Modern-day smartphones can automatically switch the display themes depending on the time of the day, with manual controls also available. However, things have been different for some Android Auto screens, with Google removing the system light theme and defaulting to dark mode in 2019. We first learned that Android Auto’s light theme was on track for a revival a couple of years ago, with more evidence emerging early last month and again in the latter half of May. Now, a fresh revelation suggests that Google is putting the final touches on Android Auto’s system-wide light theme.
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In a report for Android Authority, code sleuth AssembleDebug dug into version 14.7.152544 of the Android Auto app to activate the light theme option and its accompanying elements within settings. Once enabled, the source found options for Automatic, Light, and Dark themes under Settings > Display > Theme.
It took long enough, but it’s nearly here
Current layout in Android Auto settings (left); Upcoming ‘Theme’ category under Display options (middle and right)
The newly added Theme subsection within Settings > Display effectively replaces the existing “Day/Night mode for maps” option, though it’s unclear if that will still be the case when Google pushes the updated theming options. Although Google Maps navigation currently supports switching between light and dark themes, other UI elements across Android Auto default to the dark theme. With that in mind, this change has been a long time coming.
While we initially believed Google would roll out Android Auto’s light/auto theming option during I/O 2025, that didn’t happen. But as Android Authority rightly notes, the fact that light theme elements are already present (albeit hidden) within the latest version of the app suggests it won’t be long before they’re widely available.
Current (left); Upcoming (middle and right)
If you’ve been keeping track of Android Auto developments over the past month, you’ll know that Google has a lot more in store for the platform. We recently learned about the company’s push to unlock support for more app categories, beginning with browser and video apps. However, these categories will require a smartphone featuring Android 16, with the caveat that it will only work on “select compatible cars.”
In the near future, Android Auto users can expect a wave of third-party weather apps landing on the platform, with Google saying last month that weather apps have “graduated from beta” on Android Auto and Android Automotive.
