Android Auto is now available in over 200 million cars globally. The interface provides easy access to navigation, messaging, calling, and music by mirroring functions from a connected high-end or budget Android phone onto the car's infotainment system. The operation is primarily hands-free, allowing drivers to focus on the road.
While Android Auto is packed with useful features, many of which work well from the get-go, you can improve your experience by changing a few settings. Whether you're new to Android Auto or have used the interface for years with its default settings, here are the changes you should make.
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1 Enable developer mode on Android Auto
Developer options are experimental features not released in the official app. Because they are still in testing, you may encounter bugs and unintended behaviors. However, enabling the developer settings is necessary if you want more control over your options. Here's how to access them.
- On your mobile device, open Android Auto.
- Scroll down to Version and tap it ten times.
- Tap Ok in the Allow development settings window.
To access developer settings:
- Tap the overflow menu (the three-dot icon) in the upper-right corner of the Android Auto page.
- Select Developer settings.
If you want to turn off developer mode, do the following:
- Open Android Auto.
- Tap the overflow menu in the upper-right corner.
- Tap Quit developer mode.
2 Disable the Save Video and Save Audio features
One concern related to Android Auto is how much data it uses. If you struggle with its data usage, do not use the Save Video and Save Audio options in your developer settings. To turn these off, visit Developer settings and uncheck the Save Audio and Save Video settings. This reduces your data consumption.
3 Disable Wireless Android Auto
One reason for Android Auto's battery drain is activating Wireless Android Auto. If you plan to connect your phone to your car through a USB, you can safely turn off this feature. To turn it off:
- Go to Developer settings.
- Tap Wireless Android Auto.
4 Change the theme to light or dark mode
If you want to change the theme of Maps through the Android Auto settings on your phone, here's what you'll do:
- Open Android Auto on your phone.
- Under Maps, tap Day/Night mode for maps.
- Select Day or Night.
You can also set the theme to match that of your phone or allow the car to control it based on the lighting conditions. To do this, turn on developer mode and navigate to the developer settings.
- Go to Developer settings (the three-dot icon in the Android Auto app).
- Tap Day/Night.
- Choose Car-controlled, Phone-controlled, Day, or Night.
Selecting Car-controlled means Android Auto goes into dark and light mode depending on the light conditions. If you're temporarily driving between light and dark areas (tunnels, for example), it's better to avoid this setting.
Using Phone-controlled day and night mode means the theme matches your current phone's light and dark mode theme. Select the Day or Night option to force Android Auto to stick to one theme despite the conditions.
You can resume your music, podcast, or audiobook when you start your car. This is a great feature when you need to make a lot of stops, especially at gas stations. Turn on this setting to allow your media to resume where you left off. To turn on this setting, check the steps below.
- Open Android Auto.
- Under Startup, tap Start music automatically to turn it on.
6 Control Android Auto notifications
It's counterintuitive if the app provides more distractions while driving. You can prevent unwanted messages from clouding your view by controlling your Android Auto notifications.
- Open Android Auto.
- Under Messaging, toggle off Show message notifications and Show group conversations.
If you turn off Show message notifications, it automatically toggles off Show group conversations.
If you toggle off Notifications with Assistant, you can prevent message notifications from showing up. If you want message notifications but prefer to maintain your privacy, turn off Play AI message summaries to prevent the AI from reading your messages out loud. Turn off messaging apps within the Customize launcher page if you want to avoid messages.
7 Start Android Auto when your phone is locked
You can start Android Auto even if your phone is locked. To enable this, follow the steps below.
- Open Android Auto on your phone.
- Under Startup, tap Start Android Auto while locked to toggle it on.
Turning on this option risks someone using Android Auto without deactivating your phone's security lock. Only use this option if you're confident you're the only one accessing Android Auto while your phone is connected to your car.
8 Customize your Android Auto launcher
By default, Android Auto keeps your commonly used apps towards the top of the screen (of the car launcher). Still, these apps may not correspond to the ones you use most. You can adjust the order of these apps. Here's how.
- Open Android Auto.
- Under Display, tap Customize launcher.
- Tap Launcher sorting.
- Select Custom order.
- Choose the apps you want to appear at the top by swapping the order.
You can also set a launcher shortcut. Return to the Customize launcher page in your Android Auto settings, tap Add a shortcut to the launcher, and select An Assistant action.
You can add a command for Google Assistant and name the launcher icon. You can also test the command if Android Auto is connected to your car. This is an excellent tool for creating simple commands that Google Assistant can handle while driving.
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1
Prevent unused apps from disappearing on your launcher
Samsung phones temporarily disable apps to save on battery life. These apps can appear on your phone but don't appear in your Android Auto launcher until you re-enable them. To prevent this from happening, do the following:
- On your mobile device, open Settings > Battery.
- Turn off Auto disable unused apps or Put unused apps to sleep.
You can restore an unused app by opening the app on your phone.
Get more from Android Auto
Android Auto isn't perfect. There's a lot Google can fix on Android Auto to improve the experience. However, it offers excellent navigational accuracy and a range of features, making it a valuable tool for convenience and safety while on the road. Adjusting some of the settings mentioned above goes a long way in improving your experience. If you want more from Android Auto, consider adding more essential apps to your launcher.
- Operating Systems
- Android Auto
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