’s always 3 icons across. CarPlay does something else.
Then there’s the little dots for unread messages. Where should they be? Well, in CarPlay, it’s confusing.
For your favorite contacts up top, the unread dot is on the upper-right of their picture. But for the normal list of conversations below, the dot is on the left!
Why?
Every other Messages app Apple makes puts the unread dot on the left of the name. CarPlay is the only one doing it different. Not cool.
Also, the big “Messages” title at the very top? It looks off-centered. Just a little thing, but it adds to the feeling things aren’t quite right.
Also Read: AirPods Getting Live Translation? iOS 26 Beta Shows New Gesture
Stephen also noticed something about pinned chats. If I understand right, you can only pin up to nine conversations. But in his truck, CarPlay shows them in a 5-across by 2-down grid (5×2).
That means ten slots.
So with only nine possible pins, there’s always one empty slot looking weird. Why not just let you pin five? That would fit a 5×1 row nicely, like Apple shows in their own pictures for the new CarPlay Messages.
But showing only five pins would look strange on your other Apple devices, which use a 3×3 grid (three on top, three in the middle, three on bottom). See the problem?
Making one app look good on tiny watch screens, big car screens, and everything in between? It’s really hard for Apple.
If you see the picture in Stephen’s post, you can see the unread badge problem too.
Me?
I wouldn’t mind never seeing an unread badge again! But Apple doesn’t have a big switch to turn them all off yet.
There is good news though. iOS 26 CarPlay is smarter about different screens. There’s a new “Smart Display Zoom” thing.
It can make the whole interface a bit smaller so more stuff fits on your car’s display.
This might help… or it might not. It depends on your car and screen. Your mileage may vary, as they say.
So yeah, iOS 26 CarPlay has some neat features. But the new Messages app?
For some users like Stephen, it feels like a step back in places.
The layout changes, the badge confusion, the weird empty slot… it breaks the Apple consistency we expect, especially in the car where you need things simple and predictable.
What do you think? Have you tried the new CarPlay Messages? Does the layout bother you? Or do you like the changes? Let me know your thoughts below!
FAQs: CarPlay iOS 26
Q1: What’s new on CarPlay iOS 26?
A1: New Messages app shows pinned chats now. Also has “Smart Display Zoom” to fit more stuff on screen. But some people don’t like the new layout and unread dots placement.
Q2: Does iOS 26 beta work with CarPlay?
A2: Yes, but beta software is buggy. CarPlay might crash or act weird. Risky for driving. Use public iOS if you need stable.
Q3: Did CarPlay change with iOS 17?
A3: Yes but small changes only. iOS 17 added support for future apps like EV charging. iOS 26 changes are bigger, especially Messages look.
Q4: How to change CarPlay widgets on iOS 26?
A4: You can’t. Apple controls what widgets show (music, calendar etc.). Only thing you can change is app order in Settings > General > CarPlay.
Q5: Can I customize CarPlay home screen?
A5: Only little bit. Can change app order and sometimes wallpaper. Can’t add/remove widgets or change how info shows. Apple locks it down.
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