The Tool Desk
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What “activating” Chevy MyLink actually means
MyLink is not activated by entering a single master code. Activation is a sequence of connections between the vehicle, your phone and, for some connected features, a cellular data or Chevrolet service account. The first connection normally pairs Bluetooth for calls, contacts, text messages and music. A second, separate step may start Apple CarPlay or Android Auto through the vehicle’s Projection icon.
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Features vary by model year, trim, head-unit hardware, software version and country. Chevrolet’s support guidance is explicit that the vehicle-specific owner’s manual is the authority for your car. A screen that has Bluetooth but no Projection icon may not support phone projection, even if the phone itself is compatible. Conversely, a vehicle equipped for projection may require a particular USB port, a software update or a wired connection.
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Before you pair: safety, compatibility and prerequisites
Park and select the correct ignition state
Pairing is a stationary operation. The 2016 and 2017 MyLink guides state that the pairing process is disabled while the vehicle is moving. Put the vehicle in Park and use the ignition or accessory state that powers the infotainment system without driving. Do not attempt to complete a PIN confirmation while the car is in motion.
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Prepare the phone
- Turn on Bluetooth and make the phone discoverable in its Bluetooth settings.
- Keep the phone unlocked during the first connection so you can read the code and approve contact or notification permissions.
- Install pending phone operating-system updates. If the vehicle supports infotainment updates, apply the update using the procedure in its manual rather than interrupting power during an update.
- Disable an old vehicle connection temporarily if the phone keeps reconnecting to another car, headset or aftermarket receiver.
Check whether your vehicle supports the feature you want
Bluetooth is broadly available on MyLink-equipped vehicles, but CarPlay and Android Auto depend on the exact equipment and software. Look for a Projection icon in the MyLink home screen or consult the owner’s manual for your model year and trim. The manual also identifies which USB port supports phone projection; some vehicles have multiple ports, while only one carries the required data connection.
Connected services can have additional requirements. Navigation, voice assistants, messaging and media apps may use the phone’s data plan. Other Chevrolet or OnStar functions can require an active service plan or Internet access. Pairing Bluetooth itself does not guarantee that every connected service is available.
How to pair an iPhone or Android phone with Chevy MyLink
1. Open the phone menu on MyLink
- With the vehicle parked, turn on the infotainment system.
- On the MyLink display, touch Phone.
- On many 2017 systems, touch Pair Device. Earlier or different model-year systems may show Add Phone, Pair New Device or a plus symbol; use the label shown by your vehicle.
The 2017 Chevrolet MyLink guide describes the sequence plainly: a Bluetooth-enabled phone must first be paired to the Bluetooth system and then connected to the vehicle before it can be used.
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- On the phone, open Settings, then Bluetooth.
- Start a scan or discovery search if the phone does not begin one automatically.
- Choose Chevrolet MyLink or the vehicle-named entry that appears. The exact name can differ by model and head-unit software.
Keep the MyLink pairing screen open while the phone searches. If the vehicle does not appear, stop the scan, turn Bluetooth off and on again, and restart discovery from the beginning.
3. Confirm the PIN or six-digit code
- Compare the PIN shown on MyLink with the number shown on the phone. On systems that display a six-digit confirmation code, verify that both screens match.
- Touch Pair, Yes or Confirm on the phone and accept the matching prompt on the vehicle.
- Wait for the MyLink success message before leaving the pairing screen.
Never approve a code you cannot see or one that does not match. A mismatch usually means that an old request timed out or that another nearby device is attempting to pair.
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4. Allow contacts and other permissions
- When asked whether MyLink may access contacts, call history or messages, choose Allow if you want those functions on the vehicle display.
- On Android, you may need to approve Bluetooth profile permissions separately for contacts and media audio.
- On iPhone, keep the phone unlocked briefly after pairing so iOS can finish sharing contacts and call history.
Declining permissions does not necessarily break Bluetooth audio, but it removes the corresponding feature. You can usually change the permissions later in the phone’s Bluetooth device settings.
What you can do after Bluetooth activation
| Function | What MyLink can provide | What may be required |
|---|---|---|
| Hands-free calls | Place and answer calls through the vehicle microphone, speakers and screen. | Phone paired and connected; phone service must be available. |
| Contacts and call history | Browse downloaded contacts and recent calls from the Phone menu. | Contact and call-history permissions; some phones require a second approval. |
| Text messaging | Receive or interact with supported messages using the vehicle interface and voice controls. | Compatible phone profile and message permissions; behavior varies by phone. |
| Bluetooth music | Play audio from apps on the phone through the vehicle speakers. | Media-audio connection enabled on the phone. |
| Android Auto | Calls, Google Maps navigation, compatible media apps and hands-free Google Assistant. | Compatible phone, vehicle equipment and software; often a USB data connection on older MyLink units. |
| Apple CarPlay | Supported iPhone calling, navigation, messaging and media apps through the CarPlay interface. | Compatible iPhone, vehicle equipment and software; connection method varies by system. |
App availability is controlled by the phone platform and the vehicle’s supported software. MyLink does not turn every phone app into a dashboard app, and some services consume mobile data.
Using Apple CarPlay or Android Auto
Wired projection procedure
- Start the vehicle and leave it parked while making the first connection.
- Use a known-good USB data cable, not a charge-only cable. Match the connector to the phone (for example, USB-C or Lightning) and plug it into the USB port identified in the owner’s manual for smartphone projection.
- Unlock the phone and accept prompts for Android Auto or CarPlay. Android may ask for Google Assistant, contacts or notifications; iPhone may ask to allow CarPlay while locked.
- On MyLink, touch the Projection icon when it appears. Chevrolet’s 2018 guide describes this icon as the control that activates Android Auto or Apple CarPlay after a supported device is connected.
- Choose the Android Auto or CarPlay interface and follow any on-screen setup instructions.
If the Projection icon is absent, check the manual for the vehicle rather than assuming the cable or phone is at fault. Some model years support only Bluetooth, some support wired projection, and newer systems may support wireless operation; the equipment list is not interchangeable between years.
Bluetooth versus USB projection
| Consideration | Bluetooth pairing | USB phone projection |
|---|---|---|
| Calls and basic audio | Hands-free calls and Bluetooth music. | Calls and audio inside the CarPlay or Android Auto interface, plus Bluetooth profiles where supported. |
| Navigation and apps | Usually limited to phone audio unless the vehicle has a separate supported feature. | Supported navigation, media and messaging apps appear on the MyLink display. |
| Cable | No cable after pairing. | Requires a compatible USB data cable for wired systems. |
| Compatibility | Depends on the vehicle’s Bluetooth system and phone profiles. | Depends on model-year equipment, software, phone OS and the correct USB port. |
| Data or service plan | Phone calls and locally stored audio can work without a separate OnStar plan; carrier service is still needed for calls. | Maps, streaming and assistants generally use the phone’s data plan. Other connected functions may require an active Chevrolet or OnStar service plan. |
A cable marketed as a “USB data cable for Android Auto and Apple CarPlay” is the right category for wired projection. Verify the connector, phone, model year and USB port before buying; a cable that charges another device may not carry data reliably.
Managing paired phones and automatic reconnection
Set the phone you use most often
After pairing, MyLink normally attempts to reconnect to a previously connected phone when that phone’s Bluetooth is on. If several paired phones are present, the system may choose the one that answers first. Turn Bluetooth off on phones you do not want connected, or use MyLink’s device list to select the desired phone.
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Remove an old phone before re-pairing
- Open Phone on MyLink and enter the paired-device or phone-list screen.
- Select the old phone and choose Delete, Forget or Remove.
- On the phone, open Bluetooth settings and forget the Chevrolet/MyLink entry as well.
- Restart Bluetooth on the phone, then repeat the complete pairing process above.
Device capacity is model-year-specific. The 2016 guide states a limit of up to five paired devices, while the 2017 guide states up to 10. If the list is full, deleting an unused entry is required before adding another phone. A paired device is not necessarily an actively connected device; remove both sides when starting over.
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Why MyLink cannot find your phone
The vehicle is moving or not fully awake
Pairing is disabled while driving. Park, select the appropriate accessory or ignition state and wait for the Phone menu to become responsive. A low vehicle battery or a system that has just powered down can also delay the Bluetooth module; turn the vehicle off, open and close the driver’s door, wait briefly, then try again.
Bluetooth discovery is not active on the phone
Opening the phone’s Bluetooth page normally makes it discoverable, but some Android versions stop advertising after the screen is left idle. Keep the page open while MyLink scans. Toggle Bluetooth off, wait a few seconds, turn it on and start a new scan.
An old pairing is blocking the new one
Delete the MyLink entry from the phone and delete the phone from MyLink’s device list. Then restart both discovery processes. This clears stale encryption keys and incomplete connection records that can survive a failed first attempt.
The device list is full
Check the paired-device list and remove unused phones. Remember that the maximum differs by model year: five devices in the cited 2016 system and 10 in the cited 2017 system. Do not assume another model year has the same limit.
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The phone or vehicle software is incompatible
Check the vehicle-specific manual and Chevrolet compatibility information for the exact phone and model year. Install supported phone updates and any vehicle software update offered through the documented procedure. An update can improve compatibility, but it cannot add hardware features that the head unit was never built to support.
Another nearby device is answering
Temporarily switch off Bluetooth on nearby phones, watches, tablets and aftermarket receivers. Retry the scan with only the intended phone and the vehicle powered on. Confirm the displayed name before accepting a code.
When Bluetooth pairs but calls, contacts or music do not work
- Calls work, but contacts are missing: reopen the phone’s Bluetooth settings for MyLink and enable contact sharing, then accept the vehicle’s contact-download prompt.
- Calls work, but music is silent: select the MyLink media source, raise the phone’s media volume and verify that Media Audio is enabled for the MyLink Bluetooth profile.
- Music works, but calls use the phone speaker: choose the vehicle audio route during a call and confirm that the phone profile for calls is enabled.
- Messages are unavailable: approve message access and notifications on the phone. Some phone models or messaging apps do not expose every message type to the vehicle.
- Only one phone connects: disconnect the other paired phone or manually select the preferred device in MyLink’s phone list.
When CarPlay or Android Auto will not start
No Projection icon appears
Confirm that the vehicle is equipped for projection and that you are looking at the MyLink home screen rather than only the Bluetooth phone page. If the manual does not list CarPlay or Android Auto for that trim and model year, no cable or setting can enable it.
The phone charges but MyLink does nothing
Charging proves that power is reaching the phone; it does not prove that data is passing. Replace the cable with a known-good data cable, remove adapters or hubs, and use the documented projection USB port. Inspect the connector for lint or damage, then reconnect with the phone unlocked.
Android Auto or CarPlay starts and then disconnects
Try another certified data cable, keep the phone’s operating system current and remove battery-saving restrictions that stop the projection app in the background. If multiple USB devices are connected, unplug the others while testing. A loose vehicle port or damaged phone connector requires hardware diagnosis rather than repeated pairing attempts.
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Projection works but apps or navigation are missing
Only apps approved by Android Auto or CarPlay are shown. Sign in to the relevant phone services, update the navigation or media app, and confirm that the phone has Internet access if the feature needs live data. A Chevrolet or OnStar subscription may be needed for a separate connected service, but it is not a substitute for phone compatibility.
Reset and escalation options
Use a clean re-pair first
For most connection failures, the least disruptive fix is to forget the phone on both sides, restart Bluetooth and repeat the PIN confirmation. This removes the old relationship without deleting unrelated vehicle settings.
Consult the correct vehicle manual
Use the owner’s manual for the exact model year and trim. Chevrolet publishes model-specific instructions, and its support guidance directs owners to that manual for vehicle-specific information. The manual identifies supported phones, USB ports, projection availability, device limits and any reset procedure.
Use the myChevrolet app, OnStar or a dealer
If the manual’s procedure fails, the myChevrolet app and Chevrolet support channels can identify vehicle-specific instructions. OnStar or a Chevrolet dealer is appropriate when the head unit does not power correctly, the USB port has failed, a software update is required, or the vehicle needs diagnostic equipment. Tell the adviser the model year, trim, phone model, phone operating-system version, whether Bluetooth works, and whether the Projection icon is visible. Those details prevent a generic Bluetooth script from being applied to a hardware or compatibility problem.
Quick Recap
Privacy and practical-use checks
- Only pair while parked and keep the phone out of reach while driving.
- Approve contact and message sharing only if you want those records on the vehicle system.
- Remove your phone from MyLink before selling, returning or servicing the vehicle if you do not want another driver to see its contacts or call history.
- When lending the car, disconnect your phone or disable automatic reconnection so calls do not route unexpectedly through the vehicle.
- Use voice controls and the vehicle’s built-in interface rather than handling the phone while driving.
A concise activation checklist
- Park the vehicle and power MyLink in the accessory or ignition state specified by the manual.
- Open Phone, then Pair Device or the equivalent add-phone command.
- Turn on Bluetooth discovery on the phone and select Chevrolet MyLink.
- Confirm the PIN or matching six-digit code on both screens.
- Accept contact, call-history, message and media permissions you need.
- For projection, connect a compatible phone to the correct USB data port with a known-good cable.
- Unlock the phone, approve CarPlay or Android Auto prompts and tap Projection.
- If it fails, forget the device on both sides, restart discovery and verify compatibility before seeking model-specific support.
Key facts by connection method
| Question | Bluetooth | CarPlay or Android Auto projection |
|---|---|---|
| Can it handle hands-free calls? | Yes, when the phone and call profile are connected. | Yes, through the projection interface on supported systems. |
| Does it show phone contacts? | Yes, after contact-download permission is granted. | Supported contacts and calling controls are presented by the phone platform. |
| Is a USB cable required? | No after the initial pairing. | Usually yes on older wired MyLink systems; check the manual for wireless support. |
| Does every MyLink vehicle support projection? | No projection is implied by Bluetooth alone. | Availability depends on model, trim, software and location. |
| Is an OnStar plan required? | Not for the basic Bluetooth link; carrier service is needed for cellular calls. | Phone data may be needed for maps and streaming, while separate connected services can require an active plan. |
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