CarPlay in iOS 26 has my top new Apple Music feature, here’s how to use it

CarPlay just got new features in iOS 26.4, plus some exciting new apps, but one of my favorite recent features is an Apple Music change in iOS 26 that’s perfect for the car. Here’s how to use it.

Pins in Apple Music are a perfect fit for CarPlay, especially with one-tap playback setting

When iOS 26 launched last year, it fulfilled one of my long-standing feature requests for Apple Music.

The update added the option to pin music to the top of your Library. You can pin up to six artists, albums, playlists, or songs for convenient access.

I’ve wanted pinned music for years, and iOS 26 absolutely delivered. My only complaint is that I wish you could have more pins—nine would be great, like in the Messages app.

But one thing I didn’t realize right away was how much I would enjoy pins in CarPlay too.

Until recently I lived in Manhattan and didn’t own a car, but after moving to a suburban area, getting a vehicle was a day-one necessity. So for the last few months I’ve been enjoying CarPlay in my new vehicle, and pinned music has been one of the standout iOS 26 changes.

CarPlay automatically brings over all your pinned music from iPhone and puts it at the top of the Music app.

Much of the time when I’m driving, I use Siri for music requests. But pinned titles are another quick, convenient, and—most importantly—safe option.

Tapping through a bunch of Music screens to find the right album or playlist tends to take too long. But pins are prominently displayed at the top of the Library screen. And if you configure them for one-tap playback on your iPhone, that same behavior carries over to CarPlay too.

To set up Music pins, follow these steps:

After setting up your pins, you won’t have to rely on Siri as much for music playback. Pins offer a great alternative for accessing your most commonly played music, without the annoying flubs Siri can bring.

Have you been using pins in Apple Music on iOS 26? Let us know in the comments.

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