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Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minuteTo use your phone as an AirConsole controller, the car must first support the AirConsole app. Open AirConsole or AirConsole Games on the vehicle’s infotainment screen, scan the QR code shown there with your phone, and follow the link to the AirConsole Controller Web App or phone app. Enter a nickname if requested, join the lobby, and choose a game. The car screen displays the game; each player’s phone acts as a controller.
Compatibility is the first gate. AirConsole is installed through selected manufacturers’ in-car app stores and is not automatically available just because a vehicle has Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. Model, software version, infotainment equipment, country, connectivity, subscription and licence requirements can all affect access.
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Before you connect: confirm that the car supports AirConsole
Check the vehicle before trying to pair a phone. On the infotainment screen, open the manufacturer’s app store and search for AirConsole or AirConsole Games. Then compare the exact model, model year, software version, infotainment package and country with AirConsole’s current supported-cars and requirements list.
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AirConsole says availability and the game catalogue can differ by vehicle, operating system, infotainment equipment, subscription or licence and market. A car may therefore appear to have the right brand integration but still lack the app because of its software release, equipment level or region. The in-car app store is the quickest practical check; the support list is the better check for the conditions behind that listing.
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- Look for the app in the car itself. A phone app alone cannot turn an unsupported dashboard into an AirConsole system.
- Check connectivity. Some integrations require the vehicle to be online and signed in to the manufacturer’s connected-services account.
- Check paid features. Certain cars require an active service package or licence. BMW/MINI requirements, for example, can depend on software and package conditions; Volkswagen’s listed passenger-car integrations include a VW Connect Plus requirement.
- Check the country. An app or game catalogue available in one market may not be available in another.
Do not treat Apple CarPlay or Android Auto support as proof that AirConsole is supported. AirConsole runs as an eligible in-car integration, not as a universal projection app.
Safety: park before starting a game
Volkswagen and BMW/MINI’s AirConsole instructions explicitly make gameplay available only while the vehicle is parked. AirConsole states the Volkswagen restriction this way: “For safety reasons, AirConsole can only be used when the vehicle is parked!”
Park in a safe, legal place before opening a game or handing a phone to a player. Do not attempt to play from the driver’s seat in traffic, at a stoplight or while the vehicle is moving. A special Audi passenger-display integration is different: Audi describes selected vehicles in which passengers can play on a separate passenger screen while the car is moving, with the display separated from driver functions. That exception applies only to the specified passenger-screen equipment and software; it does not make central-screen play while driving generally available. Read the restrictions shown by your vehicle.
The standard connection procedure
- Park and switch on the infotainment system. Keep the vehicle stationary while you install, launch and join a game.
- Open the in-car app. Select AirConsole or AirConsole Games from the vehicle’s app launcher. If it is missing but the car is listed as eligible, open the manufacturer’s in-car app store and install it there.
- Wait for the connect screen. The car display normally shows a QR code. Leave that screen visible while you use the phone.
- Scan the QR code with the phone camera. Point the camera at the code and tap the notification or link that appears. AirConsole can open its Controller Web App in the phone’s browser or redirect to an installed controller app.
- Use a connect code when offered. Some vehicle flows show a code that can be entered in AirConsole on the phone instead of scanning. The exact option depends on the car’s implementation.
- Complete the player prompt. Enter a nickname if the screen asks for one, then tap the control to join the lobby.
- Choose a game. The first phone connected may be designated the main controller in Volkswagen’s described flow. Select a title from the car or phone interface and start it from the controller.
No separate gamepad, cable, adapter or phone mount is identified as necessary for this pairing flow. Your existing smartphone supplies the controls, while the vehicle display supplies the game image.
Adding other players
Each additional player uses their own smartphone. Leave the AirConsole connect screen or lobby visible in the car, have the next player scan the same QR code, and let that phone follow the browser or app prompt. The player enters a nickname if requested and joins the lobby.
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Player limits and the games available can vary by vehicle integration. A title that works on one supported car may not appear on another, so use the catalogue shown in that vehicle rather than assuming every AirConsole game is available.
Manufacturer-specific instructions
Volkswagen
- With the car parked, open the VW In-Car Shop.
- Install AirConsole if it is not already present, then launch AirConsole Games.
- Scan the QR code on the infotainment display with the phone camera.
- Enter a nickname if prompted and join the lobby.
- Use the phone controller to select and start a game.
AirConsole’s Volkswagen requirements vary by vehicle and market. The supported-car overview lists VW Connect Plus for the covered passenger models. If the app cannot be installed, check the exact model, software, country and connected-services status rather than repeatedly reinstalling the phone app. Volkswagen’s published flow is restricted to parked use.
See the current AirConsole Volkswagen instructions for the vehicle-specific sequence and requirements.
BMW and MINI
- Park the vehicle and open AirConsole Games in the iDrive system.
- Scan the displayed QR code with each player’s phone.
- Enter a nickname if requested and join the lobby.
- Select a game and operate it from the connected phone.
BMW/MINI availability depends on the supported vehicle, operating-system version and service or package conditions. If AirConsole Games is absent from iDrive, verify those prerequisites and the market before troubleshooting the QR scan. BMW/MINI instructions also require the car to be parked. The official steps are in AirConsole’s BMW/MINI guide.
Audi
- Sign in to the myAudi account associated with the vehicle.
- Confirm that the car has an active internet connection.
- Install AirConsole from the Audi Application Store when the vehicle is eligible.
- Launch the app and scan the QR code shown on the car display.
- Finish the nickname and lobby prompts, then select a game on the phone.
Audi says selected vehicles can run AirConsole on the central MMI display or, where equipped, on the passenger display. Confirm the exact vehicle and equipment before relying on either screen. Audi’s passenger-screen announcement describes a separated passenger experience; it should not be read as permission to use a central display while driving. Audi’s integration background is described in the Audi MediaCenter announcement.
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Other supported cars
AirConsole’s overview also lists selected Porsche and Škoda vehicles. Their setup may use a different app centre, software level, connected-service package or market restriction. Open the in-car store first, then verify the exact entry in the supported-cars overview. Do not copy the BMW, Audi or Volkswagen installation path to another brand unless that car’s instructions show the same menus.
Do you need the AirConsole app on your phone?
Not always. AirConsole documents a controller web app that opens in the phone’s browser after the QR scan, as well as an installed controller app. Follow the destination offered by the in-car QR code. If it opens a browser page, you can normally continue there without separately installing a phone app; if the vehicle flow directs you to an app, install or update that app from the official mobile-app store.
A QR scan is the normal route, but some supported flows provide a connect-code field. Enter the code exactly as shown on the car screen in the AirConsole phone interface. If neither a QR code nor a code appears, the vehicle app has probably not reached its connection screen or the integration is unavailable.
What the phone and car each do
| Component | Role | What it does not do |
|---|---|---|
| Vehicle infotainment system | Runs the AirConsole game, shows the lobby and displays the QR code. | It does not automatically accept any phone just because CarPlay or Android Auto is installed. |
| Player’s smartphone | Opens the controller web app or controller app and sends game inputs. | It is not the game display in the normal car integration. |
| Vehicle connectivity and account | Provides access to the eligible app store and online service where required. | Having mobile data on the phone cannot override an ineligible vehicle, package or country restriction. |
Troubleshooting a failed connection
The app is not in the vehicle’s store
- Recheck the exact model, model year, software version and country in AirConsole’s supported-car list.
- Confirm that the required connected-services account is signed in and that any listed subscription or package is active.
- Install available vehicle software updates according to the automaker’s instructions, then search the in-car store again.
- Do not substitute the phone app for the missing in-car app. The dashboard integration is required to display the game.
The QR code will not scan
- Increase the phone’s screen brightness and clean the camera lens.
- Hold the phone far enough away for the entire code to fit in the camera view, then keep it steady.
- Use the camera’s link notification rather than taking a screenshot of the code.
- If the vehicle shows a connect code and AirConsole offers a code-entry field, use that alternative.
- Return to the car app’s connect screen if the code has expired or the lobby has been closed.
The scan opens a page but the phone does not join
- Check that the phone has an internet connection and that its browser is allowed to open the link.
- Finish any nickname or consent prompt instead of closing the page.
- If the page requests the controller app, install or update it, then scan the current QR code again.
- Make sure the car remains online; a disconnected vehicle can leave the phone page unable to reach the lobby.
The phone joins but the game does not respond
- Confirm that the phone is on the controller page for the same car session, not a previously opened session.
- Keep the browser or app in the foreground while testing controls and disable aggressive battery-saving restrictions if they suspend it.
- Check whether the selected title supports the number of connected players.
- Close and relaunch the in-car AirConsole app only while parked, then have all players scan the newly displayed code.
The car says the feature is unavailable while moving
This is an expected safety restriction for the Volkswagen and BMW/MINI flows. Park before attempting to launch or resume gameplay. If you are using an Audi passenger display, verify that your exact vehicle has the passenger-screen integration described by Audi; do not try to bypass a central-display lockout.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How to compare AirConsole integrations
When choosing between supported vehicles, compare the integration rather than just the badge on the dashboard. The meaningful differences are:
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| Comparison point | Why it matters | What to verify |
|---|---|---|
| Model years and software | Eligibility can be limited to specific releases. | Exact model, model year and infotainment operating-system version. |
| Subscription and connectivity | A connected-services package or online account may be required. | Active package, licence, account sign-in and internet connection. |
| Country | App access and game catalogues can vary by market. | Your registration country and the market shown in the support list. |
| Screen location | Central and passenger screens have different safety rules. | Whether the integration uses the central display, a passenger display or both. |
| Games and player capacity | The catalogue and supported number of phones can differ. | The titles and player limit displayed by the vehicle app. |
Because these conditions change, check the in-car app store and the current AirConsole and automaker support pages immediately before relying on a particular car for a trip.
What happens after pairing
Once the phone appears in the lobby, the car becomes the shared screen and the phone becomes an input device. Players can pass the phone between rounds or keep one phone per player, depending on the game. Leaving the controller page, locking the phone or losing the vehicle’s connection can interrupt input even though the game remains visible.
To end a session, exit the game from the phone or car interface, then close AirConsole on the infotainment system. The next session will normally display a new QR code or lobby, so do not assume a phone remains connected after the vehicle is switched off.
Official setup references
Use these pages for the requirements that apply to a particular vehicle and the current menus:
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Quick Recap
- AirConsole: How to Connect
- AirConsole: Supported Cars and Requirements
- AirConsole: Play in VW
- AirConsole: Play in BMW/MINI
- Audi MediaCenter: Audi integrates AirConsole
- AirConsole: passenger-screen gaming on Audi
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