How to Use Your Bluetooth Compatible Phone in Your Lexus - Tech Tip Tuesday

Here's a great step-by-step guide to using your bluetooth connected smart phone in your Lexus. Use the video Index below to jump to different sections.
Apple CarPlay Tech Tip Video: • How to Use Apple CarPl...
Index:
0:00 Start
0:46 Pair Your Phone
1:39 Permission for Texting
2:00 Add Other Phones
2:04 Set Preferred Phone (If Equipped)
2:39 Set Preferred Audio Player (If Equipped)
2:59 Tips For New Phone
3:06 Remove a Phone
3:53 Open Phone Screen From Sub Menu
4:19 Open Phone Screen From Main Phone Menu
5:31 Voice Command a Call
6:29 Open Phone Screen Using Steering Wheel Shortcut Button
7:01 Cool Tip! Quickly Return a Dropped Call
7:19 Different Options for Phone Button Function
7:37 Customize Phone Button Function - If Equipped
8:34 Receiving a Call While Driving
8:59 Full Screen View (Large Screen w/ NAV - If Equipped)
9:20 Receiving a Text
9:38 Send a Text with Bluetooth (Quick Messages)
10:35 Editing Quick Messages
10:48 Return to Phone Screen
11:16 Siri Mobile Assistant (iPhone & only on certain Lexus models & years)
Apple CarPlay Tech Tip Video: • How to Use Apple CarPl...

[@hockeymaidscalgary]

We made a special order to built and are waiting for the delivery of our 2021 RX450h this end of August 2021. We are watching all the tutorial of Melissa and she is just simply awesome. Simple, clear, consise and the choice of simple words everyone can fully understand. Welldone Melissa! Keep up the good work! We would put 5 out of 5 stars for a very good presentation for Melissa. Ted & Helen, Owner of Hockey Maids Calgary

[@NorthsideLexus]

Yay! Congratulations on your new RX 450h special order! It will be worth the wait! Let me know if you have any questions as you explore it! Thanks again for tuning in!

[@jennysingh7499]

Thanks for all the wonderful tips, I just purchased my first Lexus UX250 Hybrid and all your tips are really helpful.

[@NorthsideLexus]

I'm so glad to help! Congratulations on your new UX250h! That's so awesome! Thanks again for tuning in!

[@brettparrish1622]

Hey Melissa from Friendswood. My wife and I have had our 2020 RX 450hL for a month now and your videos and Tech Tip Tuesdays are very much appreciated.

[@NorthsideLexus]

That is awesome! I'm so glad to her they are helping y'all! Enjoy your new RX!

[@jeffreybianco3643]

Another Oscar winning vid. Thank you. Well done.

[@NorthsideLexus]

Awww! Thanks so much, Jeffrey! You're so sweet and supportive! So glad you're here!

[@shanejohn6732]

We bought our car from you guys it was a great experience it was a 2020 Lexus RX350L we went to every other store's westside Lexus, sterling McCall Lexus but not a good price over here at northside Lexus awesome deal we travel like 1 and a half hour to get the car but it was worth the journey.

[@NorthsideLexus]

That's great! Thanks so much for shopping with us and supporting our channel :)

[@karlsheldon60]

Thank you for the information, Also you are very beautiful🙏🏾

[@NorthsideLexus]

Thanks so much. That's very sweet of you to say :) Thanks for tuning in!

[@larrymills7631]

Great videos! Do you have video that covers using phone with CarPlay? Is there a hand held option? Thanks

[@NorthsideLexus]

Hi Larry, Thanks for visiting the Lexus Virtual Classroom. Here's my Apple CarPlay video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/j5LXl2x-Zpadh68 There is a section about using the phone and making calls. I hope that's what you're looking for. Can you clarify about a hand held option, do you mean switching to handset mode for calls? Let me know and I'll get you the answer. :)

[@larrymills7631]

@@NorthsideLexus yes interested switching to handset when using CarPlay. Thanks

[@nihalmofied]

Hi Your videos are very helpful. Thank you. I would like to know how to send a text message handsfree from a Lexus UX, that is different than the pre-set messages. So I want to send a message that is not in the list of pre-written messages. The voice command only allows pre-set messages. How can change that to dictate my personalized message. Thank you

[@NorthsideLexus]

Hi, Nihal! The more robust texting with Bluetooth has been pushed to Apple CarPlay or Android Auto now. Models with built in Navigation will have more reply options than models without built in NAV, but it is still somewhat limited. The best thing to do is use Apple CarPlay or Android Auto to have full texting capabilities. Thanks very much for your great question. Happy New Year!

[@jmbo.mailbox]

Hi Melissa. Can you make it also for Lexus RX 2023 with Android phone, because I can not use the Android Auto in my Lexus RX 2023. Many thanks Melissa.

[@NorthsideLexus]

I'm not sure if this is what you need, but see if this helps: 13:59 Android Auto Also for Android Auto, make sure you give all of the permissions when you setup your phone. Some Android phones even require to get the Android Auto app from the Paly Store. Hopefully this will help get things going for you. Thanks very much for checking in.

[@larryrath5341]

Have 2021 RX 350. With phone connected to apple car play (USB cable) and making a phone call, how does one increase the sending call volume for folks on the other end of the line to hear me better?

[@NorthsideLexus]

Hi Larry! Thanks for tuning in. The iPhone volume settings are all usually connected to the phone itself. I would try the following: 1. power off and restart your phone, just to clear the system. 2. Make a call through Apple CarPlay, then turn the volume on the actual iPhone all the way up on the side of the phone. Then start adjusting the volume, up or down on the car. This will impact incoming volume. For the car try this: Menu > Setup > Phone > Phone Settings > Sound Settings > In-Call Volume This might only help with calls made via Bluetooth, so I'm not 100% sure it will help your Apple CarPlay calling volume issue, but it's worth a try if the above steps didn't clear it up for you. All the best, Melissa

[@jrs2276]

Videos are great. I have a 2015 ES350 abs issues with Bluetooth. Sometimes the sound for Waze comes thru or just doesn’t. It’s a iPhone 11, updates to the current os. HELP

[@LJSkyistBigskyMT]

I have the same issue with my 2012 Lexus RX, I have an IPhone 11, and have had absolutely no luck connecting my Bluetooth. It connects the phone but not Bluetooth. So I can’t play my Apple Music or podcasts. I am ready to go back to my iPhone 8 this is so frustrating.

[@NorthsideLexus]

Hi Jerry, sorry for the delay. I've been out of the office and am just catching up. You have a couple of options for the Waze sound settings. 1. On the Car select Bluetooth Audio in the Audio system Sources and then the sound will play through Bluetooth audio. (This means you can't listen to the radio for AM, FM or SAT, but you can play music from an app on your phone.) 2. Open the Waze app when you aren't connected to the car: Tap Search, Tap the Gear in the top left corner, Open Voice & Sound, Select Play sound via - Choose Play as a Bluetooth phone call. (This will let you play music from the radio and the Waze instructions will interrupt and play as they come up.) Hope this helps and that you had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

[@NorthsideLexus]

Hi Lisa, Sorry for the delay. I've been out of the office. The 2012 RX has a separate connection for Bluetooth Audio so your phone will need to be paired for that as well. I'll reply to your other comment with those instructions for you. Thanks so much for tuning in.

[@jrs2276]

@@NorthsideLexus I will try that and let you know, thank you for responding

[@LJSkyistBigskyMT]

@@NorthsideLexus Thank you! This has been the most frustrating thing for me. I always listen to my podcasts while driving and since I got the new phone. It has been maddening for me.

[@Maisiebb2019]

Great video! Super informative! I have a 2020 Lexus RX 350 and an iPhone 11 Pro Max. I’ve noticed that if I’m continuing my music to be played over Bluetooth (eg. I was listening to music over Bluetooth while walking then got into car), the volume will be pretty low for the first 2-3 min after starting the car, but then the volume will adjust to normal after that (without doing anything on my part). My phone volume is on max and it only seems to do that right when I start up the car. If I connect to Apple CarPlay, it’s normal volume. Any idea why this might be the case? Thanks!

[@NorthsideLexus]

Yay! Thanks so much! Happy to help! Regarding the BT volume for your music, I've seen some strange things since Apple separated out all of the volumes for each app, phone volume, then phone connected to BT volume for calls, Siri volume through BT (depending on the vehicle) and Apple CarPlay volumes all seem to be independent of one another. Here's the only thing I have tried that has work for most situations: 1. Car on & phone connected to Bluetooth (do not plug in for Apple CarPlay) 2. Get playing what ever it is you are having volume issues on (a music app, a phone call, etc,) 3. Then turn the volume all the way up on the iPhone (even if you think it is already all the way up) 4. Then adjust the volume on the car The other thing to try adjusting is the Active Sound Levelizer: In "Sound" Settings from the BT Audio or Radio screens. Try toggling that Off to see if it will help. It can do adjustments to audio volume based on vehicle speed. (There is a little blurb about it in the NAV Owner's Manual on page 122). I'm not sure if it will help, but fingers crossed :) Thanks again for watching!

[@Yunjust]

Hey were you ever able to find the solution? I’m have the same issue with the same car

[@Maisiebb2019]

@@Yunjust never figured out a solution unfortunately

[@Maisiebb2019]

@@Yunjust having the same issue with an iPhone 12 pro max. I think it’s just an issue Lexus has with their Bluetooth system

[@Yunjust]

Ik I just switched my phone to the 12 pro max also from the 11 pro max today. Having the same problem. It’s mad annoying!!

[@Yunjust]

Hello for my 2020 rx350 when I turn on the car on Bluetooth mode, it goes from normal volume, the the volume get lower automatically, then after few minutes it goes back to normal. How do I fix that?

[@NorthsideLexus]

Hi! Thanks for tuning in. There are always a lot of factors to consider with Bluetooth. What phone do you have? What is the OS version? What app are you playing music from that is experiencing the fluctuation in volume? Keep in mind that Bluetooth volume is first controlled on the phone. Get the item playing that you want to hear. Turn the sound all the way up on the phone first then adjust in on the car. This will give you much better results. Some phones have even more sound settings that will override the functionality on the car. Try to duplicate the issue on different apps and even with a phone call. See if you can identify the app or setting that is the issue. On the car something to try: The vehicle also has a feature called an Automatic Sound Levelizer. The system adjusts to the optimum volume and tone quality according to vehicle speed to compensate for increased vehicle noise. From the Audio screen, click on the speaker icon on the bottom left corner to open Sound Settings. Then you can turn the Automatic Sound Levelizer Off and see if that does the trick. Hope this helps :)

[@lindamckibbin5207]

I just bought a new Samsung A3 phone and now my contact pictures do not display on my 2017 Lexus rx450h as it did before with my Samsung J3. Any suggestions? I really like seeing a photo on the screen of the person I am talking to. Thought it might be a phone setting??

[@NorthsideLexus]

Hi Linda, Sometimes when contacts are transferred from one phone to another, they are not fully transferred to the new phone. They can be on the SIM or in the cloud like with a Gmail or Google account transfer. Try this: create a new or contact directly in your phone, add a picture. Turn the car off and back on to let the contacts update, check to see if the image shows. If it does, then it means you need to import the contacts to your phone from where ever they are being stored. Hopefully this will help you get it set up the way want. Thanks for being here with us!

[@analyticalranking6983]

Hi, I got a Lexus CT 2012. I have connected my phone and deleted previous one. But I can't ply music as I dodn't have Audio in Set up menu. Can you please advise?

[@NorthsideLexus]

Hi! I'm not sure if you can open the manuals form this link, but the NAV Owner's Manual has great instructions for setting up Bluetooth Audio. drivers.lexus.com/lexusdrivers/resources/manuals-warranty Just incase you can't open the link here are the steps. It has it's own connection and can only have two portable players in the system. Menu > Setup > Audio > Bluetooth Audio Settings > Remove to clear old devices > Register to add a new device > once you click Register you will be able to follow the prompts to get connected > make sure to have your phone ready with BT on and the BT menu open > you will already see the connection you made for the phone and you will click on it again to give permission for the audio connection. I hope this works for you :)

[@daphnewilliams7902]

I don't have any sound from my iPhone when it's connected via bluetooth. For example, if the iPhone is connected via bluetooth and I try to watch a video on the phone there is no sound. What do I need to do to address this?

[@NorthsideLexus]

Hi Daphne, Sorry that is giving you some trouble. Try these steps that should solve the volume issue. Each app has it's own volume. Here's what to do. Get the video playing from your phone via Bluetooth or the iPod Source on the audio screen if you are plugging in to the USB ports. Then turn the volume on the phone (not the car) all the way up. Then adjust the volume on the car. A few updates ago the phone content builders decided to make every volume independent of the other sound sources. So call volume, Siri volume, each app's volume etc. are all separate. Let me know how it goes.

[@daphnewilliams7902]

@@NorthsideLexus I followed your instructions and the sound from the phone is actually playing through the car. Thanks so much for your help!

[@kristivann91]

Please help! I can't edit who i have assigned to my quick dial. I accidentally select the wrong phone number for my daughter's phone in quick dial. My Lexus is RX350 2016

[@NorthsideLexus]

Hi Krisit, No worries. I wish they did a better job of explaining how to change those. Here's how: Highlight the Quick Dial you want to edit. Press and Hold with the mouse. You should get a popup asking about editing or deleting. Click Yes. Then make your change. That should take care of it :) Thanks so much for tuning in.

[@adeelurrehman2304]

All Good.I will come Houston and will meet u soon.My wife sister is lived in Houston sugar land.

[@NorthsideLexus]

That's awesome! Looking forward to it!

[@verapenny2894]

I put something on the mouse and a map of the United States is on my screen with a split map. How can I remove the United States map and just have a local map?

[@NorthsideLexus]

Hi Vera, It sounds like your map is just really zoomed out. Try click on the + sign in the corner of your map screen until you are at 700 feet GPS. That is a very popular perspective setting for seeing street information. Hope this helps :)

[@adeelurrehman2304]

Hello nice

[@NorthsideLexus]

Hello! Great to see you on here :)

[@annlashworth8396]

THis is a fabulous video. Wish I had discovered these earlier. I just purchased a Samsung G Flip 3 phone and I have been unable to pair it with my 2019 Lexus UX F Sport. My Bluetooth is turned on and I had previously paired an iphone 11 which still shows in the screen, and there is no prompt to allow me to delete it although it is no longer connected (it’s the same phone number). When I try to pair the new phone,my new Samsung watch shows but nothing comes up for the new phone, even when I try to scan. It reports, “connection failed.). Also, I have Apple Car Play but I understand that there is no Android car play available for the 2019 UX. What am I missing? THank you!

[@annlashworth8396]

FYI in case you see the remark above, I found another one of your videos that explains the phone connection and I was able to make it work on the 2019 Lexus UX. Sure wish it had android CarPlay!

[@shellywardlaw8264]

I have a 2021 UX250 HF sport. While driving, I receive a text. I use voice command to read text. It gives me a quick choice screen when I hit reply. I dont want a quick choice reply I want to say my own reply, It keeps telling me to choose a quick reply. What am I doing wrong?

[@NorthsideLexus]

Hi Shelly, Sad to say that what you have described are the exact steps for how the texting replies work with Bluetooth now. When they moved the Mobile Assistant into Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, they removed the more robust texting features from the Bluetooth. The best way to text in your Lexus will be through your smart phones connect platform (Apple CarPlay or Android Auto). You will have full functionality and a much more responsive interface. I hope this helps. Thanks very much for tuning in!

[@rmaureen7851]

When I make a call I can hear them but they can’t hear me. I have a 2018 NX

[@NorthsideLexus]

The Bluetooth phone issue can usually be resolved by unpairing and repairing your phone. Here are the steps we recommend: Eliminate the pairing from the phone and the car: 1. On the phone: - Settings > Bluetooth > Open the Info ("i") for the car's device > Forget this device - Make sure you have the most up to date iOS for your iPhone - Power your iPhone all the way off and back on 2. On the car: - Menu > Setup > Bluetooth > Remove > follow the prompts to remove all phone that are not working correctly or are no longer being used. - Turn the car off and back on - Repair the updated phone 3. Test a call - Make a call through the system on the car. - While on the call, use the buttons on the top left side of the iPhone to turn the call volume all the way up. Then make additional adjustments on the car. Let me know if that works for you :)

[@normavieira4998]

Porque no das la explicación en Espanol!! Por favor!,,, Gracias

[@NorthsideLexus]

Lo siento, no tengo traductor de español. I will work on that. Thanks so much.

[@sheilab3452]

I have a 2019 Lexus RX 350 without navigation and just got a new phone. My old phone is paired but I deleted the Lexus connection off of my phone. I don't see an option to 'delete' or 'add' device on my Lexus and the car is not able to find my new phone. My phone doesn't get a pop-up from the Lexus asking for it to connect. Any tips on how to delete the old phone from the car?

[@NorthsideLexus]

Hi @Sheila! No worries. Here's what to do: On the car: Follow the steps to remove any phone or old phone connection in the list. Menu > Setup > Bluetooth > Remove (look on the right hand side of the screen. It should say Add and then Remove right underneath) > Click on the phone device name > Click Remove to confirm On the phone: (Remove any car Bluetooth connection that isn't working. These steps will depend on the type of phone you have.) If you don't know how to do this part, please tell me the phone and operating system you're using and I can help. - Turn the Bluetooth off and back on, on your new phone. - On the car: Get back to the "Add" screen. Menu > Setup > Bluetooth > Add - On the phone: Settings > Bluetooth > make sure it is on and scanning for near by devices > click right on the name of the car's device when it pops up on the phone's screen. Follow the prompts to allow it to Pair. If you want texting on the car, make sure to allow during the pairing process for Android phones or after pairing for iPhones. Touch the "i" for information for the BT Device menu and turn on "Show Notifications." Hope this gets you all set up with your new phone :)

[@sheilab3452]

@@NorthsideLexus I really appreciate your reply! My issue that I'm running into is that there is no 'add' or 'remove' button. When I scroll, there are just the two devices but doesn't give me an option to do anything with them. I even tried again with my old phone and my car requests to connect but not with my new one (iPhone 12 Pro Max). I wish I could add a pic to show that there's no option to add or remove! I am also in Houston, so may need to go to the Lexus dealership to see if there's something going on.

[@NorthsideLexus]

@@sheilab3452 Try having the car in Park. Those items won't be accessible when the car is moving. Do you have a mouse style controller for your screen or a dial? If it is the dial controller you will need to "toggle" or push it to the left to open an additional menu that includes the Add and Remove items.

[@neosok82]

hello, on my lexus nx 300 when connecting android to hands free I hear the subscriber and he doesn’t me. Tell me what could be the problem?

[@NorthsideLexus]

Hi PHOTOLIFE, Sorry to hear that. Here are some key troubleshooting tips to try: (Based on the information you gave me, I'm guessing you are talking about a Bluetooth connection issue and not an Android Auto issue.) - While the vehicle is stopped: Once the phone is connected, place a call, then adjust the volume on the side of the phone all the way to the top. Then look on the screen on the car for "Transmit Volume" and adjust that setting up. - If those adjustments don't work. On the car press Menu - Setup - Phone - and look for any volume or sound settings that are specific to your device that can be turned up. They vary by phone model. - If none of that works, unpair the phone. Make sure to delete the phone pairing from the car and the car from the phone. Power you phone off and back on. Make sure your OS is up to date. Repair the phone. Hopefully this will help :)

[@neosok82]

@@NorthsideLexus in the car for some reason there is no android auto but only car play. my phone is samsung s 10+. when you call, the sound on the phone is not regulated, but it says that the sound is not active. Anyway, thanks for trying to help.

[@neosok82]

@@NorthsideLexus good afternoon, in the 2018 lexus nx 300 the seat ventilation is only the lower part? the back is not ventilated?

[@NorthsideLexus]

@@neosok82 Hi! Welcome back! Looking this up I see that the cushion and the seat back should have ventilation. This would be a good thing to have a Lexus Technician check out for you. There is not a setting that can be accessed by the owner. I have also not seen a customization to turn the back fan off while the seat bottom cushion fan is on. If you have the "Auto" feature for seat climate, over ride it by pushing the button again and see if you can feel the fan blowing when it is on high. If it is not working properly, definitely have your Lexus service department take a look. All the best.

[@javedbutt6800]

I have a I-phone 7 it is successfully sync with my Lexus gs300 2008 year model it does not transfer my contacts via Bluetooth I can manually insert contacts

[@NorthsideLexus]

Hi @Javed, at a certain point in the iOS versions a few years ago, iPhones stopped being compatible with our previous generation systems for automatic contact transfer. Manually adding them or using the Call Log, are the only options. Sorry I don't have a work around for you.

[@javedbutt6800]

@@NorthsideLexus thank you 🙏 for your advice I appreciate it. I will manually feed all my contacts

[@Jordan-yd2um]

💕

[@NorthsideLexus]

Thanks, Jaden :)

[@Shrinksjp]

I successfully paired the phone to the cars, but all of the contacts are not correct and names do not show.

[@NorthsideLexus]

Sorry to hear that. Contact transfer depends on how you have your contact list set up on your phone. What phone, Lexus model and year are you using?

[@Shrinksjp]

@@NorthsideLexus 2020 RC F and AT&T flip phone

[@NorthsideLexus]

@@Shrinksjp Flip phones can be tricky for sending name cards. Sometime you need to change the formatting. Or push the contacts from the share feature. It can also make a difference if the contacts are saved on the phone or on the SIM card. I would reach out to your cell phone provider to see if they have suggestions. They will be more familiar with the bluetooth sharing method that your phone uses and may have some suggestions that would help. All the best with it.

[@Shrinksjp]

@@NorthsideLexus Thanks. I will let you know if anything works.

[@Shrinksjp]

@@NorthsideLexus What I noticed is that it seems that the old phone's contacts remained in the car system, and only 2 contacts from the new phone transferred and they have the names labeled with the phone number. Even though I unpaired the old phone from the car, the contacts seem to remain.

[@MrBiojoe]

Can I ask my lexus to give me 6 numbers for the lottery? Ahh I bet the car alexa app can?

[@NorthsideLexus]

LOL! If you figure that one out, let me know! That would be a lot of fun to have your car help you win the lottery :)

[@tuxievous420]

Xander must be fed up by now 😭😂😂

[@NorthsideLexus]

Right!?! LOL! Poor Xander!

[@NorthsideLexus]

And thank goodness he's just a character from Buffy the Vampire Slayer 🤣💀

[@adeelurrehman2304]

Sister how are you ?

[@NorthsideLexus]

Great, Adeel! How are you? We have a storm coming in to Houston. I hope your family will stay safe and sound :)

[@erikaldana4082]

Lmao 🤣🤣🤣 it's not that easy most of the time it doesn't even match

[@NorthsideLexus]

I'm sorry to hear that you are having trouble with the Bluetooth on your phone not matching what you see on the car. When you follow the setup steps, it should go smoothly like this. I hope this helps. Thanks for tuning in.