For years, FaceTime inside CarPlay felt oddly one‑sided, since the in‑car screen could show the other person’s video while the person on the other end never saw the driver’s camera feed at all. That asymmetry has been a long‑running gripe among CarPlay users who knew the audio worked fine but video from the car was blocked by design.
With iOS 26, users say the restriction is gone and both sides can finally see each other in a FaceTime call while connected to CarPlay. The confirmation is coming in after the public release of iOS 26 rolled out this month.
Hints showed up earlier in the developer cycle when testers on iOS 26 developer beta 2 noticed the camera toggle working in CarPlay, then disappearing and reappearing across builds. At the time, even the original reporter wasn’t sure if Apple meant to ship it or if it was a fleeting bug that snuck in during testing.
Now that the stable update is out, posts in the CarPlay community describe the old rule as lifted, with FaceTime acting like a normal video call where both participants can see each other through the car connection. The same post recalls that wireless glitches sometimes leaked a few frames of the driver’s video in the past, which made the old block feel inconsistent anyway.
Reactions are split, and the debate is lively: some want video fully blocked unless the vehicle is in park, while others argue the change should stand with common‑sense use. A few commenters suggest the safer compromise would be to let the far side see the driver, while the in‑car display stays focused on audio and controls during motion.
Bottom line, the one‑way mirror is finally gone, and FaceTime on CarPlay in iOS 26 shows both sides the way a proper video call should.
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Dwayne Cubbins
1331 Posts
For nearly a decade, I've been deciphering the complexities of the tech world, with a particular passion for helping users navigate the ever-changing tech landscape. From crafting in-depth guides that unlock your phone's hidden potential to uncovering and explaining the latest bugs and glitches, I make sure you get the most out of your devices. And yes, you might occasionally find me ranting about some truly frustrating tech mishaps.
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