Android Auto is Google’s alternative to car infotainment systems. If you want to use it wirelessly, you’ll need one of these adapters.
Much like CarPlay, Android Auto offers a way to give your car’s infotainment system a mobile-inspired twist. You’ll get widgets and access to Android apps (including Google’s own software like Google Maps), and all you need is a car that supports it. But just because your car is compatible with Android Auto doesn’t mean it can connect to your phone wirelessly.
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AA wireless/Pocket-lint
AAWireless Wireless Android Car Adapter
Best Overall
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Otto Kast/Pocket-lint
Ottocast U2-X Pro Android Auto and CarPlay Adapter
Best Premium Adapter
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AACPLAY / Pocket velvet
AACPlay Android Car Wireless Adapter
Best Budget Adapter
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Motorola/Pocket-lint
Motorola MA1
Google approved adapter
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CarlinKit/Pocket-lint
CardLink 5.0
Best Compact Adapter
With this Android Auto feature, your car will never get lost in a parking lot again
No need to wander around pressing the panic button on your car key.
In these cases, your best option is to buy an adapter or adapter that plugs into your car and acts as an intermediary between your smartphone and your vehicle. Functionally, there aren’t a lot of changes in what these adapters do, but there are a lot in how they look, how they fit into your car, and whether they support CarPlay. We’ve gathered a range of Android Auto adapters in the list below, so if you need help finding the right adapter for your vehicle, read on.
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AAWireless Wireless Android Car Adapter
Best Overall
The AAWireless Wireless Android Car Adapter is our favorite choice because of its compact design and easy setup via USB-C, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi. AAWireless’ strategy is built around its companion app, which you can use during initial setup and later be used to theoretically update the dongle’s firmware over time to maintain compatibility.
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Ottocast U2-X Pro Android Auto and CarPlay Adapter
Best Premium Adapter
If your family uses both Android and iPhone, it might be worth spending a little extra to get the Ottocast U2-X Pro. It’s another rectangle (this time with a button for resetting and switching phones) that connects to your car via USB, but this time it supports Android Auto and CarPlay, so you can choose which in-car OS to use .
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AACPlay Android Car Wireless Adapter
Best Budget Adapter
The AACPLAY Android Car Wireless Adapter is one of the most affordable options we’ve found for connecting your Android phone to your car. It plugs into your car via USB-C or USB-A, supports Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity required for phones, and includes a sticky gel pad so you can prevent it from sliding around in your car.
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Motorola MA1 Wireless Android Auto Car Adapter
Google approved adapter
Motorola’s MA1 Wireless Android Car Adapter is the first to receive official support from Google. Shaped a bit like a Google Chromecast, it meets the basic requirements of connecting your phone and car wirelessly, but only uses a USB-A cable, which may limit the cars it can connect to.
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Carlinkit 5.0 Wireless Adapter
Best Compact Adapter
The CarlinKit 5.0 Adapter has the same 2-in-1 functionality as the Ottocast, effectively letting you use the adapter for wireless CarPlay or wireless Android Auto, but in a slightly smaller package and offers USB-C and USB-A connectivity options to your car.
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HI LANG Android Car Adapter
Best Ice Puck Shape Choices
Functionally, HEI LANG’s adapter is pretty much the same as the others on this list, offering Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, but it’s shaped like a hockey puck, allowing you to use your car’s existing buttons, knobs, and touchscreen to navigate Android Auto.
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Carsifi Wireless Android Car Adapter
It would be nice to have a button for switching calls
If you share your car and plan to connect it to several different Android devices, Carsifi’s Wireless Android Auto Adapter has a dedicated button for switching between phones. It plugs into supported cars via USB-C or A and works with your car’s existing controls.
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Teeran Android Auto Wireless Adapter
Comes with separate USB-A adapter
The Teeran Android Auto Wireless Adapter is often on sale and is just as powerful as the other adapters on this list. It plugs into your car via USB-C, and if you have an older car, it also comes with a USB-A adapter. As with our other picks, all car controls still work.
How do I know if my phone and car are compatible with Android Auto?
Google has released a list of all car brands and specific models that support Android Auto. These include Acura, BMW, Chevrolet, Hyundai, Volkswagen and more.For mobile phones that support wireless Android Auto, Google’s standards are a little more complicated.
Your phone must have an active data plan (such as cellular service) and support 5 GHz Wi-Fi for wireless Android Auto to be possible. From there Google broke the compatibility like this:
- Wireless Android Auto is supported on any Android phone running Android 11.0 or higher
- Wireless Android Auto is supported on Google or Samsung phones running Android 10.0
- Samsung Galaxy S8, S8+ or Note 9 running Android 9.0 supports wireless Android Auto
If your phone doesn’t fit one of these descriptions, it won’t work with Android Auto, wireless or not.
What should I look for in a wireless Android Auto adapter?
The most important things to consider when buying a wireless Android Auto adapter are the connector it’s used to plug into your car (newer models tend to be USB-C, while older models use USB-A) and what if you need to reset or Something went wrong, please update the dongle. Some of the models we selected use a companion app to allow for future updates, ensuring your adapter remains compatible with your car and Android device. Others include a dedicated button for resetting the dongle. You can also simply unplug them and restart the car. No matter which method you choose, it’s important to find ways to fix problems when they arise.