Apple’s iOS 26 update brings significant improvements to CarPlay, including a long-awaited fix for the Messages app: tapbacks support.
Since the introduction of CarPlay’s next generation in 2022, updates to the standard CarPlay experience have been modest. However, with the launch of CarPlay Ultra and iOS 26, Apple is adding several new features to enhance in-car messaging.
Tapbacks, a popular feature in the Messages app since iOS 10, allow users to quickly react to messages with icons like thumbs up, hearts, or laughter. Previously, this feature was unavailable on CarPlay, which frustrated many users who rely on tapbacks to acknowledge messages without continuing conversations.
With iOS 26, users can now send tapbacks directly through CarPlay, offering the same convenient interaction found on iPhones. Additionally, pinned conversations will also be supported, aligning CarPlay’s Messages app with updates arriving on iPhone.
These enhancements reflect Apple’s renewed focus on making CarPlay a more integral and user-friendly platform for communication on the road.