With the diverseness of audio entertainment available on your telephone, you probably desire an easy way to enjoy your music, podcasts, audiobooks, and other content in your vehicle. Simply what's the best and easiest way to play music in your car from your device?

Let's explore your options for playing music from your phone to your machine, no affair how old or new it is.

The Universal Option: Phone to Automobile Bluetooth FM Transmitters

Nearly every modern motorcar has an FM radio and a cigarette lighter/power outlet, which you can combine to play your music using an FM transmitter. This is a great all-around option if your car doesn't have Bluetooth or an AUX port; the needed devices are relatively cheap and easy to set up.

The exact setup varies by device, but these transmitters usually plug into your auto's outlet (or cigarette lighter in an older car) and connect to your phone via Bluetooth. Later setting the device to broadcast on an unused FM station in your area, yous can play your phone's audio through your motorcar stereo by tuning information technology to that station.

FM Radio Transmitter

Withal, depending on the number of FM stations in your surface area and the specific device you purchase, sound quality may vary. Music won't audio as good through an FM transmitter as information technology does through using some of the other options here.

To clarify: it's not possible to play music through the cigarette lighter in your car alone. While FM adapters plug into this outlet, you tin can't play music directly through the lighter port.

Take a await at the best Bluetooth motorcar adapters to find the right selection for your needs.

For Older Cars: Play Music Using a Cassette Adapter

If your car is erstwhile enough that it has a cassette player, you can brand apply of that for playing sound from your telephone. Cassette adapters are basic devices, shaped like a cassette tape, that include an auxiliary audio string on the outside.

You simply plug the adapter into your cassette role player, and then connect it to your telephone via the attached 3.5mm auxiliary cablevision. And then play whatever you'd like from your phone, and you'll hear it through your auto'south stereo.

Reviews vary for these, but this Arsvita cassette adapter should work fine, and won't intermission the banking concern.

Compared to FM transmitters, cassette adapters don't have many advantages. Cassette audio quality isn't great, and you'll take an auxiliary wire hanging around your dash. Plus, almost phones these days don't have an AUX port, rendering this choice impractical unless you besides buy an adapter for your phone.

We only recommend using a cassette adapter if your cigarette lighter/power outlet doesn't work, or if yous can't get a clear signal with an FM transmitter.

For Reliability: Play Music Using an Auxiliary Cord

About modern cars feature a three.5mm auxiliary jack, either on the stereo unit or underneath information technology. This allows you to plug in a cablevision from your device's headphone port straight into your stereo. From there, simply play whatsoever sound on your phone that you'd like to hear through your car.

Auxiliary audio will sound clearer than both the cassette and FM transmitter options. Of class, this won't piece of work (without an adapter) if your device doesn't have a iii.5mm headphone jack. But if both your motorcar and phone have a stereo jack, it's a simple way to play sound without any fuss, equally long every bit you lot don't mind a wire.

If y'all don't take an auxiliary cord still, Anker'due south auxiliary audio cable should serve you well. Just call up that playing music through an AUX cord is a "impaired" method, and then y'all'll have to change the track and make similar changes on your device. You tin can't use the controls on your car stereo or steering wheel with an auxiliary cord.

For Convenience: Play Music Over Bluetooth Sound

Even if y'all don't have an AUX port on your device, newer cars let y'all play music from your telephone thanks to your automobile'southward built-in Bluetooth. Simply connect your phone to your auto's Bluetooth like y'all would any other device (post-obit the instructions in your vehicle's manual), and you tin can play media in the car from any apps you like.

Depending on your vehicle, you may exist able to command the media using your car's controls, plus see song information on its brandish.

Bluetooth is convenient considering once paired, your telephone will automatically connect to your automobile for easy streaming. It also has the benefit of allowing easily-complimentary calling, which doesn't work seamlessly with an auxiliary cable.

Even so, depending on your car, Bluetooth audio'due south quality may be junior to what you go from an auxiliary cablevision. Try both methods to see which you prefer.

The Best of All Worlds: Play Music Through USB

Lots of cars at present include a USB port within, making this the about modern mode to play music from your telephone to your car. Having a USB port in your machine allows you to charge your devices without an adapter, and you tin can even plug in a USB flash bulldoze for music if you like. But you tin can also plug your phone in to play music direct.

If your vehicle has a USB port, using that is the all-time way to play audio to your machine's stereo. Not only does it provide a reliable connexion and clear audio, but information technology also charges your device and lets you brand hands-gratis calls.

Of course, yous'll need a spare USB cable for your machine to do this (an accessory you lot should proceed in your car at all times). Depending on your phone, this could be an Apple Lightning cablevision, USB-C cable, or an older micro-USB cord.

USB input is the only option that lets you play music from your phone to your car without any form of AUX or Bluetooth. It's besides the just manner to use a handy function of your phone that'south built for playing music in the car, namely...

Play Music Using Android Car and Apple tree CarPlay

A growing number of cars support Apple's CarPlay and Google's Android Auto functionality. These let you to connect your telephone to your car'due south caput unit to conveniently access music, navigation, messaging, and more.

Not every car supports them, but if your automobile does, you should definitely take advantage of these features. Slick interfaces, too equally voice integration with Google Banana and Siri, brand them a joy to use. Nosotros've covered how to get started with Android Automobile equally well as how Apple CarPlay works.

Even if your motorcar'south infotainment unit doesn't support information technology, yous tin use Google Assistant driving mode, which is like to Android Motorcar, right on your telephone's display. Combined with Bluetooth or a USB cable for audio, this setup offers nearly the aforementioned experience every bit having Android Auto on your head unit. CarPlay has no equivalent for this, unfortunately.

Upgrading to an Aftermarket Stereo Unit

USB flash drive inserted into car stereo
Epitome Credit: Santeri Viinamäki/Wikimedia Commons

We've just covered factory options and elementary upgrades hither. If yous accept an older motorcar without built-in USB, Bluetooth, or auxiliary options, and don't want to use an FM transmitter or cassette adapter, you can replace your unabridged stereo unit. This will allow you use modern functions similar USB and Bluetooth connections—some even include Android Auto and CarPlay support.

Doing the replacement is a moderately intensive chore, not to mention that it'south more expensive than anything higher up. Thus, we don't recommend this unless you have some experience with that kind of piece of work, and really don't want to utilise any of the to a higher place options.

If you're interested in this, Crutchfield is a great website to check out. It guides you through finding stereos that will fit your motorcar, and every buy includes a detailed setup guide.

What's the All-time Option for Playing Music in Your Car?

The above options all vary in audio quality and convenience. USB and auxiliary connections provide the best sound quality only aren't available on older car models, while cassette adapters and FM transmitters are the everyman quality merely piece of work with most cars.

Continue in mind that other factors can affect the quality of your phone'south sound in your car. If you lot have an older car with lousy speakers, y'all probably won't be able to tell much difference between an auxiliary cable and an FM transmitter. The same goes if your car is particularly loud, or if you bulldoze in noisy areas.

That being said, from best to worst audio quality, we recommend the following methods for playing music in your car using your phone:

  • If your car has a USB input, use that. Android Auto or Apple CarPlay support is fifty-fifty amend if it's available in your vehicle.
  • Without USB input, use Bluetooth or auxiliary based on your preferences for convenience and easily-free calling, and whether your phone has an AUX jack.
  • If your car has no USB, auxiliary, or Bluetooth built-in, employ an FM transmitter.
  • Only use a cassette adapter if your power socket doesn't work or FM transmitters don't office reliably enough.

Offset Enjoying Music From Your Telephone in Your Car

We've covered how to play music from your phone to your auto, with options for every phone and vehicle. Once you've gotten continued, all yous have to do is start the music or other media you want on your phone and allow the tunes roll. Only remember to proceed your focus on the route while driving.

And remember that at that place are many useful apps for driving beyond music and navigation.