How to Use SoundCloud with CarPlay on iPhone
Soundy is a full CarPlay app, so your SoundCloud library, voice search and a proper Now Playing screen all show up on your car display. Here is how to set it up and drive.
Quick answer: Install the free Soundy app, sign in with SoundCloud on your iPhone, then connect to your car with a cable or wireless CarPlay. Open Soundy on the dashboard to browse Home and Library, tap Search to look things up by voice, and control everything from Now Playing. Unlike the standard SoundCloud experience, Soundy brings a real equalizer and playback speed control to your car screen, with no ads.
SoundCloud is where a huge amount of music, DJ sets and podcasts live, and plenty of that listening happens on the road. The official SoundCloud app supports CarPlay, but it plays everything flat: there is no equalizer and no speed control, on the dashboard or anywhere else.
Soundy, the free and ad-free SoundCloud player, ships a complete CarPlay app that fixes that. You get a familiar tabbed layout, hands-free voice search, and a Now Playing screen with the equalizer and speed control right there. Follow the steps below.
Set up SoundCloud on CarPlay in 6 steps
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Install Soundy and sign in on your iPhone
Download Soundy from the App Store, open it, and tap Sign In with SoundCloud. You sign in once on the phone, and CarPlay uses the same session. No account yet? Create one free at soundcloud.com/signup.
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Connect your iPhone to CarPlay
Start your car, then connect your iPhone with a USB cable, or wirelessly if your car supports wireless CarPlay. The CarPlay dashboard appears on your car display.
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Open Soundy on the car screen
Tap the Soundy icon on the CarPlay home screen. Soundy opens with four tabs along the bar: Home, Library, Search and Settings.
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Browse Home and your Library
Home shows Recently Played and your Following feed. Library lists Likes, Playlists, Albums, Tracks, Following, Followers and Recently Played. Tap any track to start playing.
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Search by voice or by genre
Open the Search tab. Tap the Search row and, when it shows "Listening", say what you want to hear. Prefer to browse? Pick one of the 12 genre tiles such as Electronic, Hip-Hop, Rock or Jazz. Voice search asks for microphone and speech permission the first time.
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Control everything from Now Playing
Now Playing gives you play, pause, next, previous and seek, plus five buttons: Shuffle, Repeat, Equalizer (choose a preset and set the preamplifier), Playback Speed (0.25× to 2×) and Like. Tap Queue to see the Up Next list and jump to any track.
Handy CarPlay settings
Open the Settings tab in CarPlay to fine-tune the drive:
- Connection: choose Wi-Fi only or Wi-Fi + Cellular, so you control when Soundy uses mobile data.
- Audio output mode: switch on Mixed mode to let Soundy play alongside navigation prompts instead of pausing.
- Items per page: load up to 50, 100, 250, 500 or 1000 items in long lists.
Good to know
- Sign-in stays on the phone. If the Library shows a sign-in prompt, open Soundy on your iPhone and sign in, then return to the car.
- The equalizer is shared. Presets you change in the car match the iPhone app, since both use the same equalizer engine. The full 10-band sliders stay on the phone for detailed tuning.
- Not seeing Soundy on the dashboard? Go to Settings, General, CarPlay, pick your car, tap Customize, and add Soundy.
SoundCloud on CarPlay: FAQ
Does Soundy work with Apple CarPlay?
Yes. Soundy has full CarPlay support, so you can play SoundCloud in your car. It shows Home, Library, Search and Settings tabs, and a Now Playing screen with full transport controls.
How do I get Soundy to show on my CarPlay screen?
Install Soundy on your iPhone and sign in, then connect the phone to your car with a cable or wireless CarPlay. If Soundy does not appear, go to Settings, General, CarPlay, choose your car, tap Customize, and add Soundy to the screen. Make sure the phone is unlocked the first time.
Can I search SoundCloud by voice in the car?
Yes. Open the Search tab and tap the Search row. When it shows "Listening", say what you want and Soundy turns your speech into a SoundCloud search. Voice search asks for microphone and speech recognition permission the first time you use it.
Can I use the equalizer in CarPlay?
Yes. Tap the Equalizer button on the Now Playing screen to pick a preset and set the preamplifier. For safety while driving, CarPlay offers preset and preamplifier control; the full 10-band sliders live in the iPhone app, and both share the same equalizer settings.
Can I change playback speed in CarPlay?
Yes. Tap the Playback Speed button on the Now Playing screen and choose a rate from 0.25× to 2×. The pitch stays natural, which is handy for podcasts and audiobooks on the drive.
Do I need to sign in again for CarPlay?
No. You sign in with SoundCloud once in the iPhone app, and CarPlay uses the same session. If you are not signed in, the Library shows a prompt to sign in on the phone.
Does Soundy support wireless CarPlay, and is it free?
Yes to both. Soundy works with wireless CarPlay if your car supports it, otherwise use a USB cable. CarPlay support, like the rest of Soundy, is completely free with no ads.