Wireless CarPlay for the Mercedes A-Class: factory CarPlay wireless

Get in, drive off and leave your phone in your pocket: CarPlay or Android Auto starts by itself on the screen of your Mercedes-Benz A-Class, without a cable. One condition: your Mercedes must already have wired Apple CarPlay or Android Auto from the factory. The adapter makes that connection wireless; it does not add CarPlay to a car without it.

Do you already see CarPlay or Android Auto when you plug in your phone? Then the 2-in-1 wireless CarPlay and Android Auto adapter is made for your car.

1. What you get

• Wireless CarPlay and Android Auto in one adapter: iPhone or Android.
• Plugs into the existing USB port your Mercedes uses for CarPlay or Android Auto.
• Pair once: after that, your phone connects by itself when you get in.
• No installation, no tools: nothing in the car is taken apart or changed.
• Same screen, same controls: everything still runs on your Mercedes display.

2. Does your A-Class qualify? The 1-minute test

Switch on the media display and connect your phone to your Mercedes with a USB cable.

• CarPlay or Android Auto appears on the screen: your Mercedes qualifies. The adapter goes into that same port.
• Nothing appears: first try another USB port and a good cable. If it still does not appear, your Mercedes most likely has no CarPlay or Android Auto from the factory, and the adapter will not change that.

Which port? The one that worked in the test. Some USB ports only charge. In newer Mercedes models with MBUX they are usually USB-C. Test with the system you will use: an iPhone for CarPlay, an Android phone for Android Auto.

Passed the test? Order the adapter and enter your Mercedes model and year in the order field; we check it before we ship.

3. Which A-Class generations have wired CarPlay

Whether your A-Class has CarPlay or Android Auto by cable depends on the generation, the multimedia system and whether the Smartphone Integration package (code 14U) was fitted:

• A-Class W176 before the facelift (2012–2015): usually no CarPlay or Android Auto from the factory. The adapter does not help here.
• A-Class W176 facelift (CarPlay from 2016) with Audio 20 or COMAND Online: CarPlay via USB with the Smartphone Integration package. With COMAND Online it was usually included, with Audio 20 it was an option, and the basic Audio 5 USB could not have it. Android Auto came to the package for the A-Class from late September 2016, so some 2016 cars only show CarPlay.
• A-Class W177 with MBUX (2018–2022, hatchback and saloon, including Mercedes-AMG A 35 and A 45): CarPlay and Android Auto via USB-C, again with the Smartphone Integration package. CarPlay in this MBUX works by cable only, so this is the typical A-Class for the adapter.

The package was an option on many cars, so two A-Classes of the same year can differ. The cable test is decisive.

Already wireless? Then you do not need the adapter. The A-Class facelift (shown in late 2022, sold as the 2023 model) has the newer MBUX with wireless CarPlay and Android Auto. If your phone already connects without a cable, the adapter adds nothing.

4. Set it up in your A-Class in 3 steps

1. Plug in: start the car, wait until the display is fully on and plug the adapter into the CarPlay or Android Auto port.
2. Pair: switch on Bluetooth and Wi-Fi on your phone and pair it with the adapter (not the car).
3. Confirm: accept the CarPlay or Android Auto prompt on your phone. Done.

You only do this once. After that, your phone connects by itself every time you get in.

5. Common questions from A-Class drivers

• My A-Class is a W176 with Audio 20 or COMAND Online. Does the adapter work? Yes, if CarPlay or Android Auto appears when you plug in your phone. That usually means the Smartphone Integration package is on board, which came with the facelift from 2016. Earlier cars and cars with Audio 5 USB usually have no CarPlay, and the adapter cannot add it.
• Which USB port do I use in the A-Class? The one that shows CarPlay or Android Auto in the cable test. In the W177 with MBUX these are USB-C ports; the W176 still has the older USB-A connection. A port that only charges will not work.
• Does it work in the A-Class saloon or a Mercedes-AMG A 35 or A 45? Yes, if CarPlay or Android Auto appears with a cable. They use the same MBUX system as the hatchback; what matters is the cable test, not the body style or engine.
• My Mercedes has no CarPlay at all. Does the adapter help? No. It only makes an existing wired connection wireless. Mercedes-Benz offers a Smartphone Integration package as an accessory for some models; ask a Mercedes-Benz dealer.
• Does my phone charge, and is there lag? Your phone does not charge, because the USB port now powers the adapter; use a charger or wireless charging pad on long drives. A wireless connection uses more battery and can react slightly slower, mostly when you skip a track.

6. Order the right adapter for your A-Class

Does your Mercedes show CarPlay or Android Auto with a cable? Then order the 2-in-1 wireless adapter. Enter your car model and year in the order field; we check it before we ship. If in doubt, you can always send us a photo or ask us before ordering.

Ships within 24 hours · 30-day returns · Free shipping until 30 November

Further reading

Wireless CarPlay for Mercedes-Benz · Does a wireless CarPlay adapter work in my car? · 2-in-1 wireless CarPlay and Android Auto adapter · Frequently asked questions · Contact us

Sources: MB Passion on CarPlay in the A-Class facelift (June and September 2015), Android Auto in the Smartphone Integration package (August 2016) and CarPlay in MBUX cars (May 2019); Mac4Ever, new A-Class with USB-C (March 2018); Wikipedia, Mercedes-Benz A-Class (W177); Drive/CarAdvice and Auto Express on the A-Class facelift (October 2022); Arnold Clark Newsroom, A-Class facelift review (2023).