The basic steps to pair your phone and play music
To play music from your phone through your Mercedes speakers, you need to pair your phone with the car's Bluetooth system once, then connect to it each time you drive. The pairing happens in your car's infotainment screen — the dashboard display where you control the radio and climate. After pairing, your phone will reconnect automatically when you get in the car and turn on the ignition, as long as Bluetooth is on.
The process takes about five minutes the first time. After that, connecting is automatic. If you switch phones or your car forgets the pairing, you repeat the same steps.
Key Takeaways
- Pairing happens once in your car's infotainment menu under Bluetooth or Phone settings, and your phone must be in pairing mode at the same time.
- After pairing, your phone connects automatically each time you start the car, as long as Bluetooth is turned on in both devices.
- Music plays through the car's speakers once your phone is connected, and you control it from your phone, the steering wheel buttons, or the infotainment screen.
- If your phone connects but music won't play, check that your music app is set to play through Bluetooth and not through the phone's speaker.
- Mercedes infotainment systems vary by model year, so the exact menu names and button locations differ, but the pairing process is the same.
How to put your phone in pairing mode
Before you touch anything in the car, open your phone's Bluetooth settings and turn Bluetooth on. On an iPhone, go to Settings, then Bluetooth, and toggle it on. On Android, go to Settings, then Bluetooth or Connected Devices, and toggle it on. Your phone will now search for nearby Bluetooth devices to pair with.
Leave your phone's Bluetooth settings open on that screen — do not close the app or lock the phone. Your Mercedes will search for your phone, and your phone needs to be visible and ready to accept the pairing request. This is the "pairing mode" that lets the two devices find each other.
Finding the Bluetooth menu in your Mercedes infotainment system
In your car, look at the dashboard screen. Press the Menu button or the Home button — the exact name depends on your model year, but it is usually near the bottom left of the screen or on the steering wheel. From the main menu, look for an option called Phone, Bluetooth, or Connectivity. Tap it.
Once you are in the Phone or Bluetooth menu, look for a button or option that says "Add Device," "Pair Device," "New Device," or "Search for Devices." Tap that button. The screen will show a message saying the car is searching for Bluetooth devices nearby. Your phone should appear in the list within 10 to 15 seconds.
Completing the pairing on both devices
When your phone's name appears on the Mercedes screen, tap it. The car will send a pairing request to your phone. On your phone's screen, a notification will pop up asking if you want to pair with your Mercedes. Tap "Pair" or "Yes." Both devices will confirm the connection, and the infotainment screen will show your phone as "Connected" or "Paired."
Some Mercedes models ask you to enter a PIN code on your phone to confirm. If you see a four-digit code on the car's screen, type it into your phone when prompted. After you enter it, the pairing is complete. Your phone is now saved in the car's memory, and you will not have to pair it again unless you unpair it or the car forgets it.
Playing music through your phone
Once your phone is connected, open your music app — Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music, or whatever you use. Start playing a song. The sound should come through the car's speakers, not your phone's speaker. If you do not hear anything, check that the car's volume is turned up. Use the volume knob on the steering wheel or the infotainment screen to adjust it.
You can control the music from your phone, from the steering wheel buttons (if your Mercedes has them), or from the infotainment screen. Some cars show the song title and artist on the dashboard display. If your music app has a Bluetooth icon or an audio output menu, make sure it is set to play through "Mercedes" or "Car Bluetooth" and not through your phone's speaker.
What to do if your phone connects but music won't play
If the infotainment screen shows your phone as connected but you hear nothing when you play music, the problem is usually that your music app is set to play through your phone's speaker instead of Bluetooth. Open your music app and look for a speaker icon or an audio output menu. Tap it and select your Mercedes from the list. Then try playing a song again.
If you still hear nothing, check the car's volume. The infotainment screen may have the volume turned all the way down, or the audio source may be set to the radio instead of Bluetooth. Look at the screen and make sure the source is set to "Phone," "Bluetooth," or "Audio." If the volume bar is at zero, turn it up. If the problem persists, turn Bluetooth off on both devices, wait 10 seconds, turn it back on, and try connecting again.
Reconnecting your phone each time you drive
After the first pairing, your phone will connect automatically when you get in the car and turn on the ignition, as long as Bluetooth is turned on in both your phone and your car. You do not have to do anything — just start the car and wait a few seconds. The infotainment screen will show your phone as connected.
If your phone does not connect automatically, check that Bluetooth is on in your phone's settings. Also check that your car's Bluetooth is turned on — some Mercedes models have a Bluetooth toggle in the infotainment menu or on the steering wheel. If Bluetooth is on in both places and your phone still does not connect, turn Bluetooth off and back on in your phone, then try again.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I pair more than one phone to my Mercedes?
Yes. Most Mercedes models can store multiple phones in their Bluetooth memory. To add a second phone, follow the same pairing steps with the new phone. The car will remember both phones, and whichever one is in the car and has Bluetooth on will connect when you start the car. If both phones are in the car with Bluetooth on, the car usually connects to whichever one it paired with most recently.
Why does my phone keep disconnecting from the car?
Bluetooth disconnects when you turn off the car, when you drive out of range, or when Bluetooth is turned off on your phone. If your phone disconnects while you are driving, check that Bluetooth is still on in your phone's settings — some phones turn it off automatically after a certain time. If it keeps disconnecting, try unpairing your phone and pairing it again. If the problem continues, restart your phone and your car.
Does connecting my phone to the car's Bluetooth let the car see my contacts or messages?
Bluetooth can share your phone's contacts and call history with the car so you can make hands-free calls, but it does not automatically share your messages or other data. When you first pair, your phone may ask if you want to allow the car to access your contacts — you can say yes or no. You can change this permission later in your phone's Bluetooth settings under the car's name.
What if I want to use a different music app?
You can use any music app on your phone — Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music, Amazon Music, or others. Once your phone is connected to the car via Bluetooth, any app that plays audio will send sound through the car's speakers. Just open the app, start playing music, and the sound comes through the car. You do not need to pair again or change any settings.
Can I charge my phone while it is connected to the car's Bluetooth?
Bluetooth is wireless, so it does not charge your phone. If your Mercedes has a USB port or a wireless charging pad, you can use that to charge while Bluetooth plays music. Charging and Bluetooth work at the same time — connecting a USB cable will not disconnect your Bluetooth connection.