Android Auto’s Coolwalk redesign gave drivers a split-screen dashboard that shows navigation, media, and quick controls at a glance. It also, quietly, opened the door to a lot more customization than most people realize. You can reorder the launcher, add third-party widgets, and even sideload apps that would never make it through Google’s Automotive review.
We tested seven apps that turn Android Auto from “the layout Google gave you” into “the layout that actually matches your drive.” Some are official, one is a sideloader that pushes the limits, and a couple change how your car’s head unit works from the launcher up. Every app here works on any Android 10+ phone and any Android Auto-compatible head unit.
What to look for in an Android Auto customization app
- Coolwalk support. Anything old enough to predate the 2023 redesign is a poor fit.
- Split-screen widget behavior. Cards should coexist with the map, not fight it.
- A safe, distraction-minimal UI. Big touch targets, minimum text, one-tap actions.
- Voice-friendly. Everything you touch should also work with Google Assistant.
- Head-unit compatibility. Some tricks only work on wireless Coolwalk, not wired.
- Reputation of the developer. Sideloaded automotive apps have a well-documented history of extra permissions and instability, so pick sources with track records.
Quick comparison
| App | Best for | Free plan | Paid tier | Standout feature |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Android Auto | Baseline dashboard and launcher customization | Free | None | Coolwalk split-screen with hand-picked launcher order |
| AutoZen | Widget-heavy dashboard replacement | Free tier | Pro one-time purchase | Split-screen maps + media widgets |
| AAAD | Sideloading unsupported apps | Free (donation-supported) | None | Bring streaming and browsers to AA |
| Waze | Traffic-aware dashboard co-pilot | Free | None | Police and hazard alerts on the map card |
| Google Maps | The stock nav card everyone knows | Free | None | Deep AA integration and lane guidance |
| Fermata Auto | Local media playback on the dashboard | Free, open source | None | Plays local FLAC, video, podcasts on AA |
| KAA (Kotlin Android Auto) | Fully custom head-unit ROMs | Free, open source | None | Full launcher replacement on rooted head units |
The apps
1. Android Auto — best for baseline dashboard control
Before you sideload anything, spend ten minutes in Android Auto’s own Settings > Customize launcher menu. You can reorder every app card, hide the ones you never use, disable the media suggestions strip, and pick which dark-mode behavior kicks in at night. Coolwalk’s three-pane layout adjusts to a phone’s width automatically, which matters more on older head units.
Where it falls short: No third-party widget slots yet. Nothing is really configurable outside the launcher list.
Pricing:
- Free, bundled with Google Play Services on Android 10+
- No paid tier
Bottom line: The starting point. Learn what’s already possible before installing anything else.
2. AutoZen — best for a widget-heavy dashboard replacement
AutoZen is a third-party launcher that surfaces media, maps, and quick-action widgets in a Coolwalk-style split-screen layout. It supports Google Maps and Android widgets on the dashboard, gives you a fast contacts card, and can pin a music player next to a map without either shrinking down.
Where it falls short: Widget support depends on which apps expose them for AA. Some head units render the split view smaller than the stock experience.
Pricing:
- Free tier with core widgets
- Pro: one-time in-app purchase for the full widget set
Download: AutoZen on Google Play
Bottom line: The best pick if the stock split-screen still feels one card too thin.
3. AAAD — best for sideloading apps Google Automotive rejected
Android Auto Apps Downloader (AAAD) is not on the Play Store because its whole purpose is to install apps that aren’t. It uses Android’s signature spoofing feature to make a normal Android app pass as an Automotive-approved one. That is how communities use it for streaming clients, browsers, and file managers that were never blessed for the car.
Where it falls short: Requires a rooted phone with Magisk and the right signature-spoofing module. Sideloaded apps have been shown to over-request permissions and can destabilize the AA session; a review of automotive sideloads found roughly a third of them requested permissions well beyond what the app needed. Treat this as an enthusiast tool, not a set-and-forget solution.
Pricing:
- Free, donation-supported
- Distributed through the developer’s GitHub and mirror sites, not Google Play
Download: AAAD via the developer’s page
Bottom line: Powerful, risky, and clearly labeled as such. Only for users who understand root and are comfortable auditing what they install.
4. Waze — best traffic-aware nav card on the dashboard
Waze is not a customization app itself, but it swaps the default map card in Coolwalk for one that includes user-reported hazards, police, potholes, and speed traps. In a split-screen layout with a media widget, that adds usable information every trip.
Where it falls short: The data is only as good as the users around you. Coverage is thin in rural areas outside major markets.
Pricing:
- Free, ad-supported
- No premium tier
Download: Waze on Google Play · Waze on Aptoide
Bottom line: Pair it with a good media widget and Coolwalk becomes a genuinely traffic-smart dashboard.
5. Google Maps — best deep-integrated stock nav experience
Google Maps on Android Auto has years of tuning specifically for the car. Lane guidance, speed limit tiles, EV charger routing, and the return-to-nav gesture all live inside the Coolwalk map card. Nothing third-party matches that integration depth.
Where it falls short: Traffic and hazard reporting are shallower than Waze. Custom routing options are limited compared to a dedicated GPS unit.
Pricing:
- Free, no ads inside the AA card
- No paid tier
Download: Google Play
Bottom line: The safe default for the map half of a split-screen dashboard.
6. Fermata Auto — best for local media playback on the dashboard
Fermata Auto is an open-source media player designed to run inside Android Auto. It plays local FLAC, MP3, video files, and podcasts, indexes music by folder, and honors AA’s driving-mode UI limits. Perfect for anyone whose library still lives on an SD card or a NAS-synced folder.
Where it falls short: No streaming. Video only plays while parked, which is the intended safety behavior.
Pricing:
- Free, open source (Apache 2.0)
- No paid tier
Download: Fermata Auto on F-Droid
Bottom line: The best media widget for anyone who prefers files over streaming.
7. KAA — best for rooted head units and fully custom launchers
KAA (Kotlin Android Auto) is a full open-source rebuild of the Android Auto phone-projection stack. On rooted or aftermarket head units, it lets you replace the launcher entirely, pick a different map card, or run apps outside the Google-approved list. It is the enthusiast end of the customization curve.
Where it falls short: Requires either a rooted head unit or a custom install path most drivers won’t attempt. Development moves fast and can be unstable.
Pricing:
- Free, open source (GPL)
- No paid tier
Download: KAA on GitHub (community fork under active development)
Bottom line: For power users only, and worth the setup for a truly custom car OS.
How to pick the right one
- Try Android Auto’s built-in customization first. Reorder your launcher, hide unused apps, and see if that solves 80 percent of the pain.
- Add AutoZen if you want a Coolwalk split-screen that shows more widgets.
- Use AAAD only if you understand root, signature spoofing, and are willing to audit sideloaded apps.
- Pair Waze with a media widget if you want traffic-aware nav on the primary card.
- Stick with Google Maps if lane guidance and EV routing matter more than user hazard reports.
- Install Fermata Auto if your music is local files.
- Reach for KAA if you already run a rooted or aftermarket head unit.
For most drivers the honest recommendation is to master the stock launcher first, then add exactly one third-party widget (Waze or AutoZen) rather than sideloading a dozen unsupported apps.
FAQ
Can you customize the Android Auto dashboard?
Yes. Android Auto’s Coolwalk redesign added a Customize launcher menu in Settings that lets you reorder and hide app cards. Third-party launchers like AutoZen push customization further with more widgets, and sideloaders like AAAD let you install apps that Google’s Automotive review would normally block.
What is Coolwalk on Android Auto?
Coolwalk is the code name for the split-screen dashboard that Android Auto rolled out in 2023. It shows navigation, media, and quick controls side by side, and it changed the customization landscape by giving third-party apps places to render widgets.
Is AAAD safe to use?
AAAD itself is open source, but it enables sideloading apps that were never reviewed for automotive safety. Independent reviews have found many sideloaded automotive apps request excessive permissions and can destabilize Android Auto sessions. Use it only on a rooted phone, audit each app before installing, and expect occasional crashes.
Which app is the best free Android Auto launcher?
For most people, the built-in Android Auto launcher plus its Customize launcher menu is enough. If you want richer widgets, AutoZen’s free tier is the best free third-party option.
Can I put custom widgets on Android Auto?
Yes, through AutoZen or a rooted head unit running KAA. Google has been slow to open first-party widgets to the dashboard, so third-party launchers are still where widget-heavy setups live.
Does Android Auto work on any car?
Any head unit that supports Android Auto (wired or wireless), and any phone running Android 10 or later. Older cars may need an aftermarket wireless dongle to get Coolwalk features.
