Apple adds widgets and message tapbacks to CarPlay with iOS 26

Apple just announced iOS 26 at WWDC 2025, and along with a new “Liquid Glass” design language, the company revealed some new features coming to CarPlay.

Two of the biggest additions: widgets are coming to CarPlay, and so is the ability to chose a “tapback” response to incoming messages. Users will now also be able to pin their favorite conversations, just like in iMessage.

One other change Apple highlighted during Monday’s event is that the incoming call UI will no longer take over the entire CarPlay screen. The UI instead will stay small and at the bottom of the screen, meaning a phone call won’t hide things like in-progress navigation.

CarPlay will get an overall design refresh that features the more-transparent stylings of Liquid Glass, and all of these changes will come to the new CarPlay Ultra launched in May. As is always the case with WWDC, expect more details on changes to CarPlay to trickle out over the next few days as Apple meets with developers.