There has been a gradual collection of enhancements to Android Auto over time, and for probably the most half, it is now a elegant and dependable means of accessing your telephone out of your automotive’s dashboard when you’re on the street—so long as your car has a head unit that is appropriate with Android Auto, after all.
As with Android in your telephone, there are numerous methods of customizing Android Auto in order that it seems to be and works the way in which you want it to. You’re going to need to have the ability to function the interface as shortly and intuitively as doable—not least for causes of security—and so it is smart to get every part set as much as your satisfaction.
Whether you are simply getting began with Android Auto otherwise you’ve been utilizing it for years, I’ll information you thru the varied customization choices which can be out there. (I’m assuming you’ve got already gone by means of the preliminary connection and setup course of.)
Customize Android Auto in your telephone
You do not must be on the street to start out adjusting Android Auto: Open Settings in your telephone, then faucet Connected units, Connection preferences, and Android Auto. There are loads of settings to work by means of right here, however we will give attention to those that customise the way in which Android Auto seems to be and works.
The first possibility price choosing is Customize launcher: The subsequent display screen then allows you to determine which apps present up within the app drawer in your automotive dashboard. Every app in your telephone that additionally works on Android Auto will probably be listed, so choose those you wish to see in your automotive, and deselect those you do not.
Choosing which apps present up in Android Auto.
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This is a helpful means of decluttering the Android Auto display screen, by solely exhibiting the apps you truly wish to use on the go, fairly than each single app in your telephone with Android Auto capabilities. Note, too, you should use the Add a shortcut to the launcher possibility so as to add a customized contact hyperlink or Google Assistant motion.
With your app choice finished, you possibly can flip your consideration to different settings on the Android Auto menu. Tap Day/Night mode for maps to decide on how the Google Maps interface modifications (or would not change) relying on the time of day, and use the Start music mechanically toggle to find out whether or not or not audio begins taking part in out of your most not too long ago used media app as quickly as Android Auto connects.
The Driver seat location and Change format choices allow you to regulate some fundamentals of how Android Auto seems to be on display screen: Whether you need the sidebar on the left or the appropriate, and whether or not the media management widget or the navigation widget ought to be nearer to whichever facet the driving force is on.
Setting the Google Maps day/evening mode.
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You’ll additionally discover a number of toggle switches controlling how notifications work in Android Auto, if you need them to indicate up in any respect. You can, for instance, have the primary line of incoming messages present up on display screen—helpful for shortly checking the urgency of messages you get when you’re on the street, however perhaps not one thing you need enabled if there are passengers within the automotive.
The Taskbar widgets toggle swap is an fascinating one: If it is enabled, fast controls (like playback buttons for music apps similar to Spotify) will keep on present on the backside of the display screen. If you like to entry these controls from the widget or full display screen view of the apps, you possibly can flip the taskbar off.
Customize Android Auto within the automotive
When you are within the automotive with Android Auto related, there are a couple of extra customization tips to learn about. Open the launcher (faucet the nine-dot button within the nook if it isn’t already seen), then select Settings to start out making modifications.
Quite a lot of the choices right here, together with ones for notifications and the day/evening mode in Google Maps, mirror those that you could entry out of your telephone, so you possibly can modify them whereas within the automotive too. One possibility that is not out there in your telephone is Wallpaper—faucet on this to alter the backdrop of the Android Auto interface.
Changing the Android Auto wallpaper.
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You have a couple of totally different wallpapers to choose from (sadly, it isn’t doable to make use of considered one of your individual pictures). The alternative of image would not have an effect on the interface you will be utilizing whereas driving, but it surely does present up on the app launcher and menu screens.
It’s price retaining in thoughts that the entire choices we have coated listed here are particular to your telephone, and never the automotive. That means if another person additionally makes use of Android Auto in the identical automotive, they will be capable of set their very own customization selections, together with the apps that will probably be displayed, the wallpaper backdrop, and so forth.
