Five Key Android Auto Configurations to Modify on a New Android Device

Implement these essential quality of life upgrades in Android Auto immediately for a more enjoyable journey.

Android Auto has existed for over ten years, and it serves as a fantastic tool for staying connected with your smartphone securely while on the road. The majority of vehicles offer support for a wired Android Auto connection, so ensure you have the best cables available. Wireless Android Auto is becoming increasingly prevalent in various new automobile models, not solely high-end ones. Moreover, Google continues to enhance Auto with fresh features, such as compatibility with Google Meet in Android Auto.

While it performs excellently right from the start, there are certain settings I consistently adjust whenever I use a new phone in my vehicle. These are straightforward toggle options that can significantly improve your daily experience with Android Auto, and all adjustments can be made directly from your phone. Here are my top five suggestions for settings and modifications to apply if you’ve just completed the setup.

Disable automatic music playing upon connection

One of the most frustrating default features of Android Auto is its tendency to play music right away when your phone connects to your car. This can be quite startling at night, especially if the volume was turned up high during your last drive. It can also become quite awkward, depending on who’s in the vehicle with you, if your secret guilty pleasure playlist suddenly starts blasting. Retain your composure by simply turning off this toggle option.

On your phone, navigate to Settings, and search for Android Auto. In the settings menu, scroll down to the Start-up subsection and turn off Start music automatically. That’s all there is to it. Now, the next time you connect your phone, your music will remain paused.

Reduce notification interruptions from applications

By default, most messaging and certain media apps (YouTube Music, Spotify) installed on your phone will show up in the Android Auto app drawer. Any alerts from these apps will also display on your screen. When driving, the last thing you want is to be distracted by notifications from insurance companies. You have two options to turn off notifications.

To lessen the sound alerts, go to the settings menu of Android Auto, scroll down to the Messaging subsection, and just disable Play message chime. This will at least stop sound notifications, but incoming messages will still appear. If you want to stop these as well, you can disable the first item in the submenu called Show message notifications.

Another method is to remove any unwanted apps from the app drawer to automatically eliminate their notifications. In the same settings menu on your phone, scroll up to Customize Launcher, and simply uncheck the apps you do not want to utilize with Android Auto.

Stop Android Auto from launching automatically

One of the fantastic features of Android Auto is its ability to start automatically when you turn on your vehicle; however, not everyone may desire this configuration. Android Auto can drain your battery faster when connected wirelessly to your car’s head unit, and you might not always need it if you prefer listening to the radio or do not require navigation for short journeys.

Unfortunately, there is currently no specific option for this within Android Auto itself. None of the selectable choices in the Start Android Auto automatically menu allow you to disable this feature. One workaround that has worked well for me is to disable the toggle for Start Android Auto while locked.

By doing so, your phone will connect to your car via Bluetooth (for calls), but Android Auto will not launch, as long as your phone is locked. If you do wish to activate Android Auto during your drive, you should receive a notification on your phone stating “Android Auto is available,” and tapping it should open the app. Alternatively, you can enable it manually through your car’s dashboard.