To connect Android Auto wirelessly, enable your phone’s Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and Location Services, pair it with a wireless Android Auto car through Bluetooth, and complete the setup screens on both displays. Park the vehicle and turn on its infotainment system before starting. If Android Auto does not launch after pairing, tap Android Auto on the vehicle display.
The short version
- Check compatibility: You need a supported phone with Android 11 or later, 5 GHz Wi-Fi support, an active data plan, and a compatible wireless receiver.
- Pair while parked: Enable Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and Location Services, then complete setup on the phone and vehicle.
- Enable projection: Some vehicles require you to select Android Auto for the paired phone before it opens.
- For wired systems: A compatible wireless adapter can connect through the existing Android Auto USB data port.
| Connection option | What you need | How setup starts |
|---|---|---|
| Native wireless connection | A compatible phone and wireless Android Auto vehicle | Pair through Bluetooth and enable Android Auto |
| Initial USB setup | A Chevrolet system supporting wireless authorization over USB | Connect by cable and accept future wireless connection |
| AAWireless adapter | Compatible wired Android Auto and a supported phone | Plug in the adapter and pair through Bluetooth or its app |
| Motorola MA1 adapter | Compatible factory wired Android Auto and a supported phone | Start wired projection, then replace the phone’s cable with MA1 |
| Wireless aftermarket receiver | A receiver that supports wireless Android Auto | Add the phone through the receiver’s device menu |
| Portable dashboard display | A compatible display with suitable mounting, power, and audio connections | Install and pair using the display’s supplied manual |
Check your phone and car compatibility
Start with a supported Android phone running Android 11 or later, with 5 GHz Wi-Fi support and an active data plan. Android Go edition is excluded, and additional 5 GHz regulatory requirements apply in the European Union. Android Auto is integrated into supported phones, so you normally do not need to install it separately.
Check wireless Android Auto support for your exact vehicle or stereo, including its trim and market. Ordinary Bluetooth audio, a USB socket, wireless charging, and wireless Apple CarPlay do not establish native wireless Android Auto compatibility. Your car can support Android Auto through a cable without supporting it wirelessly.
If your vehicle supports only wired Android Auto, a compatible adapter can add a wireless connection. Connecting a USB cable for initial setup can authorize future wireless connections on some wireless-capable vehicles, but that step alone cannot add wireless capability to a wired-only receiver.
Pair your phone with the vehicle
With the vehicle parked and its infotainment system on, enable your phone’s Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and Location Services. Open Settings > Bluetooth on the phone. Put the vehicle into its new-phone pairing mode, then select the vehicle on your phone.
Complete the setup screens on the phone and vehicle display, including pairing confirmations and requested permissions. The wording varies by phone and infotainment system, so follow the prompts shown on your devices. After pairing, wait for Android Auto to launch, or tap Android Auto on the vehicle display.
Some vehicles let you open the new-phone pairing menu by pressing and holding the steering-wheel Voice command button. Keep the phone’s Bluetooth settings open while doing this, then pair with the vehicle. If the pairing menu does not open, check the vehicle’s manual for its pairing procedure.
Enable Android Auto on the car display
After Bluetooth pairing, you may need to enable Android Auto separately for your phone. Follow the steps for your infotainment system, since menus can differ within the same vehicle brand.
On Ford SYNC 4, pair through Bluetooth, then open Settings > Phone List on the touchscreen and select your phone. Press the Android Auto icon to enable projection.
On compatible Toyota Audio Multimedia systems, select Yes when pairing asks you to activate Android Auto. If you previously declined, open Settings > Bluetooth & Devices, select your phone, and enable Use for Android Auto.
For Hyundai Display Audio Gen2V systems equipped with wireless projection, open All menus > Settings > Wi-Fi and select Use Wi-Fi for phone projection. Next, open All menus > Settings > Device connection > Phone projection > Add new. With your phone’s Bluetooth and Wi-Fi enabled, select the vehicle in your phone’s Bluetooth settings, complete pairing, then press OK.
On supported Chevrolet vehicles, tap the gray Android Auto icon on the center display to begin. Pair your phone through Bluetooth and complete the setup screens on both devices.
Some wireless-capable Chevrolet systems also let you authorize wireless connections through an initial USB setup. Connect your phone to the vehicle’s USB data port and complete Android Auto setup, accepting the option for future wireless connections when offered. Once authorized, your phone connects wirelessly on subsequent drives.
Set up automatic startup
After the first connection, open your phone’s Android Auto settings to check its available startup controls. On Samsung Galaxy phones with One UI 5 or later, open Settings > Connected devices > Android Auto if your phone has that menu layout.
On Xiaomi phones with the matching menus, open Settings > More connectivity options > Android Auto > Start Android Auto automatically, then select Always. The other choices are If used on the last drive and Default (set by the vehicle). These choices control startup after a compatible connection; they do not add wireless support.
To allow startup with a locked Xiaomi phone after initial setup, return to Settings > More connectivity options > Android Auto. Turn on Start Android Auto while locked. This controls locked-phone startup separately from the automatic-start choice.
Use an adapter with wired Android Auto
Before installing an adapter, confirm that Android Auto works with your phone connected by cable to the vehicle’s USB data port. Choose an adapter whose compatibility requirements match your vehicle and phone. The adapter needs the Android Auto data connection, so a charge-only USB port will not work.
For an AAWireless adapter, check your vehicle and phone against the AAWireless TWO product requirements. Connect the adapter to the vehicle’s Android Auto USB data port using its supplied cable, then pair your phone with the adapter through Bluetooth or the AAWireless companion app. Subsequent connections occur automatically.
To get the AAWireless companion app, open its Google Play listing and tap Install. The app provides setup guidance, troubleshooting, adapter updates, and button configuration. If pairing does not lead to a connection, open the app’s troubleshooting options.
For Motorola MA1, start wired Android Auto, unplug the phone while projection remains active, and immediately connect MA1 to the same USB port. When its LED flashes blue, open Settings > Bluetooth on your phone and select AndroidAuto-XXXX to pair, then wait for wireless projection. Later MA1 connections also require your phone’s hands-free Bluetooth connection to the vehicle.
Connect through a replacement receiver or display
You can also use a wireless-capable aftermarket receiver when your existing stereo lacks the feature. Check the exact receiver’s compatibility before choosing it, since Android Auto support does not automatically mean wireless support.
On supported Sony wireless Android Auto receivers, open Devices from the Home-screen app list and select Add New Device. Pair your phone through Bluetooth, then select Start. If projection does not open automatically afterward, select Android Auto on the Home screen.
A portable dashboard display, such as the Carpuride W103, gives you a separate screen for Android Auto. Check its mounting, power requirements, wireless Android Auto support, and available audio outputs before choosing it. Install and pair it using the manual supplied for that exact model.
Fix a connection that will not finish
First, confirm that the receiver supports wireless Android Auto and that your phone’s Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and Location Services remain enabled. Check the vehicle’s paired-phone settings to make sure Android Auto is enabled for your phone. Then select Android Auto on the display if it has not opened automatically.
Check for an Android Auto update before repeating setup. Open Google Play Store, tap your profile icon, and select Manage apps & device. Under Updates available, tap See details, then tap Update beside Android Auto if an update is available.
If a saved vehicle connection still fails, open Settings > Connected devices > Connection preferences > Android Auto > Previously connected cars on phones with those menus. Open the top-right menu and tap Forget all cars. This removes your saved Android Auto vehicle associations, so reconnect and repeat the appropriate vehicle setup afterward.
For a Sony receiver with persistent pairing trouble, remove your phone from the receiver’s Device Connection screen and remove the receiver from your phone’s Bluetooth settings. Pair them again, and remove unused devices from Device Connection if multiple stored phones interfere. If you connect through an adapter, follow its manufacturer’s recovery procedure because reset steps differ by model.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a voice command complete the initial wireless Android Auto setup?
Google's setup steps pair the phone and car over Bluetooth the first time you connect wirelessly, and they do not include a Google Assistant or Gemini command for that pairing. Ford SYNC 4 does offer a vehicle pairing shortcut: briefly press the steering-wheel Push-to-talk button and say Pair phone, then finish Bluetooth pairing and enable Android Auto.
Can an older Honda Accord get an official wireless upgrade?
You can get Honda’s wireless software upgrade for eligible 2018 through 2022 U.S. Accord trims originally equipped with wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Have an authorized Honda dealer verify eligibility and install the upgrade before using the upgraded system’s wireless pairing procedure.
Can a car with wired Apple CarPlay run wireless Android Auto?
You can use a compatible bridge product such as Magic Box 3.0 to provide wireless Android Auto through a supported factory wired Apple CarPlay system. Check the bridge’s exact vehicle requirements, since it uses a different connection from adapters that require wired Android Auto.
How do you switch phones with AAWireless TWO?
With the default button assignments on AAWireless TWO and TWO+, press the adapter’s Button once to switch to the next paired phone. Hold the Button for two seconds to pair another phone, unless you have changed those assignments in the companion app.
Should you follow older WiFi Launcher instructions for a tablet receiver?
No, Headunit Reloaded removed its older wireless-launch mechanism after Android Auto 17.4 restricted third-party triggering. Its replacement native wireless connection has phone-dependent support, so check compatibility with your phone before choosing that software receiver.