If your car has CarPlay or Android Auto integrated, but you don’t like charging your phone while driving, these dongles can help.
I have been writing professionally about computers, the Internet and technology for 30 years, more than half of them at PCMag. I direct several special projects, including the Readers’ Choice and Business’ Choice polls, as well as the annual Fastest ISP and Best Gaming ISP survey. I work from home long before the pandemic made it cool.
Most car infotainment interfaces… are not very good. Just trying to hang up without pressing the wrong button can be frighteningly frustrating. But your phone’s interface is displayed on the dashboard screen? now everything is all right. If you’re like me, when you finally get a car with Apple CarPlay (for iPhone) or Android Auto, you’ll love it.
The downside is that in most vehicles, you need to connect your phone each time to use CarPlay and Android Auto. Getting it out of your pocket or purse can be a hassle, and it also means more wear on the power port. If you’re using an older iPhone, you probably know that the Lightning port can’t take that kind of load. No matter how often I change cables, my phone connection drops.
Then I discovered wireless CarPlay dongles. They plug into your car’s USB-A or USB-C smart port. Usually, any smartphone connected to it will be displayed on the screen. The wireless key is an intermediary, it connects your smartphone to the dashboard via Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. Thus, you can get into the car and start driving without connecting to the network.
These wireless adapters are now flooding the market. Many of them look suspiciously similar, so perhaps only a few real product developers have licensed the design. Search Amazon and you’ll find plenty of “brands” you’ve never heard of before, such as Drimfly, Zeteade, Teeran, Vrriis, Binize, and Loadkey. There are also some that you may have seen in TikTok or Instagram ads such as CarlinKit and Pairr. Quite a few adapter brands don’t even sell through Amazon, instead insisting on drop shipping; they are usually shipped from overseas and may take days or even weeks to arrive.
We tested eight devices, and the experience of each was the same. What they all have in common is that as soon as you plug in your phone, you’ll experience the convenience of CarPlay or Android Auto wireless connectivity. But you’ll also notice a slight delay between pressing an on-screen button and its response (pausing a song, for example) compared to using a direct wired connection.
Another word of caution: once your adapter is up and running, don’t mess around with the settings. Read on to find out why.
The first CarPlay adapter I tried, the Cplay2Air, was pretty simple: you plug the Cplay2Air directly into your car’s USB-A smart port via the built-in cable.
A few notes before you get started: your phone can’t connect to other Bluetooth devices, not even the car infotainment system’s hands-free function – I had to delete the existing entry for the phone. It also can’t connect to another Wi-Fi network, which is tricky if you’re getting a strong signal from your driveway home. Cplay2Air works with iPhone 6 and later, and if you buy your own conversion cable, you can connect it to a USB-C port.
With Cplay2Air connected, try to access CarPlay and the device interface will appear on the screen. You press search, go into your phone, find a suitable name in Bluetooth to pair; it will also establish the necessary Wi-Fi connection. From there, you can enter the IP address into your iPhone’s browser to access the dongle’s settings and then update the firmware if necessary. You can also change the Bluetooth connection name and Wi-Fi SSID, but don’t worry, the confirmation dialog will be in Chinese.
In the Cplay2Air interface on the dashboard, you can choose between different iPhones if multiple people have them and they are all fighting for control. The screen then switches to CarPlay. Your iPhone treats this as a new instance of CarPlay, so if you have the icons pre-arranged, you’ll have to arrange them again in Settings > General > CarPlay. Your iPhone treats this as a new instance of CarPlay, so if you have the icons pre-arranged, you’ll have to arrange them again in Settings > General > CarPlay. Ваш iPhone рассматривает это как новый экземпляр CarPlay, поэтому, если у вас есть предварительно расставленные значки, вам придется снова расположить их в «Настройки»> «Основные»> «CarPlay». Your iPhone treats this as a new instance of CarPlay, so if you have pre-arranged icons, you’ll have to arrange them again in Settings > General > CarPlay.您的iPhone 将其视为CarPlay 的新实例，因此如果您预先安排了图标，则必须在“设置”>“通用”>“CarPlay”中重新安排它们。您的iPhone将其视为CarPlay Ваш iPhone видит его как новый экземпляр CarPlay, поэтому, если вы предварительно расставили значки, вам придется изменить их порядок в «Настройки»> «Основные»> «CarPlay». Your iPhone sees it as a new instance of CarPlay, so if you’ve arranged the icons beforehand, you’ll have to reorder them in Settings > General > CarPlay.
After that, every time I get in the car, Cplay2Air connects to my iPhone without any problems and launches CarPlay. The only problem – and this is true for all of these keys – is the delay time. Wireless CarPlay takes longer to activate, and there is a noticeable delay between pressing a button on the dash and the phone actually answering. These things are what they are. Your tolerance for this depends on how frustrating the wired CarPlay connection is. However, in my testing, there was no additional delay during calls.
Ottocast reports that the U2-Air is available for over 600 vehicle models as of 2016, excluding some aftermarket Sony head units. The download time is 18 seconds and Wi-Fi operates at 5 GHz by default. This model is only available for iPhones running iOS 10 and above. Unlike some of the other providers in this review, Ottocast has physical offices in the US, but that doesn’t mean the device will deliver your mail faster.
Sleek (by dongle standards), the U2-Air is easy to set up. It includes a 12″ USB-A to USB-C cable and a USB-C to USB-C cable. Once the iPhone connects via Bluetooth, the iPhone takes control of the screen. Like Cplay2Air, it supports multiple iPhones. You can access the U2-Air settings by entering the IP address in your iPhone’s browser.
Most of these units needed a firmware update in my testing, but the U2-Air is different. It came out of the box and the manual clearly states “Updates are not recommended when all features are working fine.” I can still access the dongle’s Wi-Fi, but the browser’s settings page won’t let me do a hard reset, so I have to use an old paperclip stuck in the button’s recessed slot to reset – Ottocast is one of the few that’s an option man.
Magic Link by Magic Brand (opens in a new window) works with any iPhone from 5 to 13, “any car with wired CarPlay”. It’s 3.2 inches longer than some of the others and has a decently sized status LED on the front. It also has two ports – one for USB-C on the top and one on the bottom for USB-A – and you can connect your iPhone via a Lightning cable to use wired CarPlay, which is what Magic Link does for $129.
As with the aforementioned devices, things started well with the Magic Link: plug it in, watch the middle screen appear on the screen, find a Bluetooth connection on the iPhone, connect to it, and CarPlay is up and running. Normal hysteresis is applied. It includes a 12″ USB-A to USB-C cable.
I do not violate the manual, I do not update the firmware on The Magic Link. Instead, it annoys me that it (like Cplay2Air) creates Bluetooth and Wi-Fi network names like HondaXXXX. So I use the device web interface via Safari on the iPhone to change the Wi-Fi SSID. Error. After restarting, the Magic Link LED starts blinking red. (Suddenly, I missed the Cplay2Air Chinese-only confirmation window.) Although the device was able to communicate with the dashboard and connect to my iPhone via Bluetooth, the Wi-Fi network was no longer available. There’s no hidden reset button to reset it to factory settings, and no online information. I emailed the latest instructions to the supplier. I’m still waiting for an answer.
The fact is that you should not mess with the key settings if it is not necessary. Once it works, leave it alone.
Carlinkit’s U2W Plus, sometimes referred to as Carlinkit 3.0 (opens in a new window), is one of the most publicized CarPlay-only dongles. The company also sells a CarPlay + Android Auto combo device called 4.0 (opens in a new window) and an Android Auto-only device (opens in a new window) such as the A2A. 3.0 works with iPhone 6 running iOS 10 and any car with factory CarPlay wiring except BMW.
There is a USB-C port on one end and a USB-A port on the other, but the latter is for offline updates only, so don’t mind that. There are two cables in the box, one C-to-C and one C-to-A; First connect the USB-C end to Carlinkit 3.0 and the other end to any port on your dashboard or head unit.
Carlinkit replaces the CarPlay screen and introduces its own interface where you pair it with an iPhone via Bluetooth; like the others, it creates a unique name to pair with the brand of the car. My Honda 45XX or something. I learned my lesson by testing other keys when I tried to change this by looking into the settings. I didn’t screw up. But it also proved that I didn’t learn anything, when I used the Safari browser to view settings, it was too tempting to push to update the firmware. Even though the manual says there is no need to update if the device is working properly. I did it anyway and waited – it worked. Irreproachable. This is normal because there is no reset button.
Works great in use. As with all these devices, there are latency issues. But you get used to it. Carlinkit 3.0 also works great when connecting multiple iPhones, so my wife and I can use wireless CarPlay when we’re alone. To change it when we’re all in the car, the person whose phone is auto-connecting needs to turn off their Wi-Fi. Wireless CarPlay dongles seem to be some of the cheapest deals out there, and Carlinkit 3.0 is the way to go.
Unfortunately, setting up a wireless AA dongle is just as painful as it is with Carsifi. It comes with a long, braided 18″ USB-C to USB-A cable, which is nice. You first connect to it via bluetooth – it will come up with a name like “AndroidAuto-AAWCxxxxxx”. After that, you will need to install an application that will allow you to perform the desired firmware update. The QR code for the app is on the back of the brochure with a link to the company’s website.
It should normally grab the toolbar, but that didn’t happen until I went into the app, clicked device settings, and disabled passthrough. Luckily, unlike many other similar devices, the AA Wireless software at least looks good, though the setup remains cryptic.
Immediately after that, Android Auto appeared on the screen, and after several restarts of the car and reconnecting the device to the smart port, it worked fine. This is normal as the company does not provide any explicit technical support. The website (opens in a new window) allows you to order (promise to ship within 7 days from the Dallas warehouse for US customers). If you need help, the app has an FAQ and a troubleshooting guide, but you’re mostly on your own. [AA Wireless wrote to PCMag that "the companion app has a troubleshooting section that walks you through the most common issues, and if that doesn't solve them, it will create a support ticket with a link to our additional information via email." ] Fortunately, if you get confused during setup, AA Wireless has a built-in reset button.
Starting with Carsifi, the Android Auto key causes problems during installation. Admittedly, it was a bit of a bummer for me to test it on an Android device (Google Pixel 4) without a cellular data plan – it would have made it much easier to update the firmware and access help files through the Carsifi app. But even after the update, I still had to play around with the settings and ended up disabling Carsifi’s “Intercept AA Protocol” before it worked on my 2018 Honda.
The biggest difference between an Android Auto dongle and a CarPlay dongle is that an Android Auto dongle requires an app from the Google Play store and a firmware update that needs to be done from within the app. There is a QR code on the inside of the Carsifi box lid to make it easy to get the right app; Additional information and assistance is available on the company’s website (opens in a new window).
After setting it up, the Android Auto interface quickly took over my control panel. Rebooting the car or reconnecting the key does not interrupt reconnection. The connection speed seems a bit faster than CarPlay. I love that Carsifi includes USB-A and USB-C cables. It includes a short (9-inch) USB-A to USB-C cable, a USB-C to USB-C cable, and double-sided adhesive tape.
However, these Android Auto keys are not for those who can’t stand the hassle of installation. This may explain why the Android Auto wireless dongle is the cheapest in this roundup.
Most cars, if they support wired CarPlay, will probably also support Android Auto (or vice versa, depending on how you roll). Apparently not all keys do this. The OttoCast U2-X does this at a reasonable price. If you have a family that spans mobile OS streams, it’s good to have a dongle that supports both. It includes a 12″ USB-A to USB-C cable and a USB-C to USB-C cable. The U2-X will work with any 2016 car equipped with wired CarPlay but will not work with aftermarket BMW or Sony head units.
Setting up CarPlay for iPhone is similar to setting up the CarPlay dongle above: plug it in, find the Bluetooth name and connect it, wait for a dialog box to appear asking you to use the device’s Wi-Fi for CarPlay, click OK, and watch your iPhone take over the dashboard. You can access the settings page through Safari to change the network name or install a firmware update if needed. I didn’t because I usually learn not to touch it while it’s working by the fourth time I screw it up.
You don’t need the app once to use Android Auto, but it does require a phone running Android 11 or higher. The Android Auto wireless feature must be enabled in the Android Auto app. Then, when the U2-X interface appears on the dashboard, you need to double-click the icon in the lower left corner. This is not clear at all from the interface, if I had not found it in the manual, I would not have accepted it.
Switching between iPhone and Android phone using this method is not intuitive. This requires you to put any phone you don’t want on the dashboard screen into flight mode, and even then, double tapping didn’t always work in my tests. It’s great that the Ottocast U2-X has a device that supports both phone types, but that makes switching back and forth more trouble than it’s worth.
Nearly all wireless dongles that support CarPlay and Android Auto cost less than $150. When you see the price of The Magic Box, you should know that it is different from other prices. That’s because it’s a standalone Android box that you plug right into your dashboard screen. Although it runs Android, it still supports CarPlay for iPhone users. The Magic Box works in (most) cars and can even be used on a home TV via the HDMI output port.
I say the most because the salesperson told me “Magic Box is not 100% Honda compatible” when asking for hardware. This could be an issue as I’m testing a 2018 Honda CR-V. “But in most cases it works,” they said. So why not try?
The installation video (opens in a new window) says you plug it into your car’s smart port, USB-C or USB-A, and the other end of the USB-C into The Magic Box. It includes an 8″ premium braided USB-A to USB-C cable and a USB-C to USB-C cable. The Magic Box takes about 20 seconds to load and displays a fun animated screen. It will warn you not to use the key while driving and then take you to the configuration screen. The Magic Box runs Android, so it has its own settings that you should use, such as setting it to use Wi-Fi at home or when parking at a coffee shop, or turning off your phone’s mobile hotspot when you’re online. road.
The home screen has apps to launch CarPlay or Android Auto, as well as other apps like Google Maps. Almost any app available on the Google Play Store or that you can download is an option – they even come with some non-Google Play apps available on your device. You need to log into each app and update them just like you do on your phone. If you prefer to mirror your phone on your dashboard (or TV), you can select the Phone Cast app and activate screen mirroring on your phone – it should work just like iOS.
The supplier specifically instructs to unplug the Magic Box every time the car is turned off. When in use, it consumes more power than other keys, so if you leave it on, it will drain your car battery faster. This is normal because I never got it to work with my Honda. The loading animation only tried to play once (fixed my loudspeakers at maximum volume), after which it didn’t work anymore. After several reconnects, resets and clearing the Bluetooth settings stored in the dashboard, I gave up. It’s not that I wasn’t warned.
Testing these devices clearly shows that we are long overdue to see wireless CarPlay and Android Auto in cars – keyless.
Cars.com has a helpful list of makes and models that natively support wireless CarPlay/Android Auto as of February 2022 (opens in a new window). He’s small, but he’s growing. Hopefully we will see this become the standard soon.
But if you’re stuck with an older car with wired CarPlay and Android Auto and don’t like plugging in your phone every time you drive somewhere, there’s a simple device like Cplay2Air or Carsifi. Let him work for his pleasure. Then never touch it again. That’s where these keys glow.
Subscribe to the Fully Mobilized newsletter to get our best mobile technology news straight to your inbox.
This newsletter may contain advertisements, offers or affiliate links. By subscribing to the newsletter, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe from the newsletter at any time.
PCMag.com is the leading technology authority providing independent lab reviews of the latest products and services. Our expert industry analysis and practical solutions help you make better buying decisions and get more out of technology.
PCMag supports Group Black and its mission to increase the diversity of media voices and media ownership.
PCMag, PCMag.com and PC Magazine are federally registered trademarks of Ziff Davis and may not be used by third parties without express permission. The display of third party trademarks and trade names on this site does not necessarily imply any affiliation or endorsement by PCMag. If you click on an affiliate link and purchase a product or service, we may receive payment from that seller.
Post time: Dec-12-2022