Suppose you reside in the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain, Argentina, Columbia, Brazil, Europe, Mexico, China, Canada, and the United States.
In that case, there is one thing worth celebrating, and that’s OnStar.
It has many essential services, including remote diagnostics, turn-by-turn navigation, emergency services, communications and in-vehicle security.
That means you are sorted in a car emergency such as a car crash or a breakdown.
Unfortunately, nowadays, you can no longer enjoy the hands-free calling feature unless you connect your mobile phone to the OnStar system.
Interestingly, how to connect your phone to OnStar isn’t hard since this connection uses Bluetooth technology.
It takes a few simple steps, and once you pair your phone with the OnStar system, you can enjoy hands-free communication seamlessly.
A Step-by-step Guide on How to Connect Your Phone to OnStar
If you want to connect your phone to OnStar, follow these simple steps;
Step 1: Enable the Bluetooth Feature of Your OnStar System
Locate the car’s Talk button that’s usually on its steering wheel
Press and hold this button for not less than 2 to 3 seconds
While it says “Bluetooth”, ensuring that the loudness and audibility are enough for the system to detect this crucial command
If it receives the command successfully, your OnStar system responds by saying “Bluetooth Ready” and creates a tone sound.
Step 2: Start Pairing the Two Devices
Once your OnStar system says “Bluetooth Ready”, give it a new command: “Pair”.
In this case, its response will most likely be, “Please start a search on your Bluetooth phone.”
It is vital to take note of a 4-digit your OnStar system will say since you will need it.
Failure to enter the correct pin once prompted will require you to start this process again hence the need to be keen.
Step 3: Enable the Bluetooth Feature of Your Phone
In this step, you will enable Bluetooth on your phone like on any other occasion.
In most cases, the process differs from one phone model to another, and you have to do what yours requires.
Alternatively, you can use its user manual if it is new or you have never used its Bluetooth before and hence have no idea how to go about it.
A toggle icon on most phones usually allows you to turn the Bluetooth on or off conveniently.
As for exceptions, you can always enable Bluetooth from the phone’s settings.
Step 4: Pair Your Phone with the OnStar System
Give your phone time to scan the Bluetooth devices around it.
Choose the name of your car to pair from the list of available devices.
Do you remember the 4-digit pin mentioned in Step 2?
You will need it now since your phone will prompt you to enter upon selecting your car’s name from the available devices list.
Remember the importance of entering the correct PIN to avoid the consequences.
The following action is naming your phone’s connection once the OnStar system asks you to.
You can choose any name as long as you are okay with it.
You need to connect your phone to the OnStar system, and you can make a call whenever you deem fit.
What’s the Quality of OnStar’s Bluetooth Paired Call?
Before February 2022, OnStar subscribers didn’t need to connect their phones to the OnStar system to enjoy hands-free calls.
This feature was popular at the time for its efficiency and high quality.
So, you can imagine the shock upon realizing that such a great feature has been eliminated and replaced.
Luckily, the alternative has proven to be as great as its predecessor.
OnStar Bluetooth-paired hands-free calls are as fast as they used to be before the introduction of the latest feature.
These calls are usually efficient, and issues regarding them are a rare occurrence.
Therefore, making a call while driving without your hands leaving the steering wheel is possible with the alternative feature.
Nevertheless, users often experience problems when making an international call from the United States to Canada.
Other than that, the quality of an OnStar Bluetooth paired call is as good as it used to be back when the subscribers used its original feature.
So, you have nothing to worry about the quality of your hands-free call after connecting your phone to OnStar via Bluetooth.
Can I Connect my iPhone to OnStar?
The compatibility of the OnStar system is wide and accommodates various operating systems, and iOS is no exception.
That means you can connect your iPhone to OnStar seamlessly if you follow the phone’s manual to enable its Bluetooth feature.
Besides, follow the steps mentioned above and enjoy what this connection offers.
Most iPhone models allow you to use CarPlay, play music, receive calls and enjoy dashboard videos.
Another notable feature is mirror navigation using Apple Maps.
So, enjoy the benefits of connecting your phone to OnStar if you are an iPhone owner.
Do You Have to Have OnStar to Use Bluetooth?
No, because Bluetooth is an independent feature that doesn’t require subscribing to OnStar services.
All you need to use this technology is a Bluetooth-enabled phone, and that’s it.
If you are an OnStar subscriber and your phone is Bluetooth enabled, do not hesitate to connect the two for a long list of benefits that come with the combination.
Can You Have OnStar on Your Phone?
Thanks to its mobile application, you can use OnStar on your phone.
It is available on Google Play and App Store for iOS and Android users.
However, your mobile phone must meet the minimum requirements of at least OS 4.0.3 for Android phones and iOS 13.0 for iPhones.
Which Vehicles Allow You to Use OnStar Mobile App?
Whereas one can have OnStar on their phone, this mobile application isn’t compatible with all vehicles.
If your phone isn’t among the few 2011 and other newer model year Buick, Chevrolet, Cadillac and GMC vehicles, the app won’t serve the purpose.
Unfortunately, your mobile phone must have the requirements, whereas your car must be among the vehicles compatible with the mobile application.