Android Auto’s hidden battery drain you’ll be able to’t disable—here is the workaround

I take advantage of wired Android Auto as a result of, truthfully, I want a cable. It feels less complicated.

So I used to be shocked to see Bluetooth nonetheless lively. I attempted turning it off, assuming Android Auto would preserve working by the cable. Nope. Android Auto merely turned Bluetooth again on.

That’s after I realized wired Android Auto doesn’t fully go away Bluetooth out of the image. You can’t simply swap it off and count on every thing to maintain working usually. If you’re attempting to scale back pointless background exercise and squeeze extra battery life out of your telephone, that is a type of Android Auto quirks that feels fully pointless. And fortunately, there’s a workaround.

Wired Android Auto isn’t fully wired

Bluetooth nonetheless sneaks into the equation

When I join my telephone to my automobile with a USB cable, I do know Android Auto itself is utilizing that wired connection. My instructions, Spotify playback, and different Android Auto options are going by USB, not Bluetooth. So naturally, I assumed Bluetooth may take the break day. Turns out, not fairly.

Bluetooth can nonetheless deal with hands-free telephone calls by the automobile utilizing the Hands-Free Profile (HFP). I seen this after I related my telephone for a drive and tried switching Bluetooth off. I wasn’t utilizing wi-fi Android Auto, so I figured nothing vital would change. But turning Bluetooth off can break the automobile’s hands-free calling connection, and Android Auto might ask me to show Bluetooth again on.

So, no, Android Auto isn’t secretly sending every thing by Bluetooth whereas I’m plugged in. The USB cable continues to be dealing with the present Android Auto connection. Bluetooth can keep lively for different automobile capabilities, which makes the entire setup really feel rather a lot much less simple than it ought to.

Turning off Bluetooth isn’t that straightforward

Android Auto retains bringing it again

I seen this on one in all my traditional grocery runs.

I plugged my telephone into the automobile, began Google Maps, placed on my favourite track, after which checked my telephone as a result of I used to be attempting to squeeze a bit extra battery life out of it.

Bluetooth was on.

I switched it off and thought, “Great, one much less factor working.” Just a few seconds later, Bluetooth was again on.

I attempted it once more as a result of I take pleasure in arguing with my telephone — identical factor. Bluetooth wouldn’t keep off whereas I used to be utilizing Android Auto. And sure, I used a cable the complete time. I wasn’t related to wireless Android Auto or attempting to pair with one other gadget.

That’s what makes this really feel so pointless to me. If I’m already sitting there with a USB cable connecting my telephone to the automobile, I ought to at the least have the ability to resolve whether or not I need Bluetooth working too. Instead, Android Auto makes that call for me. And if I’m particularly attempting to cut down on batteries, that’s not useful.

I lastly discovered a workaround

Without giving up my wired connection

After getting irritated with the Bluetooth toggle for just a few drives, I finished attempting to show it off fully and seemed for an additional manner round the issue. The workaround that labored for me was disconnecting my automobile’s Bluetooth whereas conserving my telephone related to Android Auto by USB. That manner, I may nonetheless use Google Maps, Spotify, and the remainder of my traditional Android Auto setup.

I seen one trade-off, although. Disconnecting the automobile from Bluetooth means I can’t depend on the automobile’s Bluetooth connection for hands-free calling. That’s price understanding earlier than making the change, particularly for those who commonly take calls whereas driving. For me, that isn’t an enormous deal as a result of most of my brief drives are about getting someplace, not having a protracted telephone dialog.

I examined it on a daily drive to select up my daughter, and the distinction was fairly easy: I plugged within the cable, Android Auto began as traditional, and I wasn’t always checking whether or not Bluetooth had quietly switched itself again on. I nonetheless had the wired connection I needed, with out the additional connection to the automobile.

It isn’t a magical battery-saving swap, and I wouldn’t declare it immediately reworked my telephone’s battery life. But for those who’re utilizing wired Android Auto and don’t want your automobile related over Bluetooth, it is a a lot cleaner workaround than repeatedly turning Bluetooth off and ready for Android Auto to reconnect.

Google, can we make this less complicated?

The annoying half isn’t that Bluetooth exists. It’s why I needed to discover the conduct, take a look at what was taking place, and dig round for a approach to change it. Most folks aren’t going to spend their morning investigating why a connection they thought they’d turned off retains returning.

Android Auto is meant to make driving simpler, not give me one other tiny tech mystery to unravel earlier than I go away the driveway.