4 Android Auto developer settings that make driving so much easier – how to enable it

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• You can customize your Android Auto in developer mode.
• This mode is usually for developers and app creators.
• It’s easy to access, and you can make significant improvements.

For many users, Android Auto is simply a convenient way to manage navigation, music, and messages while driving. But if you’re willing to tinker a little, you’ll find a few settings that can completely change the look and feel of your car’s infotainment system.

Just like your Android phone, Android Auto has its own developer mode that lets you access settings not intended for everyday users. And like the version of your phone, you can really make significant improvements. It’s not difficult to reach, and it only takes a minute.

Also: I saw the future of Android Auto, and now Google has made me afraid of my own car

Here’s how to dive in.

The Android Auto app doesn’t appear among your regular apps, so you’ll need to go through your settings to find it.

• From Settings, search for Android Auto.
• Tap it, then select “Additional settings in the application.”
• Scroll down until you see Version, then tap it 10 times.
• Select OK.

Once that’s enabled, here are some of the biggest changes you can make.

The best Android Auto developer setting is changing

1. Force Day/Night Mode

This is my favorite developer setting, and one that most drivers can use immediately. By default, Android Auto automatically switches between day and night mode. Depending on your vehicle, this may be triggered by the time of day, ambient light, or your headlights.

Also: Android phone slow? I changed 2 developer settings to improve faster speed

With this setting, you can set it permanently to day or night, or use “Controlled phone,” which follows your phone’s system settings (such as scheduled dark mode, a sunrise-to-sunset theme, or always-on dark mode). If you’ve ever been frustrated when your Android Auto map switches to dark mode on a cloudy day or switches back and forth as you enter a tunnel, if you find dark mode hard to see or day mode too bright, or if you prefer one over the other, here’s an easy way to be consistent.

You can change this Maps option in the general settings, but in the developer settings, you can adjust it across the interface.

2. Video editing

This is especially useful if you have a large display in your car. Basically, Android Auto negotiates with your car to find an acceptable fix while conserving bandwidth. This means that it does not always work at its highest resolution.

The options you have will depend on your phone, but you can click on each one to see what it looks like. If you go too high, especially in an older car, the screen may look worse or go completely black, but you can easily go back.

Once you’ve chosen your new resolution, you’ll likely notice an immediate improvement in sharpness in everything from your icons to your background art to your maps.

3. Wireless Android Auto

If you use Android Auto occasionally, you might want to check this one out. By default, once you have Android Auto installed, it automatically connects whenever you turn on your car (if your car supports wireless connectivity). That’s convenient, but it drains your phone’s battery even if you don’t use Android Auto.

Also: I’ve used Android Auto for years, and these 5 changes solved my biggest problems

If you uncheck the Wireless Android Auto box, it will only connect when you connect a cable. If the only time you use Android Auto is to navigate on a long trip, it might be better to save your phone’s battery by not plugging it in all the time.

4. Unknown sources

Android Auto’s equivalent of sideloading, selecting the “Unknown Sources” feature allows you to install apps that aren’t officially approved by Google.

Generally, your Android Auto apps are limited to the usual options. But using anonymous apps, you can install niche media players that allow you to play local content or even play YouTube videos (official support is on the way), apps that mirror your entire phone, apps that monitor your car’s diagnostics, including OBD-II data and engine metrics, and advanced smart home control apps.

Also: This key Android feature ‘will never’ go away, Google says – but it’s changing.

For example, I’ve had success using AA Browser as a web browser, CarTube and CarStream to watch YouTube videos on my car’s screen, Fermata Auto to play locally stored videos, and Auto Widgets to install custom Android phone widgets like weather, calendar, and smart home toggles.