How to get the most from Android Auto and Apple CarPlay

Use Android Auto or Apple CarPlay daily? Here’s how to get the most out of both for a smoother, smarter driving experience.

Most modern cars now come with Android Auto or Apple CarPlay built in. These systems connect your smartphone to your car’s infotainment screen, letting you safely use apps for navigation, calls, messages, music, and more – all hands-free while you drive.

But even if you already use them regularly, there’s a good chance you’re not getting the full benefit. And it mostly starts before you’ve even put your foot down.

From hidden features to simple setup tweaks, there are plenty of ways to make your driving experience easier, safer, and more enjoyable. Here are some practical tips and tricks to help you get the most out of Android Auto and Apple CarPlay on every journey.

Make the interface work for you (not against you)

One of the biggest benefits of Android Auto and CarPlay is simplicity – but only if you customise them.

You can streamline Android Auto by customising which apps are allowed to appear and be used in the interface. Apple CarPlay users can go to Settings > General > CarPlay and reorganise which apps appear on your dashboard.

Remove anything you don’t need while driving. The goal is a dashboard that shows only essentials such as Maps, Messages, Music, and Podcasts. A cleaner app grid means fewer distractions and faster access to what matters.

Like decluttering a desk, it’s something you want to do properly when you’re parked – not while you’re already on the move.

Master voice control: this is the real “pro” feature

If you’re still tapping your screen while driving, you’re missing the point.

On iOS, activate “Hey Siri” and let it handle navigation, messaging and music changes. For example:

• “Send a message to Alex I’ll be 10 minutes late”
• “Navigate to the nearest petrol station”
• “Play my driving playlist”

On Android, Google Assistant handles similar tasks with even more complex commands, such as:

• “Find a coffee shop on my route”
• “Call the last person I messaged”

That said, if you’ve recently updated your Android Auto and Google apps, you may have spotted something new: Gemini AI. This will allow you to “speak naturally and have a back-and-forth conversation” with it.

It’s still in its early stages of rollout and will eventually replace Google Assistant entirely. But it should help improve your overall driving experience, with Google saying it’s built around “voice commands that actually understand you,” without needing scripts or shortcuts.

You can also activate voice commands using the button on your steering wheel, but you usually need to hold it down to activate it within Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. Just pressing it usually wakes up your car’s native voice control, but this varies between models.

Ultimately, the more you rely on voice, the less you interact with the screen – and the safer and smoother everything becomes.

Navigation tricks you may not be using

Your mapping app is more powerful than you think…

On Android, Google Maps excels at route flexibility and real-time traffic rerouting. You can also report things like lane closures and roadworks to help other Google Maps users.

Meanwhile, with Apple Maps, you can:

• Share your ETA directly from the navigation screen
• Set location-based reminders (for example, “Remind me to pick up dry cleaning when I arrive”)

We’d recommend that you start navigation before you even start the car, so everything is ready when you connect.

Small tweaks that could make a difference

These settings changes seem minor, but they’ll dramatically improve usability:

• Move media controls closer to the driver (Android Auto layout settings)
• Enable “Always Dark Mode” in CarPlay for reduced glare at night
• Reduce app clutter so your most-used tools are always on the first screen

These adjustments reduce cognitive load – meaning your brain does less searching and more driving.

Muting notifications is the hidden safety upgrade

One of the most underrated improvements you can make is controlling your notifications.

Turn off non-essential alerts before driving. Group chats, app pings, and social updates can wait. After all, your attention shouldn’t be split while you’re on the road.

A quiet system isn’t just nicer – it’s so much safer.

Quick tips for when things go wrong (because they will)

Even the most advanced systems freeze occasionally. If your screen becomes unresponsive:

• Use your car’s physical volume knob or power button to restart the infotainment system
• Disconnect and reconnect your phone
• Close and reopen the app before reconnecting

Most issues can be resolved in under a minute. If not, I’d recommend browsing the Android Auto and CarPlay websites for troubleshooting tips or contacting them directly for advice.

My final advice

Remember that Android Auto and Apple CarPlay aren’t just tech add-ons – they’re driving assistants. Getting the best out of them isn’t about learning every feature; it’s about keeping things simple, removing all the unnecessary app clutter, and relying on voice control for most tasks.

Once set up properly, your car becomes less of a distraction machine and more of a calm, connected command centre.

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