The basic steps to pair your phone with your car
Connecting your phone to your car's Bluetooth system means your car can receive calls and play music from your phone wirelessly. The process takes about five minutes the first time, then happens automatically when you get in the car afterward.
Start by turning on your car's Bluetooth. This is usually done through the infotainment system — the screen in your dashboard — or through a dedicated button. Check your car's manual or look for a Bluetooth icon on the dashboard screen. On your phone, go to Settings, find Bluetooth, and turn it on. Your phone will then search for nearby Bluetooth devices and should show your car's name in a list.
Tap your car's name on your phone's screen. Your car may ask you to confirm the pairing on the dashboard screen as well. Once confirmed, your phone and car are paired. The next time you get in your car and turn it on, they should connect automatically without you doing anything.
Key Takeaways
- Turn on Bluetooth on both your car's infotainment system and your phone before they can find each other.
- Your phone will show your car's name in its list of available Bluetooth devices — tap it to start pairing.
- Your car's dashboard may ask you to confirm the pairing; do this on the screen to complete the connection.
- After the first pairing, your phone and car will reconnect automatically each time you turn on the car.
- If pairing fails, restart Bluetooth on both devices and try again, or check your car's manual for model-specific steps.
Where to find the Bluetooth button or menu in your car
The location of Bluetooth controls depends on your car's make and model. In most newer cars, Bluetooth is controlled through the infotainment system — the touchscreen or display in the center of your dashboard. Look for a Bluetooth icon (usually looks like a Bluetooth symbol or the word "Bluetooth") on the main menu or settings screen.
Some cars have a dedicated Bluetooth button on the steering wheel or on the dashboard itself. This button may be labeled "Phone" or "BT" and pressing it will bring up Bluetooth options on the dashboard screen. If you cannot find it, your car's manual will show you exactly where it is. You can also ask your car's voice assistant — many cars have Siri, Google Assistant, or a proprietary system — to turn on Bluetooth by saying "turn on Bluetooth" or "pair my phone."
Older cars without a touchscreen may have Bluetooth controls through physical buttons and a small display. The process is the same: find the Bluetooth menu, turn it on, and search for your phone.
What to do if your phone does not show up on your car's screen
If your phone is not appearing in your car's list of available devices, the most common reason is that Bluetooth is not actually turned on in your car, even though you thought you turned it on. Go back to your car's infotainment system and double-check that Bluetooth is set to "On" rather than "Off" or "Standby."
On your phone, make sure Bluetooth is on and that your phone is set to be discoverable. On iPhones, this happens automatically when you open the Bluetooth settings. On Android phones, go to Settings, Bluetooth, and look for an option like "Make this device discoverable" or "Visibility." Turn that on if it is off.
If your phone still does not appear, restart Bluetooth on both devices. Turn off Bluetooth on your car and your phone, wait 10 seconds, then turn both back on. If this does not work, restart your phone entirely and try again. If your car has a touchscreen, you can also try restarting the infotainment system by holding down the power button on the screen for several seconds.
Pairing multiple phones to the same car
Most cars can store multiple phones in their Bluetooth memory. This means your spouse, family member, or friend can also pair their phone to the car, and the car will remember both phones. When either phone is in the car with Bluetooth on, the car will try to connect to whichever phone it recognizes.
To add a second phone, straightforward repeat the pairing process with the new phone. Go to your car's Bluetooth menu, put it in pairing mode (sometimes called "discoverable" mode), and then search for the car from the new phone's Bluetooth settings. Tap the car's name and confirm the pairing on both devices.
If your car has a limit on how many phones it can remember — usually four to six — and you try to pair a new phone after reaching that limit, the car will ask you which phone to remove from memory. You can then add the new phone in its place.
Why your car might disconnect from your phone
Sometimes your phone and car will disconnect even though they are both on and in range. This usually happens because Bluetooth on one device turned off accidentally, or because your phone connected to a different Bluetooth device in the meantime. If you were in a store or office building with strong Bluetooth signals, your phone may have connected to that system instead of your car.
To fix this, straightforward turn Bluetooth off and back on on your phone, or restart your car's infotainment system. Your phone should reconnect to your car within a few seconds. If disconnections happen frequently, try "forgetting" the car from your phone's Bluetooth settings and then pairing again from scratch. Go to your phone's Bluetooth settings, find your car's name, and tap "Forget" or "Remove," then repeat the pairing process.
If your car's Bluetooth system is very old, it may not stay connected reliably. In this case, you may want to consider using a Bluetooth adapter — a small device that plugs into your car's auxiliary input or cigarette lighter and creates a more stable connection.
Using your phone's voice assistant through your car
Once your phone is paired to your car via Bluetooth, you can use your phone's voice assistant — Siri on iPhones, Google Assistant on Android phones — through your car's speakers and microphone. This means you can make calls, send messages, and control music without touching your phone.
To set up your phone's voice assistant, look for a voice button on your car's steering wheel (often marked with a microphone icon) or say your phone's wake word. For Siri, say "Hey Siri." For Google Assistant, say "Hey Google." Your car's speakers will confirm that the assistant is listening, and you can then give commands like "call Mom" or "play jazz music."
Some cars also have their own voice assistant built in — like Ford's Sync, GM's OnStar, or BMW's iDrive. These work alongside your phone's assistant and may offer different features. Check your car's manual to see which voice assistant your car uses and how to set up it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Bluetooth drain my phone's battery?
Bluetooth uses very little battery power — typically less than 1 percent per hour. You will not notice a significant difference in your phone's battery life from having Bluetooth on. If your battery drains unusually fast, the problem is almost certainly something else, like a background app or a screen that is too bright.
Can I use Bluetooth and a USB cable at the same time?
Yes. Some cars let you connect your phone via USB for charging and data, while also using Bluetooth for calls and music. The USB connection usually takes priority for certain functions like navigation, but Bluetooth will still work for phone calls. Check your car's manual to see which functions use which connection.
What if my car does not have Bluetooth?
If your car is older and does not have built-in Bluetooth, you can buy a Bluetooth adapter that plugs into your car's auxiliary input (the 3.5mm jack) or cigarette lighter. These adapters cost between $20 and $60 and will let you stream music and take calls wirelessly. Some also plug into your car's USB port.
Why does my car keep trying to connect to my old phone?
Your car remembers all the phones it has paired with. If you no longer use an old phone, go to your car's Bluetooth settings and remove that phone from the paired devices list. Your car will then stop trying to connect to it and will connect to your current phone instead.
Can I pair my car to multiple phones at the same time?
No. Your car can only be actively connected to one phone at a time, though it can remember multiple phones. If two phones with Bluetooth on are in the car, your car will connect to whichever one it paired with most recently, or you can manually select which phone to connect to through your car's Bluetooth menu.