Widgets

Android Auto supports 3 main types of system widgets for helping users multitask:

  • Dialer widgets for controlling ongoing phone calls
  • Navigation widgets for showing turn-by-turn instructions when not in maps
  • Media widgets for controlling ongoing media play while in other apps

Widgets show the app icon plus app information or up to 3 app controls. The decision about which widget to show in the nav bar at any given time is based on what apps are open and what their relative priorities are for drivers.


Dialer widgets

If the user is engaged in a phone call while another type of app is showing onscreen, the dialer widget appears in the nav bar. With the dialer widget, the user can control the phone call without switching screens.

dialer widget example
Here, the dialer widget provides options to mute or end the call without switching away from the map screen

The navigation widget provides helpful turn-by-turn information when the map screen is not showing.

Navigation widget example
Here, the navigation widget provides information about an upcoming turn while the user is browsing and playing media

Media widgets

The media widget provides up to 3 controls for content that is playing when the media app is not showing onscreen. App developers can decide which controls are most useful to show for their apps.

The examples below show versions of the media widget used for two different media apps.

YouTube Music

YouTube widget example
This media widget shows the YouTube Music logo and controls for skipping backward, pausing music play, or skipping forward to the next track

Podcast

Podcast widget example
This media widget for a podcast app provides options to go back in time, pause the podcast, or skip forward in time