6 Android Auto settings you did not know you wanted to vary

The entire level of Android Auto is to reinforce your driving expertise with out the constraints of a telephone mount, or the expense of shopping for a brand new automotive with preloaded tech like (the confusingly named) Android Automotive. It isn’t fairly as polished as Apple CarPlay, although, so it is not unusual for folks to run into points that make it slightly extra troublesome than it needs to be. Hopefully, the hole will proceed to slim in coming years.

Within the meantime, you’ll be able to resolve a few of Android Auto’s present points with a number of settings tweaks. I would strongly advocate making an attempt some or all of those earlier than you hit the street — there isn’t any sense driving with a suboptimal expertise, particularly if you happen to’ve spent upwards of $1,000 on a brand new flagship telephone from Google or Samsung.

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1 Allow developer settings

Unlock Android Auto’s full potential

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You possibly can’t totally enhance Android Auto’s usability with out enabling developer settings. Relying in your model of Android, even some seemingly easy issues could also be behind this barrier, handled as in the event that they had been a harmful experiment. Don’t fret — so long as you perceive the choices you are toggling, the whole lot ought to preserve working superb.

On most Android telephones, the steps appear to be this:

1. In your telephone, discover and open Android Auto.
2. Scroll all the way down to Model, and faucet it 10 occasions.
3. Faucet OK within the pop-up affirmation window.

To entry developer settings at any time, open Android Auto once more and faucet the triple-dot menu (or a visible equal) within the top-right nook.

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2 Drive Day or Evening Modes

Save your eyesight

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There is a good likelihood your telephone is about to flip Android Auto from Day to Evening Mode and again mechanically, however that is not supreme for everybody. Some folks may discover Day Mode blinding at any hour, as an illustration, or just desire Evening Mode’s aesthetic. You possibly can change how maps seem fairly simply:

1. Discover and launch Android Auto in your telephone.
2. Search for the Maps part, then faucet Day/Evening mode for maps.
3. Select Day, Evening, or Automated.

Should you’ve obtained developer settings on, you’ll be able to alter the complete Android Auto interface:

1. In Android Auto in your telephone, faucet the triple-dot menu and choose Developer settings.
2. Hit Day/Evening.
3. Decide Automobile-controlled, Telephone-controlled, Day, or Evening. Remember that if you need the phone-controlled choice, you will have to preserve your telephone out the place it may register ambient mild circumstances.

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3 Make music and podcasts resume mechanically

Save your self bother throughout frequent stops

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One of many issues I get pleasure from about CarPlay is that it resumes media playback everytime you begin your automotive — until it has been some time since an related app was working. Often, I will begin a playlist or podcast shortly earlier than I get within the driver’s seat simply to take advantage of this.

You may get the same expertise with Android Auto if you happen to make sure that the best setting is lively:

1. Discover and open Android Auto in your telephone.
2. Beneath the Startup part, flip the Begin music mechanically toggle.

This might probably be annoying, in fact — if you happen to’re leaving the fitness center together with your partner, you may not wish to allow them to know that you simply elevate weights to the Backstreet Boys.

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4 Launch Android Auto with out unlocking your telephone

Why is not this the default?

I might’ve put this greater on my record, besides that it is lifeless simple — observe the steps from the final part, however flip the Begin Android Auto whereas locked toggle as a substitute. Voilà, no extra fingerprint, passcode, or facial recognition wanted.

There isn’t any actual catch to this, both, until you are involved about somebody launching Android Auto in your telephone once you’re not there.

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5 Repair the sorting of your apps

Transfer unused apps to the again

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Usually, Android Auto pushes the apps you employ most to the entrance of the homescreen, but when that is not your bag, there are alternate sorting choices accessible. You can too select which apps seem in any respect, say if you happen to do not notably care about Discord chats once you’re driving.

1. Open Android Auto.
2. Within the Show part, choose Customise launcher.
3. Faucet Launcher sorting to decide on a unique choice, comparable to A-Z.
4. Select Customized order if you wish to handle issues your self. Drag and drop apps to place them in a unique order, and use the checkboxes to pick out which apps seem.

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6 Conceal undesirable messaging notifications

Catch up once you’re protected and sound

Common chat notifications aren’t an enormous deal once you’re at residence or work, however when Android Auto is working, they’ll probably intrude together with your driving. You have obtained a number of toggles accessible throughout the Android Auto settings in your telephone:

• Present message notifications will flip all message alerts on or off (in Auto solely).
• Present group conversations impacts group chats, not one-on-one conversations.
• Present first line of messages can be utilized to preview incoming content material.
• Play message chime might be disabled if you wish to remove audio distractions.

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