Android Auto Not Working in Your Car: How Do You Fix It?

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When Android Auto stops working, the car screen stays on its own menu even though the phone is plugged in or in range. If it worked before and then quit, Google points to the USB cable first.

Do every check below with the car parked. They run from the simplest to the most involved.

Common symptoms and causes

• Nothing shows up on the car screen when you plug in the phone.
• Android Auto does not start, or does not connect to the car.
• Android Auto disconnects while you use it.
• Wireless Android Auto does not start.
• The problem appeared after a phone or head unit update.

Four causes come up most often:

• a worn, overly long or uncertified USB cable;
• a car that is not compatible, or Android Auto turned off in the car’s infotainment system;
• old phone-to-car pairings still stored in memory;
• a phone running a version older than Android 11, or no mobile data plan.

Before you start

The phone must run Android 11 or newer, with a mobile data plan. Google recommends the latest version of Android.

The car must support Android Auto, or have a compatible aftermarket head unit. The infotainment system (the car’s central screen) stays on during setup.

Warning: do all the tests with the car parked in a safe spot, and wait for setup to finish before you drive, as Google asks. Switch the ignition off as soon as a step no longer needs the screen on, and do not touch the airbags, the seat belt pretensioners or the high-voltage circuit of a hybrid or electric vehicle. A red warning light means you must stop the vehicle, and this guide is no substitute for a workshop diagnosis.

Warning: solution 4 removes every car saved in Android Auto. You will then have to pair each car you use again.

Solution 1: check compatibility, updates and activation in the car

Android Auto is built into the phone, so there is no separate app to download. Sometimes the block comes from the car itself.

1. In the phone settings, check that the Android version is 11 or newer.
2. Install the latest Android update offered for your phone.
3. Look up the manufacturer’s list to see whether your car is compatible and which USB port supports Android Auto: not every port does.
4. In the car’s infotainment settings, check that Android Auto is turned on.
5. Restart the car’s infotainment system.
6. On an aftermarket head unit (Pioneer or Kenwood, for example), install the latest firmware, the device’s internal software, from the manufacturer’s website.
7. Plug the phone back in with the car parked and the screen on, and accept the Android Auto update if the phone offers one.

The car screen then shows the Android Auto interface with its app icons. Let setup finish before you start driving.

Solution 2: change the USB cable and the port

This is the first thing to do when Android Auto worked and then stopped. Avoid long cables, extensions and USB hubs (a box that multiplies the sockets).

1. Unplug the phone and remove any hub or extension between the phone and the car.
2. Plug the phone in with the cable that came with it, if it is still in good shape.
3. Otherwise, use a USB-IF certified cable shorter than 1 m (3 ft); USB-IF is the body that manages the USB standard, and the list of certified cables is published on usb.org.
4. Plug the cable into a USB port that the manufacturer lists as compatible with Android Auto.

Android Auto starts on the car screen a few seconds after you plug in.

If your cable is worn or too long, here is a short 90 cm USB-C cable to try.

Anker 310 USB-C to USB-C cable, 0.9 m

Charges and syncs any USB-C phone, tablet or laptop. A short cable that makes a quick, reliable test of the charging chain.

• AmazonSee at Amazon

Good to know: a cable that charges the phone does not necessarily carry data. Charging therefore does not prove the cable works for Android Auto.

Solution 3: get wireless Android Auto working again

Wireless Android Auto needs a car that supports it. A car that only accepts a cable will not offer it. The first pairing goes through Bluetooth, then the connection uses Wi-Fi as well.

1. On the phone, open Settings > Bluetooth and turn Bluetooth on.
2. Turn on Wi-Fi and the phone’s location too, and leave them on for the whole setup.
3. Press and hold the voice command button on the steering wheel to open the car’s pairing menu; if nothing opens, follow the manufacturer’s manual.
4. Pair the phone with the car by following the instructions on both screens.
5. If Android Auto does not start on its own after a few seconds, tap Android Auto on the car screen.

Android Auto appears without a cable within seconds of pairing.

Good to know: the official pages consulted do not detail any other wireless-specific settings. If wireless still fails, test the cable connection (solution 2). You will know whether the fault lies with the wireless mode or with Android Auto itself.

If your car only accepts Android Auto over a cable, these adapters let you go wireless.

Solution 4: remove saved cars and pair again

The phone remembers the cars it has connected to. Starting from an empty list forces Android Auto to create a fresh pairing.

Step 4 removes every car saved in Android Auto, not just the one causing trouble.

1. Disconnect the phone from the car: unplug the cable, or turn off the wireless connection.
2. On the phone, open Menu > Settings > Connected devices > Connection preferences > Android Auto > Previously connected cars.
3. Tap the menu icon at the top right of the screen.
4. Tap Forget all cars.
5. Reconnect the phone to the car, by cable or wirelessly, and follow the setup shown on screen.

The car appears as a new device. Android Auto starts once setup is done.

Tip: if you share the phone between several cars, do this next to the one you use most. The others will pair again on your next trip, with the car parked.

If nothing works

Stop trying if Android Auto still does not start after these four solutions, even with a new cable. Check again that the car is compatible and that Android Auto is turned on in its infotainment system, then contact the manufacturer or your dealer. For an aftermarket head unit, ask its maker for the latest firmware.

Have this information ready before you call:

• the make, model and year of the car, or the head unit’s reference;
• the phone model and its Android version;
• the connection mode you use (cable or wireless) and the solutions you have already tried.

Good to know: according to community guides, clearing the cache of Android Auto and Google Play services and then restarting the phone helps in some cases. Google does not document this on the pages consulted.

Do you also use an iPhone in the same car? Our guide CarPlay not working in the car follows the same logic on the Apple side. If the car itself will not start, see our guide on a dead car battery.

Keep Android Auto running: our accessories

These accessories help keep the connection stable and the phone charged in the car.

Frequently asked questions

Why won’t Android Auto connect to my car?

Most often the cable is unsuitable, the car is not compatible or Android Auto is turned off in the infotainment system. The phone must also run Android 11 or newer. Start with a cable shorter than 1 m, plugged in without a hub, into a compatible port.

Why did Android Auto stop working after the update?

Google does not describe an update-related cause on the pages consulted. Install the latest Android version, accept the Android Auto update if the phone offers it, and update the head unit if it is an aftermarket model. Then remove the saved cars and pair again.

Why does Android Auto keep disconnecting?

When Android Auto worked and then starts cutting out, Google points to the cable first. Replace it with the original cable or a USB-IF certified one shorter than 1 m, with no extension or hub. If it keeps cutting out, remove the saved cars and pair again.

How do I connect Android Auto wirelessly?

Turn on the phone’s Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and location, then pair it with the car over Bluetooth, with the car parked. Pressing and holding the steering wheel voice button opens the pairing menu; otherwise, follow the manufacturer’s manual. The car must support wireless Android Auto.

Which cable should I use for Android Auto?

One shorter than 1 m (3 ft), with no extension or hub. Google advises trying the cable that came with the phone first. A cable from another brand works if it is USB-IF certified, which you can check on the list published at usb.org.