can you use cd-rw in a car stereo

[MacAlyssa]

Generally, no, you cannot reliably use a CD-RW (Re-Writable) disc in most standard car stereos. The primary reason is a technical limitation: the laser in an older car CD player is not powerful enough to read the lower reflectivity of CD-RW discs, which are designed for rewriting data on a computer drive. While a small number of very modern car stereos manufactured in the last decade might support them, it's an exception, not the rule. For guaranteed compatibility, you should always use a standard CD-R (Recordable) disc.

The issue stems from how the discs are made. A CD-R has a dye layer that is permanently altered by the laser, creating highly reflective marks. A CD-RW uses a phase-changing alloy layer that can be reset. This difference results in a weaker signal that many car CD players, especially those built before the mid-2000s, cannot detect. The player may display an error or simply fail to recognize the disc.

For the best results, follow these steps:

• Use CD-R discs: These are the most universally compatible format for car stereos.
• Burn at a slow speed: When creating your music CD on a computer, burn it at a lower speed (e.g., 4x or 8x). This creates a more robust and easily readable data pattern.
• Finalize the disc: Ensure your burning software "finalizes" or "closes" the disc. An unfinalized disc will not play in any standard CD player.

Compatible Disc Type	Primary Use	Reflectivity	Car Stereo Compatibility (Pre-2010s)
Original Pressed CD	Commercial Music	Very High	Excellent
CD-R (Recordable)	Home Music Burning	High	Very Good
CD-RW (Re-Writable)	Data Storage/Reuse	Low	Poor to None

Ultimately, while CD-RW technology is versatile for computing, its physical properties make it unsuitable for the vast majority of in-car entertainment systems. Sticking with CD-R discs is the safest and most effective choice.

[JosephMarie]

Nope, it's a long shot. Car CD players are pretty basic. They're built to read regular store-bought CDs or the CD-Rs you burn at home. CD-RWs are a different beast—they're harder for the laser to pick up. You'll probably just get an "ERROR" message. Save yourself the hassle and use a CD-R instead. They're cheaper and they actually work.

[McMackenzie]

It's highly unlikely. The technology behind CD-RW discs requires a more sensitive laser to read the data, which most automotive-grade CD players simply do not have. These players are engineered for durability and simplicity, not the advanced reading capabilities of a computer's CD-ROM drive. If you want to listen to your own music mixes, burning a standard CD-R disc is the universally accepted method that will work in nearly every car stereo with a CD slot.

[Toni]

Back when I made driving mixes, I learned this the hard way. I burned a bunch of songs onto a CD-RW because I thought I could reuse it. My car stereo acted like there was no disc in there at all. My buddy, who was into electronics, explained that the player in my car just wasn't "strong" enough to see the music on that kind of disc. I switched to plain CD-Rs and never had another problem. It's one of those small, frustrating tech quirks from that era.

[CarmenRose]

Think of it like this: a regular CD-R is a piece of paper written on with a permanent marker. The car stereo's laser can easily see the bold marks. A CD-RW is like a dry-erase board; the writing is much fainter and harder to read from a distance. Most car CD players were designed to see the "permanent marker" and can't make out the "dry-erase" writing. This reflectivity difference is the core technical hurdle. For guaranteed playback, the permanent solution (CD-R) is your only real option.