Taking a picture of your car’s dash isn’t the right way to do things
Source: Google
The easiest way to document a bug or share what’s on your screen with someone is to send them a screenshot. Screenshots save a lot of words and provide visual documentation about details you may forget. For these reasons, it makes sense that we rely on them when using our Android phones.
Taking a screenshot on an Android phone is straightforward, but did you know you can do the same while using Android Auto? It requires some fiddling, and it’s important to remember you shouldn’t attempt to grab a quick snap while driving— let your passenger deal with it. However, taking a screenshot of your Android Auto screen is simple after you complete a few initial tasks. Read on to find out how to do it.
1. Enable developer settings
Before taking a screenshot in Android Auto, you’ll need to enable the developer settings on your phone. This step gives you access to additional options that are normally unavailable out of the box.
- Connect your Android phone to your car, either wirelessly or with a cable.
- Once the connection is established, navigate to your phone’s Android Auto settings.
- For Samsung phones, go to Settings > Advanced Features > Android Auto.
- For Pixel phones, go to Connected Devices > Connection Preferences > Android Auto.
- If you’re not sure where they’re located, the easiest way is to navigate to your phone’s settings and search for Android Auto.
- In the Android Auto settings menu, scroll down to the bottom of the page and tap the version number ten times.
- When prompted, accept enabling developer settings.
- It’s best not to change the other settings unless you know what you’re doing, so make sure you only access this menu to save a screenshot.
2. Take a screenshot
To take an Android Auto screenshot, you’ll need to go through some menus on your phone, which you shouldn’t do while driving.
- Go to the Android Auto settings menu, as described in the steps above.
- Tap the overflow (⋮) menu in the upper-right corner of the screen to access developer settings.
- Tap Share screenshot now, which lets you take a screenshot and share it with most of the apps installed on your phone.
You have to share the screenshot immediately after you take it, as there is no option to save it locally. This is annoying, but an easy way to overcome this limitation is to save the screenshots to your Google Drive account. Whichever option you prefer, it’s best to avoid tapping Always at the bottom of the screen, as it means you’ll always share Android Auto screenshots through the same app once you select it.
Share your Android Auto screenshots
Sending screenshots usually saves a lot of words and explanation, as it’s a visual way to share what you see on your car’s screen. Taking Android Auto screenshots isn’t simple, as you must first go through the extra set of enabling it in developer settings. Also, unlike Car Play, you need to manipulate your phone and access hidden menus to complete the action, which is not recommended while driving. Moreover, sharing the screenshot after taking it can be annoying, especially if you plan to take several before sending them.
Our workarounds make things a little more bearable, but it’s still sad Google didn’t think of a more intuitive way to do so.
This is just one of the things that can be annoying with Android Auto, but there’s also a lot to like about it. For instance, it lets you install and enjoy plenty of apps from your car’s entertainment system. Check out the list of our favorite Android Auto apps and try some of them out!
