- Update: Android Auto’s phone reboot issue when connecting wirelessly can be fixed by turning off freeform mode and desktop mode in Developer Settings.
Update, February 24, 2025 (06:50 AM ET): We have misidentified the solution. Even on the older version of the app, users can try turning off freeform mode and desktop mode options in Developer Settings on their devices to fix the soft reboot. Disabling these options will likely fix Android Auto-related reboots on your phone. You don’t need a newer version of Android Auto, but there’s nothing wrong with being on the latest release, too. The original article remains available below.
Original article, February 24, 2025 (04:01 AM ET): Android Auto is a great way to leverage your Android flagship phone to provide the smarts needed for in-car navigation and music. However, the caveat is that it needs to work, and Android Auto can have problems that pop up occasionally. Users recently faced an issue where their phones would reboot when attempting to connect to their car systems using Android Auto wirelessly. Thankfully, this issue now seems to be fixed.