How to View Song Lyrics on CarPlay: The Third-Party App Solution (2025)

Apple CarPlay doesn’t natively display song lyrics from Apple Music or Spotify—but a workaround exists. This guide explains how to use third-party apps to finally see synchronized lyrics on your car’s screen.

What is CarPlay Lyrics Display?

CarPlay itself doesn’t have built-in lyrics display as of 2025. Instead, third-party apps like Dynamic Lyrics fill this gap by syncing real-time lyrics to your car’s display while you listen to music through Apple Music, Spotify, or YouTube Music. The Dynamic Lyrics app displays lyrics that scroll in time with your song—similar to what you’d see on your iPhone—but optimized for safe, glanceable viewing while driving. [Current as of: iOS 18.3, January 2025]

Apple Music supports lyrics on your iPhone, and Spotify has lyrics in its mobile app, but neither service integrates these into CarPlay’s native interface. Dynamic Lyrics bridges this gap as an independent solution available on the App Store.

Why Use This Feature?

• Learn lyrics without distraction: Read lyrics without switching apps or looking at your phone
• Karaoke while driving: Sing along safely during long drives
• Better song discovery: Understand lyrics in languages you’re learning
• Enhanced audio experience: Connect music meaning to the melody you’re hearing
• Safer alternative: Reduces phone interaction compared to searching lyrics manually

Things to Consider

• Requires third-party app: CarPlay lyrics aren’t built into iOS—you need to download and install Dynamic Lyrics from the App Store
• App availability by iOS version: Dynamic Lyrics requires iOS 17.0 for basic use, or iOS 18.0+ for full CarPlay integration (current iOS versions are 18.2–18.3 as of December 2024–January 2025)
• Lyrics availability varies by music service and region: Not all songs have lyrics in your app or region. North America and Western Europe have the broadest coverage; some Asian markets have limited lyric databases
• CarPlay compatibility: Your car must support CarPlay via USB or wireless connection
• Music subscription required: Apple Music and Spotify Premium both require active subscriptions (free tiers don’t support CarPlay)
• Regional restrictions: Some regions restrict moving text on vehicle displays for safety; check your local vehicle regulations before using lyrics display while driving

How to Enable Lyrics on CarPlay—Step by Step

Step 1: Check Your System Requirements

Verify your setup meets these minimums:

• iPhone running iOS 18.0 or later (for CarPlay lyrics support)
• Apple Music subscription OR Spotify Premium subscription
• CarPlay-compatible vehicle with USB or wireless connection
• Current Spotify version (check App Store for latest; no specific older versions like 8.8.0 support CarPlay lyrics)

Step 2: Download Dynamic Lyrics from the App Store

1. Open the App Store on your iPhone
2. Search for “Dynamic Lyrics”
3. Tap Get to download the app (it’s free)
4. Wait for installation to complete
5. Tap Open to launch the app

Step 3: Connect Your iPhone to CarPlay

Choose your connection method:

Wired Connection (Most Reliable):

1. Connect your iPhone to your car’s head unit using a USB-A to Lightning or USB-C cable
2. Wait 10–15 seconds for your car to recognize your phone
3. Your car’s display should show the CarPlay home screen

Wireless Connection:

1. Go to Settings > General > CarPlay on your iPhone
2. Tap Available Cars
3. Select your car’s name from the list
4. Follow the pairing prompts on your car’s display

Step 4: Open Your Music App on CarPlay

1. On your car’s display, tap the Music icon or swipe to find your music app
2. Select your preferred service:
   • Apple Music (iOS 18.0+): Tap the Apple Music app
   • Spotify (latest version): Tap the Spotify app
   • YouTube Music: Tap YouTube Music (CarPlay compatible, though native lyrics support is limited)
3. Search for or select a song to play

Step 5: Launch Dynamic Lyrics on Your Phone (Not on CarPlay)

This is the key difference: Dynamic Lyrics runs on your iPhone, not directly on CarPlay’s display.

1. On your iPhone, open the Dynamic Lyrics app (keep your phone mounted or accessible)
2. Select your music service (Apple Music or Spotify) from the app menu
3. Log in with your credentials if prompted
4. The app automatically syncs with the song now playing on CarPlay
5. Lyrics appear and scroll in real-time on your iPhone screen

Step 6: Troubleshooting If Lyrics Don’t Appear

If Dynamic Lyrics isn’t syncing:

1. Verify the song has lyrics available: Not all songs in every region have lyric data. Try playing a different song (popular tracks are more likely to have lyrics)
2. Check your music service subscription: Confirm Apple Music or Spotify Premium is active
3. Restart Dynamic Lyrics: Close the app completely and reopen it
4. Check app permissions: Go to Settings > Privacy > Music and ensure Dynamic Lyrics has permission
5. Reconnect to CarPlay: Disconnect your iPhone from your car, wait 10 seconds, then reconnect via USB or Bluetooth
6. Update the app: Open App Store and check for Dynamic Lyrics updates

Important Regional Note: Lyrics availability depends on your music service’s licensing agreements. North America and Western Europe have the broadest lyric coverage. If you’re in Asia, Eastern Europe, or other regions, specific tracks may lack lyrics even if they play normally.

For Chinese Music Services:

If you use NetEase Cloud Music or QQ Music (popular in China), these have native CarPlay integration but may not support third-party lyrics apps like Dynamic Lyrics. NetEase Cloud Music is one of China’s first CarPlay-supporting music apps with region-specific features. Check your service’s official documentation for CarPlay lyrics capabilities in your region.

CarPlay lyrics display requires the third-party Dynamic Lyrics app (iOS 18.0+ required) and works with Apple Music, Spotify, or YouTube Music subscriptions. While Apple and Spotify don’t natively support lyrics on CarPlay as of 2025, this workaround brings that feature to your car’s display. Always verify your song has lyrics available in your region before driving, and keep your iPhone accessible while using the app.