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Door staff@engadget.com (Jack Whitcombe) - 29 Aug 2026
Android Auto isn't a perfect system in a perfect world. If you're using Android Auto often enough, pressure points or issues that force it to stop working will occur from time to time, even if your car or phone does fully support it.
A stable connection, or lack of, is the most common problem that Android Auto users face. Wired connections between your smartphone and your car, for instance, won't work properly without the right cable. In a Google help guide on the subject, tips for good wired Android Auto connectivity included using a cable shorter than six feet; if the cable doesn't work, just replace it. That's sound advice if you're using a cheap USB cable designed for charging only, too, as you'll need a cable that can support data connections over USB for wired Android Auto to work.
Wireless users can't simply replace a cable to fix their connection issues, however. Instead, you can remove the car from your phone's connected devices list and connect it as a fresh device. This isn't a guaranteed fix, but it will reset the connection from scratch.
Virtual private network connections will also prevent Android Auto from connecting properly. To fix this, you can either switch the VPN off while you're using it in the car, or configure it to use split tunneling (if your VPN provider supports it). Split tunneling means that your Android phone will route some app data through the VPN while excluding Android Auto to allow it to successfully connect with your car's systems.
A stable connection, or lack of, is the most common problem that Android Auto users face. Wired connections between your smartphone and your car, for instance, won't work properly without the right cable. In a Google help guide on the subject, tips for good wired Android Auto connectivity included using a cable shorter than six feet; if the cable doesn't work, just replace it. That's sound advice if you're using a cheap USB cable designed for charging only, too, as you'll need a cable that can support data connections over USB for wired Android Auto to work.
Wireless users can't simply replace a cable to fix their connection issues, however. Instead, you can remove the car from your phone's connected devices list and connect it as a fresh device. This isn't a guaranteed fix, but it will reset the connection from scratch.
Virtual private network connections will also prevent Android Auto from connecting properly. To fix this, you can either switch the VPN off while you're using it in the car, or configure it to use split tunneling (if your VPN provider supports it). Split tunneling means that your Android phone will route some app data through the VPN while excluding Android Auto to allow it to successfully connect with your car's systems.