Android Auto has been around for more than a decade, with more than 200 million cars sporting the infotainment system around the world.
To appeal to that many users, it has added a lot of customizable features and settings.
Subsequently, getting the most out of Android Auto takes a bit of adjusting when it comes to settings and features.
We’re happy to give you some insider insight on some simple hacks that will make your commute that much more enjoyable.
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Automatic activation
Getting started automatically
There’s nothing worse than getting in the car, ready to head off to your destination, and being forced to connect to your desired infotainment system.
Back in the day, you could just turn on your car and your radio would immediately kick in and provide you with some road tunes for your drive. No fuss, no muss.
If you want that same experience with Android Auto, you’re only a few settings away from getting started automatically.
First, make sure that the Start Android Auto automatically setting is set to either Always or If used on the last drive. Default leaves a bit too much leeway, and I’ve found it struggles to do so without these settings.
If you want to make sure your music or podcasts are playing right away, make sure that the Start music automatically setting is toggled on, so that your media will start playing as soon as you start driving.
App prioritization
Make it easy to access what you use
Even when idle, driving isn’t the best time to operate Android Auto, but sometimes you need to access an app in the middle of a drive.
In situations like that, you want to be sure that the apps you actually use are as easy to access as possible.
That’s why you should check out the Customize launcher setting, which allows you to select which compatible apps actually appear in Android Auto and which ones are left out.
On top of that, you can reorder them with the drag and drop feature, so you can pick which apps appear at the top for easy access.
If you really want to make apps easier to access, turn on the Taskbar widgets, which will add a small taskbar to access certain app controls like music players, even when other apps are open.
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How to turn on these settings
Android Auto makes it easy
If you don’t have access to your car at this moment to make these changes, you have nothing to worry about. All of these settings can and must be made on your smartphone rather than in your car’s settings menu.
Just go to the Android Auto app settings on your device, and you’ll be able to make all these changes.
As for how to do that exactly, head on over to the Settings menu and click the Connected devices option. Then, click the Connection preferences menu and scroll to the bottom to find Android Auto.
Here, you’ll find all the settings listed above, as well as many others that allow you to customize your Android Auto experience.
Hidden Android Auto settings
Let’s put on our developer hats
The beauty of being an Android user is that you can go pretty deep when it comes to customization and that courtesy extends to Android Auto.
The platform allows easy access to the developer settings, which lets you change some hidden settings in the infotainment system.
In developer settings mode, you can disable wireless functionality, prevent GPS, video, and audio data collection, and change the video resolution on the car display to customize how notifications come through.
To access this menu, scroll to the bottom of the Android Auto settings to see the Version option. Click that, and then tap the Version and permission info 10 times. You’ll then be prompted to Allow development settings.
Then, head to the three-dot menu in the upper-right corner and select Developer settings, and start getting technical with your Android Auto preferences.
Make Android Auto work for you
Customize your car like your phone
Like all technology, Android Auto has seen its fair share of issues as well as improvements.
From general setting improvements to adding YouTube (kind of), the infotainment system is far from perfect, but at least it’s moving in the right direction.
You can’t take advantage of these improvements, though, if you aren’t opening the setting menu every once in a while to poke around for ways to make it better for you.
After all, your car is now an extension of your phone, so you should customize it like it’s one of your many devices.