Car Phone Holders

A phone holder for the car

A car phone holder keeps the phone steady, in sight and out of your hand, so it can show the route, play music or take a hands-free call. It is the only way to use a phone for directions within the law. The holders in this group are sorted by how they fix to the car, because that decides where the phone sits and which cars they suit.

The kinds of car holder

• Air vent car mounts clip onto a slat of the air vent. They fit most cars, go on in seconds and keep the phone off the glass.
• Dashboard car mounts sit on top of the dashboard on a suction cup or a sticky pad, close to your line of sight but below the windscreen.
• Windscreen car mounts hold on to the glass with a suction cup, usually on an arm, which suits vans and sloping dashboards.
• Cup holder car mounts twist into a cup holder, with nothing stuck on.
• Magnetic car mounts hold the phone with a magnet, so it goes on and off with one hand.
• Wireless charging car mounts charge the phone as they hold it.

Many of the holders here are sold with a choice of fitting, a vent clip or a suction cup, chosen on the product page.

How to choose a car phone holder

Sit in the driving seat and look at your car first. Thin, round or upright vent slats suit some clips and not others. A textured or curved dashboard needs a sticky disc under a suction cup. A holder on the windscreen has to sit low, at the bottom edge or in a corner, never in the middle of the glass. Wherever it goes, keep it clear of the airbags, the controls and the car's own screen.

Each holder states the phone sizes it takes. Most give the screen size in inches, some give the width the arms open to, and a thick case adds to both, so measure your phone in its case before you choose.

The law on phones in the car

It is illegal to hold and use a phone while you are driving, even stopped at traffic lights or queuing in traffic, and that covers maps and music as well as calls. A phone in a holder that you do not hold is hands-free, as long as it does not block your view of the road and traffic ahead and you stay in full control. Holding and using a phone means 6 penalty points and a £200 fine, and a driver who passed in the last two years loses their licence. Set the route before you set off.

Questions people ask about car phone holders

Which kind of car holder is steadiest?

A suction or sticky mount on a short arm shakes least. A vent clip with a hook behind the slat holds better than a plain clip, and a heavy phone is better on the dashboard than on a thin vent.

Can I charge the phone in the holder?

Yes, by cable from a car charger, or without one in a wireless charging holder if your phone charges wirelessly.

How long does delivery take?

Delivery is included in every price and tracked to your door. Each product page says when it usually arrives.

More to look at

• Air vent car mounts
• Dashboard car mounts
• Windscreen car mounts
• Car chargers
• For drivers
• Guide: Car phone holders: vent, dashboard or windscreen, and the law