How to Pair Your Phone to Your Toyota

Ever looked at your phone while you’re driving, then looked back to the road with surprise for how far you’d gone? At 55 miles per hour, glancing at your phone for five seconds takes you eyes off the road for nearly the length of a football field. A lot can happen in that distance, which is why distracted driving is so dangerous. Nearly all Toyota models are equipped with Bluetooth hands-free phone and audio streaming to help you keep your eyes on the road. But if you don’t know how to pair your phone to your Toyota, it’s of no help.
Pairing a phone to a Toyota is easy as you can imagine. Here’s a step-by-step process to pair your phone to your car so you can focus on driving safely.

Steps for How to Pair Your Phone

Step 1: Turn Your Ignition On

Turn the key in the ignition so it’s in the ON position. The engine doesn’t need to be running but it can be. Your phone will not pair if your vehicle is in motion, so keep the transmission in PARK.

Step 2: Press the Phone Button

On your radio faceplate, press the icon shaped like a phone. Once you press the phone button, you’ll begin the process of pairing your phone to your Toyota.
A prompt displays on the radio stating, “Do you want to pair a phone?” Since you do, tap Yes.

Step 3: Start the Pairing Process on Your Device

You need Bluetooth enabled on your phone and in discoverable mode. Navigate to your phone’s settings menu, then select Bluetooth within the settings options. If Bluetooth isn’t turned on, do so now.

Step 4: Select Your Vehicle from Bluetooth Options

With Bluetooth enabled and discoverable, your vehicle make and model will display on your phone. For example, it will show “Toyota Highlander” on the device list. Select it on your phone. Pairing has begun.

Step 5: Sync Your Contacts

You’ll now see on your infotainment screen the following request: “Do you want to sync contacts?” Obviously, you do. Tap “Allow” to give your vehicle permission to access your contact list.

Step 6: Enable Messaging

On some vehicles, messages can be displayed on the infotainment screen, but only if permission is granted by your phone. On the faceplate, the message “You may need to operate your device to allow messaging access” comes up. So, go back to your Bluetooth settings. Beside your vehicle, tap the (i) icon. Then, enable the option “Show Notifications”.
Tap OK on your radio screen.

Pairing is now complete. After about 30 seconds, your contact list will migrate to your Toyota’s radio. You’re all set!