Steering Wheel Phone Holder: Why It Is for a Parked Car and How to Use One

A steering wheel phone holder straps to the wheel and holds the phone in front of you. Treat it as something for a parked car: fit it after you stop, and take it and the phone off before you drive. For driving, use a mount that sits away from the wheel.

We sell a steering wheel phone holder, so read this as a shop’s notes on its own listing plus what people ask online.

What people ask about steering wheel holders

One Reddit poster shared a phone holder attached to a steering wheel and asked what will happen to the phone in the holder if the airbag is deployed.

One commenter asked what happens when you need to turn the wheel, and wrote that the phone swivels all over the place.

Neither of these is a test, and this guide does not try to answer the airbag question. Both are reasons to keep the wheel clear while the car is moving.

What our listing says

Our listing for the Red and Black Steering Wheel Phone Holder says this steering wheel phone holder has a black rectangular backplate, red upper and lower phone supports, and a red strap loop with a black fastening tab. The listing says to use it only while the vehicle is parked. It says to remove the holder and phone before driving, and to keep the steering controls and airbag area clear.

People search for this product as “phone holder for steering wheel”, “phone holder on steering wheel” or “steering wheel phone mount”. They all mean a holder that fastens to the wheel itself.

Check before you buy

The listing gives a phone width below 85 mm and says to measure the edge held between the supports with the case fitted. It also says to check phone thickness and wheel attachment fit separately.

Turn those into three checks.

1. Phone width. Measure your phone across the edge the supports would hold, with its case on. Compare that with the listed width.
2. Phone thickness. A thick case changes how the phone sits between the supports. Compare yours with the product images.
3. Your wheel. Look at where the strap would go around the rim. It should not sit over a button, a paddle or the center of the wheel.

Use it in order

A holder like this suits time spent waiting in a parked car, such as a video call or a show during a break.

1. Park first. Stop the car and secure it before you take the holder out.
2. Strap it on. Fasten the strap loop around the rim, clear of the buttons and the center of the wheel.
3. Seat the phone. Set the phone between the upper and lower supports.
4. Take it all off before you move. Remove the phone, then the holder, and put both away.
5. Check the wheel. Make sure nothing is left on the wheel or hanging near it.

What to use while you drive

For navigation on the move, put the phone on a mount that sits away from the wheel and keeps the road and the controls clear.

• A dashboard mount sits on a smooth spot you can reach. Our dashboard placement guide covers where to put one.
• A vent mount hangs on a vent blade. Our vent phone holder guide covers how to fit one.
• Rules on where a phone can sit differ by place. Our guide to whether a phone mount is legal in your car covers how to check.

Quick answers

Can I drive with a steering wheel phone holder?

No. Our listing says to use the holder only while the vehicle is parked and to remove the holder and phone before driving.

What size phone fits a steering wheel phone holder?

It depends on the holder. Check the listed phone width against your own phone with its case on.

Where should the phone go while I drive?

Put it on a mount away from the wheel, where it does not cover the road or the controls. A dashboard or vent mount is a good place to start.

Where to go next

Browse the steering wheel phone holders, or read how to choose a car phone holder by mount type.