AI News Feed
Market watch
Salesforce Debuts AIforce and Koa at Dreamforce as Benioff Rejects 'SaaSpocalypse'South Korea’s ‘Contract Departments’ Offer Direct Route to Samsung and SK HynixEngadget Guide: When EV Owners Need a Level 2 Home ChargerRTX 5090 prices top $9,000 in the US as rumor points to a 2027 RTX 6000 launchSalesforce Builds TSA AI Agent Ace to Handle Routine Traveler QuestionsNASA's Roman Space Telescope Has Fuel for 22 Years, Double Earlier Estimate
Salesforce Debuts AIforce and Koa at Dreamforce as Benioff Rejects 'SaaSpocalypse'South Korea’s ‘Contract Departments’ Offer Direct Route to Samsung and SK HynixEngadget Guide: When EV Owners Need a Level 2 Home ChargerRTX 5090 prices top $9,000 in the US as rumor points to a 2027 RTX 6000 launchSalesforce Builds TSA AI Agent Ace to Handle Routine Traveler QuestionsNASA's Roman Space Telescope Has Fuel for 22 Years, Double Earlier Estimate
Products & Applications

Android Auto Can Be Updated Manually Through the Play Store, Engadget Says

Android Auto can be updated manually through the Google Play Store, while a missing update button means the device already has the latest version. Engadget also outlines reset and rollback steps when the app has issues.

AI News Feed · 2026-09-16 09:21

Engadget reports that Android Auto appears on a car's infotainment display but is powered by the smartphone, and it can receive regular internet updates to fix bugs and add features. Google has added its Gemini voice assistant, support for widgets and an overhaul of the platform's visual design, the publication notes. Because Android Auto is packaged as a regular app rather than a core system component, it is updated through the Play Store instead of only through major Android software releases.

The Play Store is responsible for keeping Android Auto up to date. In practice, that means the app should update automatically like any other phone app, but those updates can fail or be delayed if the phone does not detect a Wi-Fi network. By default, the Play Store does not use cellular data to automatically update apps in the background. Users can search for Android Auto in the Play Store to see whether a manual update is available. If only an Uninstall button appears, Engadget says the device already has the latest version. Users can also open the three-dot menu in the top-right corner and make sure Enable auto update is selected.

Engadget notes that older phones need Android 9.0 or higher to receive the latest updates. Android 9.0 was released in 2018, so this requirement should not affect most devices.

If the Play Store does not allow an update and the app is experiencing glitches, Engadget suggests resetting Android Auto. In the phone's Settings app, users can navigate to Apps, then See all apps, then Android Auto, then Storage and cache, and tap Clear storage. This resets preferences saved within the Android Auto interface but does not delete data stored in other apps such as Google Maps or Spotify. After reconnecting the phone to the car, the user can check whether the issue has been resolved.

If problems persist, Engadget suggests rolling back to the oldest version of Android Auto available on the phone. In the same Apps, See all apps, Android Auto screen, the three-dot menu in the top-right corner should show an Uninstall updates button. Tapping it will return the phone to the earliest version included with the device. Users can try that older version first; if it provides a more stable experience, they can temporarily disable auto-updates in the Play Store and wait for a future update to fix the problem. Alternatively, they can update again to the latest version and check whether the fresh installation offers a noticeable improvement.