Tidal on Apple CarPlay: Stream without a Subscription

Part 1. Does Tidal Work on Apple Carplay?

Yes, it does. As long as your car supports Apple CarPlay (check this list of compatible Apple CarPlay cars), you can easily get Tidal on your car's infotainment system. Before you set up Tidal on your CarPlay, make sure that:

• Your iPhone is an iPhone 5 or higher model with at least iOS 7.1.
• Your car is compatible with the Apple CarPlay in-car system.
• You have an active TIDAL subscription.
• You have the Tidal app's latest version downloaded on your iPhone.

Notably, there is a drawback of Tidal CarPlay integration, and that is you won't be able to view the song in your playlists. That is to say, once you tap on a playlist, it starts playing, instead of showing you the list of songs. It takes some time to skip songs if the song you want to play is down the list.

Part 2. Stream Tidal on CarPlay with a Subscription

If you've prepared the required devices, and an active Tidal subscription, you can follow these steps to get Tidal on CarPlay and enjoy Tidal music right from your car's speaker (for anyone who doesn't have an active Tidal subscription, please navigate to part 3 where you can find a proven solution) :

Step 1 Plug your iPhone into the car's USB port using a compatible cable. (Once connected, you should see a smartphone icon or the Apple CarPlay logo appear on your car's display.)

Step 2 At first, open your iPhone and find Settings. Then tap General and find CarPlay under Picture in Picture.

Step 3 In the 'Available Cars' list, tap on your car's name.

Step 4 Launch the Tidal app on your iPhone. The app should automatically display on your car's touchscreen.

Step 5 On your car's screen, tap Tidal to navigate through your playlists and start playing music from Tidal via the Apple CarPlay system.

Part 3. Key Features and Tips for Tidal on Apple CarPlay

To help you get a better Tidal experience on Apple CarPlay, we have gathered some tips for you. These tips can help you get a more stable, high-quality, and wonderful Tidal music journey. Let’s walk through them!

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  1. Direct Controls

  You can navigate the Tidal library, including "My Collection," and control playback directly from the car's screen. But remember, when you are driving, you need to focus on the road. You can ask your passengers to control the playback or parked on a safe place to switch to the next song. Using Siri is a good option for your safety, too.

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  2.Audio Quality Settings

  Tidal maintains high-quality audio streaming, but CarPlay currently does not support Dolby Atmos. So, if you want the best audio quality, you can open your Tidal app on your iPhone and go to settings to change the quality to Max.

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  3.Offline Mode

  For long journeys, downloading music for offline playback in the Tidal app is recommended. Downloading Tidal music can avoid playback stuttering and is helpful to save your data.

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  4. Use a Wired Connection

  Except for opening offline mode, you can use a wired USB connection for stability, download playlists for offline mode to avoid buffering. Simultaneously, the wired connection can ensure high-fidelity Tidal streaming on Apple CarPlay.

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  5.Tidal Radio

  Start a song, tap the three dots in the CarPlay interface, and select "Tidal Radio" to generate an endless, curated playlist. Tidal Radio allows you find new eminently listenable music.

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  2.Voice Commands

  You can ask Siri to play specific content. Fortunately, Tidal and Apple CarPlay both support Siri.

How to Use Siri on Apple CarPlay:

Step 1 Go to Settings > Siri on your iPhone.

Step 2 Enable "Talk to Siri" and "Allow Siri When Locked."

Step 3 Scroll down to SIRI APP ACCESS and tap on Apps.

Step 4 Find and tap on the Tidal app. Enable all the options that Siri can access.

Step 5 After setting it up on your iPhone, you can also activate Siri on your Apple CarPlay. To do this, you can either say "Hey Siri" or press and hold the voice command button on your steering wheel.

Part 3. Play Tidal on CarPlay without a Subscription

While streaming Tidal with a subscription offers a great experience, it does come with some limitations that may not suit everyone:

1. Tidal Subscription: You need a Tidal subscription to stream music.
2. Limited Control: You can't directly pick a specific song from a playlist on CarPlay. Once you select a playlist, it starts playing from the beginning, and you have to skip to find the song you want.
3. Unstable Connection: While driving, network connectivity can be unstable, which can affect streaming quality, causing issues like lagging, poor sound quality, or even playback errors.

With these limitations in mind, you might wonder if there's a simpler way to play Tidal music on CarPlay without needing a Tidal subscription or dealing with device and connection issues. ViWizard Tidal Music Converter is the solution!

ViWizard Tidal Music Converter allows you to download unlimited Tidal songs, albums, and playlists in their original audio quality. It helps you convert Tidal audio files into various popular formats, such as FLAC, MP3, WAV, M4V, M4B, etc. Thus, you can still listen to high-quality Tidal music without the Tidal app and a Tidal subscription. In this way, you just need to transfer your downloaded music to your device, and you're all set to play it through CarPlay.

Key Features of ViWizard Tidal Music Converter

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• Download full songs, albums, playlists, and artists from Tidal without ads offline
• Convert Tidal tracks in bulk at up to 35x faster speed
• Export Tidal music to MP3, FLAC, WAV, AIFF, M4A, and M4B
• Support various quality options up to a maximum of 24-bit, 192 kHz

Steps to Download and Convert Tidal Music with ViWizard

Step 1Add Music from Tidal

Launch the ViWizard Tidal Music Converter on your PC or Mac, and log into your Tidal account using the built-in web player in ViWizard. Next, find the music, playlists, or albums you want to download and click the "Add Music" icon in the bottom right.

Step 2Customize the Output Preferences

Then, click the menu icon in the upper-right corner, and choose Preferences. Click the Conversion option, and choose the output format you like. Don't forget to click OK to save your changes.

Step 3Convert and Download Music from Tidal

Click on the Convert button, and ViWizard will start downloading and converting the chosen music tracks to the output you've set. When it's finished, the converted Tidal audio files will be stored in the output directory.

Step 4Play the Converted Tidal Music on CarPlay

Once you've downloaded your Tidal music using ViWizard, you can easily transfer it to your iPhone or USB drive for playback:

1. Transfer to Apple Music: Simply add the downloaded Tidal tracks to the Apple Music app on your iPhone, and then play them through CarPlay as you would with any other music.



2. Use a USB Drive: Alternatively, you can transfer the Tidal files to a USB drive and plug it into your car's USB port. Most cars with CarPlay will recognize the USB, allowing you to play your Tidal music directly.



3. Using Bluetooth: Long-press the voice command button on your steering wheel. Ensure that your stereo is in wireless or Bluetooth mode. Turn on the Wi-Fi on your iPhone, and go to Settings > General > CarPlay. Find your car from the list and select it to complete the setup. Then, use Siri or open Music in CarPlay to play music that you just downloaded—including songs, artists, albums, playlists, and Radio. You can also use the controls on your vehicle's steering wheel, buttons on the Now Playing screen, and CarPlay Dashboard to control music playback.

Part 4. Fixes for Tidal CarPlay Issues

Tidal on Apple CarPlay can sometimes be tricky. If you're experiencing issues like connection problems, audio glitches, or difficulty finding your music. Don't worry! These problems are usually easy to fix

Tidal Not Showing Up in CarPlay

If the Tidal app isn't appearing in your CarPlay interface, follow the fixes below:

Step 1 On your iPhone, go to Settings > General > CarPlay > [Your Car]. Scroll down and check if Tidal is turned on. If not, toggle it on.

Step 2 If Tidal still doesn't show up, try uninstalling and reinstalling the Tidal app on your iPhone. This can help fix any glitches with the app.

Step 3 Check if your car's infotainment system has any software updates. Some issues with CarPlay compatibility are resolved through updates from the car manufacturer.

Poor Audio Quality or Skipping Tracks

If you're experiencing low audio quality or your tracks keep skipping while using Tidal on CarPlay, here's how to solve it:

Step 1 Streaming Tidal requires a stable internet connection. If you're using cellular data, make sure you have a strong signal. You can also switch to Wi-Fi if available.

Step 2 Go to Tidal app > Settings > Streaming Quality and choose "Max" for the best audio quality.

Step 3 If you're driving in areas with poor reception, it might cause skipping or buffering. Try to stay in areas with a stable connection, or download your music offline using ViWizard Tidal Music Converter (as mentioned in Part 3).

Tidal Music Pauses or Stops Playing

If your Tidal music keeps pausing or stops playing altogether, it might be due to connection issues or CarPlay settings. Try this fixes when necessary:

Step 1 If your iPhone is in Low Power Mode, it can affect streaming services like Tidal. Go to Settings > Battery and turn off Low Power Mode.

Step 2 If you're using wireless CarPlay, make sure Bluetooth is working properly. For wired connections, try using a different USB cable to rule out any issues with the cable.

Step 3 Sometimes toggling CarPlay off and on can help refresh the connection. Go to Settings > General > CarPlay and disconnect your car. Then reconnect it and check if the issue is resolved.

Part 6. FAQs about Tidal on CarPlay

Conclusion

Listening to Tida on Apple CarPlay is easy as there is a Tidal CarPlay integration available if your car is CarPlay-compatible and you're using an iPhone 5 or later with at least iOS 7.1. For people who do not have the required devices, ViWizard Tidal Music Converter can help you get Tidal music to your car quickly and straightforwardly, even without a Tidal subscription. If you're interested, click the download button to try it for free.