Android Auto Gets a Highly Anticipated Wallpaper Feature

Instead of allowing users to configure their wallpapers (by enabling custom backgrounds), Android Auto limited users to a selection of pre-loaded images.

Most of the default wallpapers were abstract images, and users could enable them directly from the infotainment screen when Android Auto was running.

The wallpapers were available on both Android Auto wireless and wired and couldn't be modified to include custom images unless users rooted their mobile devices.

Google is now rolling out a new big feature for users who want custom wallpapers on Android Auto.

The feature

The new feature allows users to use the phone wallpaper as a background image for Android Auto.

It was spotted in previous Android Auto builds several weeks ago, but it looks like the work on this functionality was more advanced than initially thought. The first users are now seeing the new option on Android Auto without the need to update the app.

The wallpaper syncing feature is supposed to keep mobile devices and Android Auto in sync. By having the same wallpaper on both screens, Google hopes to make the transition from a mobile phone to Android Auto more seamless, eventually creating more consistency in the Android ecosystem.

Users who received the feature will find a new option in the Android Auto settings screen (on the infotainment system) called "Use phone wallpaper in Android Auto."

How it works

Setting the phone wallpaper as the background on Android Auto is a very straightforward process. Users only need to enable the dedicated setting in the Android Auto configuration menu on the infotainment screen and wait for the wallpaper to be automatically transferred.

The feature does not support live or dynamic wallpapers. Only static images can be used with this feature, and Google is unlikely to ever add support for dynamic wallpapers, considering it could slow down the experience with other apps.

The wallpaper only shows up in the app drawer, so it can't be configured on the Coolwalk screen or anywhere else on Android Auto.

If the application can't sync the wallpaper and therefore can't find an image to use as a background when you connect your mobile device to a compatible head unit, Android Auto returns to the previous wallpaper (which was already transferred to the app).

For example, if you use a static wallpaper that was also enabled on Android Auto but then switch to a dynamic background, the app can transfer your new settings to the infotainment screen, sticking with the static wallpaper.

How to get it

Google has started enabling the new option for users gradually, and it's tied to a specific Android Auto version.

The company was spotted working on the wallpaper sync support several weeks ago, but it has now started enabling it with a server-side switch regardless of the Android Auto version running on the device. However, the new wallpaper option doesn't seem to support a version older than Android Auto 10.9, and most people who get it run Android Auto 11.

Google hasn't publicly announced the improved wallpaper support in Android Auto, but I expect the company to share more information in early January, likely when the rollout gains more traction. For now, the search giant uses a cautious approach, enabling the feature slowly for certain users, likely to collect feedback on its stability and reliability.

It's not tied to a specific phone brand or model. For example, users on reddit claim they got the wallpaper sync support on Google Pixel phones, while in my case, it was activated on a Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra.

Google has recently started testing another similar feature, allowing Android Auto to replace the default icon design with the stock pack on the mobile device. The new icons, also supposed to make the experience feel more consistent, only use the default OEM design and do not support third-party packs. Oddly enough, I didn't get this feature, so I don't think the wallpaper and the icon support are tied to each other.

In the long term, Google wants to bring Android Auto's interface in line with what you can find on an Android device, making the switch from a smartphone to a car more seamless. It's probably a matter of time until the icon migration feature begins rolling out to more users, as its availability is still very limited, possibly as Google wants to test its reliability.

January has become Google's favorite month for announcing major Android Auto updates, so after Coolwalk started rolling out in the first month of 2023 (after the first users received it in late 2022), I expect big news to be shared in a few weeks, too. For now, there's not much you can do to get the new Android Auto wallpaper feature than to wait.