How do I play audio files on Android Auto?

What is Android Auto?

Android Auto is a smart driving assistant developed by Google to allow you to use apps on your phone safely while driving. It was first announced in 2014 and launched in 2015 [1].

Android Auto displays a simplified version of apps on your car’s display, with large buttons and fonts for easier visibility while driving. It integrates with your car’s controls to provide hands-free control of certain functions using voice commands. Popular features include navigation, music, podcasts, audiobooks, and messaging.

Once connected via USB, Android Auto essentially projects the phone’s screen onto the car’s display. It does not run as an embedded operating system unlike Android Automotive which is built into the car’s software [2].

What types of audio files can you play on Android Auto?

Android Auto supports common audio formats like MP3, AAC, WMA, FLAC, and more. According to the Android documentation, Android Auto is capable of playing:

MP3 files – Mono or stereo, 8-320Kbps bitrate
AAC files (MP4, M4A formats)

FLAC lossless audio files
WMA lossless and non-lossless files
WAV PCM audio files

So you can play most common music files, podcasts, audiobooks, etc. directly through your car’s infotainment system. Android Auto leverages the media codecs on your phone, so supported formats may vary across devices. But major codecs like MP3 and AAC have widespread compatibility.

In terms of quality, Android Auto uses uncompressed PCM streaming over USB for the best audio fidelity, according to a Reddit thread. So you don’t need to worry about quality degradation from compression when playing music.

Enable Developer Options on your Android phone

Before connecting your Android phone to Android Auto, you may need to enable Developer options. Here’s how:

On your Android phone, open the Settings app.
Scroll down and tap About Phone.
Scroll to the bottom and tap Build Number 7 times.

You will see a message saying “You are now a developer.”
Developer options is now enabled.

Connect your Android phone to your car

To use Android Auto, you need to connect your Android phone to your compatible car’s infotainment system. This is typically done using the USB port in your car.

Use the USB cable that came with your phone or car. Make sure both devices support Android Auto according to Android’s compatibility checker. An incompatible USB cable can prevent Android Auto from working properly.

Once connected via USB, Android Auto should launch automatically on your car’s display. If it does not launch, you may need to enable Android Auto in your phone’s settings or touch an icon on your car’s display to launch it.

For troubleshooting help getting your phone connected, check out Android’s connection guides for USB cables and wireless connections.

Launch the Android Auto app

Once your Android phone is connected to your car’s infotainment system, you can launch the Android Auto app to start using its features.

Open the Android Auto app on your phone and follow the setup instructions. The app will walk you through enabling permissions and customizing settings. Make sure to accept all permissions requested by the app in order to ensure full functionality.

The main permissions you need to allow are:

Location access
Microphone access
Contacts access

SMS access
Call logs access

Allowing these permissions enables features like Google Maps navigation, voice commands, and displaying contact names for calls and messages. Denying certain permissions may disable related Android Auto features.

Once permissions are set up, you’ll be ready to start using Android Auto’s audio, navigation, calling, messaging, and voice command capabilities.

Play audio files directly from apps

One of the easiest ways to play audio files on Android Auto is directly from your favorite music or podcast app. Once your phone is connected to your vehicle’s system, simply open the app you want to play files from and it will automatically launch on your car’s display.

Compatible audio apps like Spotify, YouTube Music, and Audible are designed to seamlessly integrate with Android Auto. So when you access these apps on your phone, you’ll be able to browse and play audio files as you normally would, but controlled through your car’s interface.

This makes it easy to pick up where you left off listening to a playlist, album, or podcast without any complicated setup. Just launch your audio app of choice once connected to Android Auto to start enjoying your music or other audio content on the go.

Use voice commands

A simple way to get your audio playing on Android Auto is by using your voice. Just press the microphone icon on the steering wheel, wait for the beep, and say something like “Play my driving playlist” or “Play Yellow Submarine by The Beatles”. Android Auto will recognize what you said and start playing the requested audio.

Voice commands are a very convenient way to control your media while keeping your hands on the wheel and eyes on the road. You can ask to play particular audio files, artists, albums, podcasts, playlists and even change tracks or skip songs. The voice controls make it easy to set the perfect soundtrack for your drive.

Play audio files stored on your phone

Android Auto can play music and other audio files from your phone’s storage.

Follow these steps to play local audio files:

Say “Play music” or “Play files from my phone” to open your phone’s audio files in the Android Auto interface

You will see categories like Songs, Playlists, Albums, Artists, Genres, etc. Choose where your audio file is stored
Navigate to the file you want to play and say “Play [song or playlist name]”
The selected audio file will start playing through your car’s speakers

This allows you to easily access and play audio files stored locally on your Android phone while using Android Auto.

Change Audio Settings

You can use your car’s built-in controls (buttons/dial on your steering wheel or center console) to adjust basic audio settings like volume, mute, bass, treble, etc.

In addition, Android Auto has an audio settings menu where you can customize your car’s sound system:

Volume Level: Tap the volume icon to set the volume level.
Equalizer: Tap the audio icon > Equalizer to adjust the bass, mid, and treble ranges.
Balance / Fader: Use the sliders to shift sound to the left/right or front/rear speakers.

You’ll notice these audio controls are simplified versions of what your music apps normally offer on your phone. But the advantage is quick access to any adjustments, without having to touch your phone.

Troubleshooting Tips

If you are having issues with Android Auto, here are some troubleshooting tips to try:

Check compatibility – Make sure your Android phone, app version, and vehicle are compatible with Android Auto. See this Google support article for details.

Update software – Update your Android phone OS, Android Auto app, and vehicle software to the latest versions. Outdated software can prevent Android Auto from working properly.
Restart phone – Fully power down and restart your Android smartphone. This can clear any glitches preventing Android Auto from functioning correctly.
Clean USB port – Use compressed air to clean out any dust or debris in your phone’s charging port and your vehicle’s USB port. This ensures a solid connection.

Toggle USB options – Go into your phone’s developer options and toggle the USB configuration between different modes like MIDI and PTP. This can force a fresh handshake between devices.
Factory reset head unit – As a last resort, consult your vehicle owner’s manual on how to reset your infotainment system back to factory default settings.

If you continue experiencing issues with no connection, Bluetooth pairing failures, or crashes, you may need to contact Google support or your vehicle manufacturer for further troubleshooting.