The 15 Best Android Auto Apps Of 2023
Listen to audiobooks, send texts, get directions, stream music and more.
© Provided by Lifewire. Photo Rawpixel.comAndroid Auto lets you use some of your favorite mobile apps in your car's infotainment system. While we'd love to see geocaching, guest apps, and travel planning apps on this list, only a relatively small set of apps work with the platform. With that said, below are 15 Android Auto apps that can make your driving easier and more enjoyable.
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What we don't like
The popular navigation app Waze, owned by Google, is very useful for getting up-to-date information about traffic, accidents and important details to know if you want to stay safe and save time on the road.
The way it works is what makes it so useful. Learn what Waze is and how it works. For every detail. In short, millions of users have become messengers that can send map updates when they see traffic, police, accidents or dangers. These updates are reflected on the screen of your car.
It's also easy for you to flag these things for other users to use. There are large buttons on the screen, by pressing which you can say, for example, that you see a danger on the road.
Of course, Waze also works like a regular navigation app. Directions to home or work are just a tap away, and there are categories to find parking, petrol (including fuel prices in some places), shops, cafes, restaurants and pharmacies with just a few taps.
The site lists the phone numbers of some companies, as well as their services. This means you can easily see if there is a business nearby that has restrooms, parking, or air conditioning.
We also like what you can do in Settings. You can customize the app to avoid toll roads, ferries and motorways. You can also prevent Waze from driving you on dirt roads, or if you don't like some of them , you can only allow short dirt roads. Another switch helps you avoid tricky intersections so you don't have to struggle in new places.
Here are some other things we love: your speed is always shown on the map so you can check it while using the app, there are alternative routes, and you can quickly mute or just turn on alerts.
Recommended link: How to use Waze on Android Auto
Download Waze
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Easy to use and smooth interface.
Share your location with contacts.
Supports offline maps.
What we don't like
Yes, we just mentioned a navigation app owned by Google, but you can't go wrong with Google Maps in your car either. We're including it because it runs a bit smoother than Waze, and the satellite view and current location aren't in Waze, but they're nice features.
Like Waze, Google Maps lets you view traffic, avoid tolls and freeways, choose different routes, search for recently visited places, and browse categories to quickly find things like hotels and restaurants.
However, you can also switch to a satellite view if you'd rather see high-resolution images of your surroundings, rather than just the usual map-style roads and colors; It can also help with navigation in certain areas. We also love that you can share your trip with contacts right from the car so they know your location throughout the journey.
Featured Link: Google Maps Tips, Tricks, and Hidden Features
Download Google Maps
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It keeps you safe by only allowing you to listen to messages, not read them.
Just speak to write a reply.
What we don't like
If you like Facebook Messenger, you'll be happy to know that you can be notified of new messages using Android Auto. You don't need to take out your phone because you can listen to new messages and reply with your own voice.
Click on any message sent during your trip and it will be read to you. You can see who sent you a message, but for security reasons, you won't see text, images, or other elements when you click on a conversation. However, you will be notified when the photo has been sent, so you won't forget to review it later on your phone.
Download Facebook messenger
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Android Auto has plenty of music apps, but you can't go wrong with Spotify. This app delivers music and podcasts to over half a billion users per month. You can read more about it in our Spotify review.
So why is it useful as an Android Auto app? We think connecting Spotify to the head unit is a good idea for two reasons. Recently played items are just a click away, and millions and millions of songs are available for streaming.
You can browse podcasts, audiobooks, music genres and moods. Since you will be listening to music while driving, it is recommended that all of your podcasts, shows, and playlists be easily accessible from your account. In addition, you can "like" items on the screen that you want to add to your favorites in the app; it's a great way to track your phone for later.
Spotify is mostly free, but you can subscribe to Spotify Premium if you want to play offline without ads and be able to play and skip any song.
Download Spotify
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What we don't like
Complicated application.
A lot of advertising.
TuneIn Radio is a great app. You can listen to tens of thousands of radio stations, both local and from over 190 other countries. There are also sports, news, music and podcasts. The app lets you browse music stations by genre, and if you create favorites in the app, you can easily access them while driving.
If you don't want to use Android Auto, TuneIn Radio also offers a program format designed specifically for drivers. Just turn on your phone and press the car button to reveal several large buttons for quick access to favourites, voice search and recommended stations.
Download TuneIn Radio
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What we don't like
Scanner Radio allows you to broadcast live audio from thousands of fire scanners, police, weather radios, amateur radios, air traffic radios and maritime radios. The Android Auto app lets you access your favorite scanners, view a list of the top 10 scanners, and access nearby scanners. You can easily see where the scanner is and how many people are listening to it. The player is really simple with a pause and play button.
Download Scanner Radio
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If you want to take your music offline, CloudPlayer can be a great addition to other Android Auto apps. It offers a handy player for downloaded songs and allows you to stream music stored in Dropbox or OneDrive.
This app also supports radio, music and sports stations that you can browse by location or language. Browsing by genre, album, and artist is also supported, and the app brings together all the recently added, hottest, and trending music for quick access to your favorites while driving.
Download CloudPlayer
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LibriVox offers you tens of thousands of free audiobooks. The Android Auto integration is great because driving is one of those rare occasions where some of us have to read long books.
This is a very simple app that gives you everything you need at a glance so you can focus on driving.
Download LibriVox
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What we don't like
Slow and intermittent reaction.
Unable to move around the map (zoom only).
You may want to check the weather more often while driving, especially if you want to avoid driving during a storm. This application allows you to quickly see the radar on the car screen.
Radar is something most Android Auto weather apps don't have. Weather & Radar doesn't do it perfectly, but it does. You can zoom in and out to see more or less of the map. It also shows the current temperature in each city.
Download the Weather & Radar app.
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While the weather app above shows you where the storm is, the Google Weather app is a good choice for an all-day forecast. We love it because it's just sound. He will tell you what the weather is like now and how the rest of the day goes. Just press one button to hear it all.
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Listen to audiobooks stored in your Google account.
Full cover images to help you see at a glance which books you have.
It couldn't be easier to use.
What we don't like
If you are a fan of Google Play Books and audiobooks stored in your Google account, the best way to listen to these books on Android Auto is through the Google app.
There isn't much to this app, but it's useful on the go. You can speed up playback up to 3 times, skip backward or forward by 30 seconds, and bookmark a place in a book with just one tap.
Download Google Play Books
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We love the NPR One app for Android Auto because it lets you stream local news while you drive. You can also access podcasts. The launcher is very basic, with a button that lets you play back the last 15 seconds to restart something you may have missed.
Download NPR One
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ChargePoint is a lifesaver if you have an electric car that needs to be charged away from home. This allows you to know which charging stations are available on the map at any given time. In case you didn't know, ChargePoint operates the world's largest network of electric vehicle charging stations.
This Android Auto app allows you to find nearby stations without logging in, and if you have an account, you can quickly access your favorite places and recently visited chargers.
You can filter stations by DC Fast , affordable and free . Once you find one you like, you can see a cost estimate and other details such as available connections. You can then navigate to it using a compatible app such as Google Maps.
Download ChargePoint
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Ideal for getting to know the music of independent artists.
It mimics a mobile app well.
Skip and swipe songs.
What we don't like
Check out our SoundCloud review to see why you'll love this free music streaming app. It's called "the world's largest music discovery platform" for a reason. It's a goldmine for a wide variety of great music.
There are only three tabs at the top of the Android Auto app, so your channel and playlists are easily accessible. Like the mobile app, the car app also offers custom mixes made just for you, Daily Drops and SoundCloud Weekly.
On the Library tab, you'll find all your favorite tracks, playlists, albums, stations, downloads, and listening history. The player supports cleaning and has a button to add any entry to the "Like" list.
Download Soundcloud
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What we don't like
YouTube Music needs no introduction. The Android Auto version of the app is similar and somewhat similar to the mobile app. Connect to over 100 million official songs, remixes and custom playlists.
There's a lot in this app. You get access to new releases, user mixes, favorites, country music, mood music and charts to see the top 100 or popular songs. There's also a handy tab for what you've recently listened to, so you can easily resume your favorite tunes while driving.
The launcher is cleanable and has a slider button, a snooze button, and like/dislike buttons.
Download music from YouTube
Related: 9 Ways to Fix Android Auto Not Working
FAQ
How to use Android Auto?
If your car or stereo is compatible with Android Auto, you can use the platform by connecting your phone to it with a USB cable. The device recognizes your phone when connected.
How to update Android Auto?
Because Android Auto is built into your phone's operating system, it should receive new features and fixes during regular updates. Or open the Google Play Store and search for "Android Auto". Select Update if applicable to start the download and installation.
