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Android Auto isn’t perfect, but it is a powerful and highly customizable vehicle infotainment system with quite a few hidden features and settings. If you’re using Android Auto in your car, these are the top tips and tricks to maximize its navigation, entertainment, and communication capabilities.
Customize the notifications you receive while driving
Getting too many notifications on your Android Auto screen while you’re driving can be distracting (and potentially dangerous), but you also don’t want to miss important and time-sensitive calls and texts. You can customize what alerts pop up—and how—when you’re on the road and even disable message notifications entirely. You can make changes like disabling group chat alerts while driving, customizing how your phone’s display behaves when connected to Android Auto, and even adjusting how your phone recognizes when you’re driving. This one will be dependent on the type of Android you have, so follow Lifehacker’s guide to managing notifications on Android Auto, especially if you have a Google Pixel or Samsung Galaxy.
Use “Customize Launcher” to reorganize apps
If the default view on Android Auto has apps you never use, you can rearrange or remove them in favor of those you rely on every time you drive, like your preferred map, music, and messaging apps. This makes your interface less distracting and eliminates the need to scroll the screen to find what you are looking for. On your phone, open Settings > Connected Devices > Connection Preferences > Android Auto > Customize Launcher. Uncheck any apps you don’t need, and tap and drag to reorder the ones you keep.
Set up shortcuts with Custom Assistant
Another launcher customization is the ability to program shortcuts. These use custom commands for actions and routines like navigating to the nearest gas station, sending a message, calling a contact, or running a series of home automations when you’re en route. Once programmed, these one-tap shortcuts are added to your Android Auto home screen and can be rearranged using the steps above. To create a shortcut, go to Settings > Connected Devices > Connection Preferences > Android Auto > Customize Launcher on your phone and tap Add a shortcut to the launcher. Then, select an Assistant action, type the command, and press Save. You can also test a shortcut from this screen.
Android Auto puts media on the right side of the display, so you have to reach across the screen to control your music apps. However, you can move media to the left (driver’s) side, making them just a little bit easier to access. You can also put maps on the driver’s side if you prefer. Go to Settings > Connected Devices > Connection Preferences > Android Auto, where you can set the driver seat location and select whether to place media or navigation closer to the driver. You can also find these options in your Android Auto unit settings under the Display section.
Customize your Android Auto wallpaper
Unlike Apple CarPlay, which doesn’t support user-added wallpapers without a third-party app, Android Auto allows you to add a photo to your display—though it is limited to the same wallpaper you have on your phone. To set an image as your Android Auto background, go to Settings > Connected devices > Connection preferences > Android Auto on your phone and select Use Phone’s Wallpaper in Android Auto. Open the image, tap the three dots, and select Use as > Photos Wallpaper.
Choose your preferred digital assistant
Google started rolling out Gemini on Android Auto late last year, and while the upgrade is intended to bring more conversational AI capabilities to your drive, it hasn’t been smooth sailing. Some users have reported that Gemini talks too much and gets too many things wrong, and is ultimately more distracting than helpful. While this is likely to improve with future updates, you can switch back to the classic Google Assistant instead. To do so, go to Android Auto settings on your phone, then head to Manage Your Digital Assistant > Digital Assistants from Google > Google Assistant. Note that this will apply globally, not just on Android Auto.
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Install AA Browser for video playback
Android Auto doesn’t have a web browser installed by default, but you can add one yourself. Take the open-source AA Browser for instance, which lets you search Google or play videos on your Android Auto screen. Of course, you should only stream content when you’re safely parked—AA Browser will actually disable itself if your vehicle is moving. To get it, you’ll have to enable developer mode on your Android phone and open the Android Auto Apps Downloader (AAAD) APK, which grants you access to a number of non-Play Store apps. Once installed, you can launch AA Browser from the main apps list on your Android Auto interface.
Add wireless capabilities to your wired Android Auto
Plugging your phone into Android Auto every time you get in your car can be a pain, especially when wireless Android Auto exists. Wired certainly has its place (as I’ll get to in the next hack), but if you want to add wireless capabilities to your wired unit, you need an adapter. Dongles from AAWireless and Carlinkit are frequently recommended by both users and testers alike.
Disable wireless Android Auto to save your phone’s battery
On the flip side, there may be times when you want to rely on wired Android Auto and prevent your phone from trying to connect wirelessly. Google removed this toggle from the main settings a few years ago, but there’s a workaround in your device’s developer settings. To enter Android Auto developer mode on your Android phone, go to Settings > Apps & notifications > See all apps > Android Auto > Advanced > Additional settings in the app, scroll down to About, and tap Version > Version and permission info 10 times. Tap OK when the dialog box appears, then tap the three-dot menu and uncheck Wireless Android Auto.
Change this setting to improve your screen resolution
While you’re in developer mode, take a look at your default video resolution and DPI settings (also in the three-dot menu > Developer settings). If your screen looks blurry, low-res, or oddly scaled, you may be able to increase the resolution for a sharper picture and smaller app icons, making for a more efficient use of space. Note that the effects of these changes vary by display, as some older systems have limited resolution.
