Android Auto’s Secret Superpower Is a Customizable Shortcut Button
Even if you log in your Android phone to your car dashboard via Android Auto is a daily ritual for you, you may not have explored much beyond the interface’s default settings. You probably just want to get where you’re going, rather than wading through menus and options screens to tweak the Android Auto experience.
However, it’s worth familiarizing yourself with a few key Android Auto tweaks that can make your time behind the wheel easier. One of them is the ability to add Assistant shortcuts to the Android Auto app screen, so that anything you can ask Google Assistant to do, you can put behind a button on your dashboard.
We’re currently in the process of moving all of its apps and devices to Gemini from Google Assistant, but for now, the Assistant shortcut option remains in Android Auto – and likely when the Gemini switch is finally complete, the new voice-controlled AI chatbot will take on the same role on Android Auto.
The possibilities of what these shortcuts can do are many and varied. With the press of a button on your dashboard, you can get directions home from wherever you are, load one of your Spotify playlists, open the garage door, turn off the house lights, or have your incoming text messages read to you. These are just a few examples; If something works like a Google Assistant voice command, it will work like a shortcut button.
Create an Android Auto shortcut
The exact location of the Android Auto launcher options will depend on the make and model of your Android phone, but they will be found somewhere in the settings. On Google Pixel phones, in Settings, tap Connected devices > Connection preferences > Android Auto.
Once in the Android Auto menus, choose Customize the launcher. This screen lets you choose which of your phone apps appear on the Android Auto dashboard, although of course not all of them will be compatible (it will mainly be mapping and multimedia apps listed here).
Faucet Add a shortcut to the Launcher > Assistant actionand you can create your custom shortcut. Simply type your command (the command you issue using your voice), give it a name, then press Create a shortcut.
If you are currently signed in to Android Auto, you can also use the Test the shortcut button to see if it works as expected. If you’re not in your vehicle you can still create shortcuts, you just have to hope you worded them correctly.
Your newly created shortcut is added to the list on the Customize Launcher screen, and you can use the handle just to the left of the shortcut entry to change its position in the app order. Android Auto lets you create multiple shortcuts and you can group them all together for easy access.
