This year is shaping up to be monumental for CarPlay, catching many of us off guard after several years of mediocre updates. Among the numerous new features in CarPlay with iOS 26, a significant enhancement addresses a long-standing annoyance in Messages: the absence of tapbacks support.
iOS 26 Enhances CarPlay with Messages Tapbacks Support
Since Apple first revealed the next-gen CarPlay in 2022, subsequent updates have been somewhat underwhelming.
However, with the launch of CarPlay Ultra and the new array of features in iOS 26, things are finally starting to shift.
One of these features is a simple yet telling indication of how little attention CarPlay has received up until now.
Tapbacks, a fundamental aspect of the Messages app, have been around since they were introduced in iOS 10 nearly a decade ago.
Until now, sending tapbacks through CarPlay was simply impossible.
This has been particularly frustrating for me, as I often conclude my Messages conversations with a tapback.
Using a thumbs up, heart, or laughter emoji has become a habitual way to acknowledge a message without extending the chat.
With iOS 26, tapbacks will finally be compatible within the CarPlay Messages app.
You’ll now have the same straightforward tapback convenience available on your iPhone right in your vehicle.
This isn’t the only enhancement for Messages: the ability to pin conversations is also now available.
These additions complement the variety of other updates coming to the Messages app on iPhones with iOS 26.
Let’s hope that Apple’s renewed commitment to CarPlay indicates they will no longer overlook core app features like tapbacks in the car moving forward.
Are you looking forward to CarPlay supporting tapbacks in Messages? Share your thoughts in the comments.
