Google has unexpectedly introduced a change that Android Auto users will enjoy: It is now possible to choose the wallpaper that will personalize the car console. Of course, the background in question must exactly match the wallpaper of the connected smartphone: If you change your mobile phone, you change your car.

In a system that doesn’t get overly visible new features like Android Auto, a small change can be a big thing. And although it slowly evolved into the Coolwalk look we have today, Google opts to fix any bugs it finds from mobile device and automakers Instead of testing possible changes to the user interface. Because how long has it been since we asked about the option to customize Android Auto beyond just choosing the wallpapers that come standard?

If you have a wallpaper on your mobile phone, your car also has it.

Wallpapers (above) and Android Auto backgrounds (below) applied to mobile device

Google activates this innovation from its servers without a transition between versions: we got the customization of wallpapers installed with the latest beta version of Android Auto, version 11 (no longer beta, but available in its stable form). When we connected the mobile phone to the car, we saw a huge improvement in personalization once we entered the list of applications.

The car screen presents the same wallpaper as the desktop app drawer of the connected mobile phone. Of course, with some exceptions, not all wallpapers are transferred to the car console, at least for now:

• Android Auto not showing animated wallpapers. If any of these wallpapers is selected on the mobile phone, the tool will show one of the wallpapers (the first one in the list) that the smartphone comes with by default.
• Google Pixel’s AI backgrounds don’t appear in the car. All backgrounds created from Google phones with Android 14 are displayed on the phone only: Android Auto shows a default background for the phone.

The selected wallpapers, whether photos from the gallery, uploaded images or those that come with the smartphone, They are represented as interrupts on the tool screen. Depending on the resolution of the panel, more or less of the background will be visible; Therefore, if we want the wallpaper to look good on Android Auto, we need to run tests until the background fits correctly on both screens (phone screen and car screen).

Default, Android Auto loads the image of the connected mobile phone when the user activates the option. It is now possible to disconnect the car so that it does not synchronize the wallpaper with the phone.

• Access Android Auto settings.
• Uncheck the “Use phone wallpaper in Android Auto” box.

Unchecking this option will prevent Android Auto from loading the mobile wallpaper

Application drawer in the vehicle console It will turn a dark gray color and there will be no customization options: The old background selection has disappeared.

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