Play TikTok on CarPlay
How to add TikTok to Apple CarPlay
There’s no TikTok app for Apple CarPlay. To play TikTok on your car’s CarPlay screen, connect an Android device to the CarPlay USB port and run the TikTok Android app on it. The ATCBridge Kit uses a Raspberry Pi 5 with the open-source Pi2Carplay; the T-Box Lite S is the no-setup option. Play only while parked.
Updated · Tested against Pi2Carplay v0.2.0
Why CarPlay won’t play TikTok on its own
Apple only allows a few kinds of apps on CarPlay, such as audio, navigation, messaging, EV charging and parking apps (see Apple’s CarPlay developer guidelines). Video apps aren’t one of them, so CarPlay can’t show TikTok on the screen, whatever iPhone you have. Newer iOS versions add AirPlay video while parked, but only in cars whose maker supports it.
The workaround is to plug a small Android computer into the car’s CarPlay USB port in place of your phone. The car sees a CarPlay device and shows its screen, and that screen can play anything Android can, including TikTok.
Two ways to play TikTok on CarPlay
| ATCBridge Kit | T-Box Lite S | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Raspberry Pi 5 running open-source Pi2Carplay | Ready-made Android AI box |
| Setup | About an hour, with our guide | Plug in and go |
| Your car needs | Wired CarPlay | Wired or wireless CarPlay |
| Best for | Tinkerers who want hardware they control | Anyone who wants it working today |
| Price | from $49 | from $89 |
How to add TikTok to CarPlay with the ATCBridge Kit
- Make sure your car has wired (USB) CarPlay. Pi2Carplay works over the CarPlay USB port only. Details
- Download the official Pi2Carplay release from GitHub and write it to the kit’s microSD card with Raspberry Pi Imager. Details
- Boot the Pi at your desk with a monitor and mouse, connect Wi-Fi and sign in to Google. Details
- Install TikTok from the Google Play Store on the Pi.
- Log in, or browse without an account.
- Pin TikTok to the dashboard so it opens with one tap.
- Connect to Wi-Fi or your phone’s hotspot and play while parked.
- Connect the Pi’s USB-C port to the car’s CarPlay USB port with a data cable. Android appears on the screen in about a minute. Details
What to expect when you play TikTok
Vertical video on a wide screen
TikTok is made for tall phone screens and car displays are wide, so videos play in the middle with bars at the sides. Pi2Carplay’s split screen lets you use the spare space for a second app.
Scrolling with the touch screen
Pi2Carplay passes the car’s touch input through, so you swipe through TikTok on the car’s screen as you would on a phone. Swipes feel best on cars with responsive capacitive screens.
Data use
Short videos add up. Use Wi-Fi where you can, or watch your hotspot allowance.
TikTok on CarPlay: questions
Can you add TikTok to Apple CarPlay?
Not as a CarPlay app: Apple doesn’t allow short-video apps in CarPlay. You can play TikTok on the CarPlay screen by connecting an Android device to the CarPlay USB port, like the ATCBridge Kit or the T-Box Lite S.
Can I scroll TikTok with my car’s touch screen?
Yes. Pi2Carplay passes the car’s touch input to Android, so you can swipe through TikTok on the car’s display.
Can the driver watch TikTok while driving?
No. Watch video only while the car is parked, and follow your local laws.
Add more apps to CarPlay
- Stream Netflix on CarPlay
- Play YouTube on CarPlay
- Stream Twitch on CarPlay
- Stream Plex on CarPlay
- Play Kodi on CarPlay
Built on open source
The ATCBridge Kit runs Pi2Carplay, an open-source project (GPL-2.0) that brings the CarPlay bridge to a Raspberry Pi 5. We didn’t write it, and we don’t modify or resell it. We supply the hardware, guides and support, and you install the author’s official release directly from GitHub.