CarStream (previously YoutubeAuto) for Android Auto APK download and setup

2,440 Replies

Play Youtube Video on Android Auto using this app

Screen Shot 2017-12-31 at 10.04.28 AMVersion history :

29th Dec 2017 : v1.0 released

29th Dec 2017 : v1.0.1 released to fix install errors on Android API level < 21

30th Dec 2017 : v1.0.2 released with safety disabled. Safety was showing blank screen when fullscreen. Controller support for nontouch screen still pending.

30th Dec 2017 : v1.1.0 Controller support for non touch devices done. Includes fullscreen and back nav support as well.

1st Jan 2018 : v1.1.1 Fix for app not installed on Marshmallow and lower Android phones. Install this version if you face “App not installed” error

1st Jan 2018 : v1.1.2 Stability fixes and support to resume video if was playing before app was minimized.

2nd Jan 2018 : v1.1.3 Ability to open any website via “Google search” option. Also send any custom url from the phone app. The car app remembers the last url visited and loads it automatically.

2nd Jan 2018 : v1.2.0 Speech to text for youtube searches. Minor fix to controller inputs.

2nd Jan 2018 : v1.2.1 Possible first fix for audio volume not controllable.

3rd Jan 2018 : v1.2.2 Full screen videos can be toggled more easily due to floating toolbar. Speech recognising view not hiding bug fixed. Its clickable just in case it doesnt hide. Progressbar to show page load progress.

3rd Jan 2018 : v1.2.3 Possible second fix for audio volume not controllable on some cars

5th Jan 2018 : v1.2.4 Fixed black screen which appears sometimes. Possible third fix for volume control in some systems.

6th Jan 2018 : v1.3.0Night mode support for Youtube added. Switch on your headlights to see the magic.

9th Jan 2018 : v1.3.1 Full screen mode now persists across videos. No need to switch fullscreen mode for each video on a playlist. It also stays on across app launches. You also should see a slight page speed boost.

9th Jan 2018: v1.3.2 Initial implementation of playing local offline videos/music/images. To enable, open phone app, grant “external storage” permission, then long press on the home icon (to the right of back button) on the car to open the SDcard folders. Now you can select a file and play it fullscreen. (Demo)

12th Jan 2018: v1.4.0 Now you should be able to use steering mounted controls (for next and previous video). This update also allows a “somewhat” background playback which allows you to listen to the audio without the video, but the catch is that you have to select the video first using the UI and then switch to background mode. This update should fix any volume control issues you have been facing in the past. (Watch the Demo)

12th Jan 2018: v1.4.1 If you have crashed when accessing youtube purchased videos, this build will fix it.

13th Jan 2018: v1.4.2 Please uninstall all previous builds and install this one if “youtube auto” has suddenly disappeared from Android auto (from last 1-2 days). If you dont uninstall previous builds, there is a chance that 2 similar looking apps show up.

This is possible because Google has blocked my previous app. Still not 100% sure.

13th Jan 2018: v1.4.3 About link redirecting to 404 page fixed.

14th Jan 2018: v1.4.4 Safety Warning popup added which pops up everytime you start driving. This warning will disappear if you use handbrake/parking mode.

15th Jan 2018: v1.5.0Aspect ratio support to remove black bars. You can toggle between aspect ratios in full screen mode. Also irritating notifications have been removed.

15th Jan 2018: v1.5.1Fullscreen controls support for controllers, use right,left,up and center to seek, change aspect ratio and play/pause.

15th Jan 2018: v1.5.2Bug fixes for “I understand the risk” not clickable for some users. Fixed steering mounted controls not working the first time.

15th Jan 2018: v1.5.4Fix for “I understand the risk” button not clickable. Irritating notifications are back because without them there is no way to make steering controls work reliably. Will be fixed soon

18th Jan 2018: v1.6.0Youtube auto renamed to CarStream with new logo. Looks like google bannned again. So if previous app is not showing up, use this app.

19th Jan 2018: v1.6.1Youtube auto renamed to CarStream with new logo. Looks like google bannned again. So if previous app is not showing up, use this app.

25th Jan 2018: v1.7.0Bookmarks support added. Click on last icon on the top toolbar. Long press on a bookmark to delete. Demo

25th Jan 2018: v1.7.1 Italian and chinese translations added. Check the credits section for how to add more languages. Thanks to everyone (mentioend in credits) for translating.

26th Jan 2018: v1.7.2 External SD card support works with most devices. Look for the ‘external storage’ bookmark. French translation added.

27th Jan 2018: v1.7.3 Basic keyboard input added. Translations to finnish, portuguese, danish, turkish, french added. Thank you everyone

6th Feb 2018: v1.8.0 More translations added. Revamped local offline player. Now play SD Card videos with next and previous support. Also supports formats like MKV. Also Bookmarks issues have been fixed. For a full list of supported formats read ‘Standalone container formats’ on this page

6th Feb 2018: v1.8.1 Bug fix release,
issues related to local videos not playing correctly fixed.

7th Feb 2018: v1.8.2 Bug fix release for bookmark dpad support in non touch screens

8th Feb 2018: v1.8.3 Bug fix release for audio focus issues. If carstream overwrites other players, this version fixes it. Also local audio/video continues to play in background.

21st Jun 2018 : 2.0.0 Introduces a way to unlock carstream in rooted phones. Thanks to ‘slashmax’ for figuring out the trick.

The following message is shown if handbrake is not applied. Please make sure you use this app safely.
Android auto youtube warning

8th Feb 2018 : For raising bugs or enhancement requests please visit https://github.com/thekirankumar/youtube-android-auto/issues

Youtube Auto Latest Version
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Youtube Auto Latest Version
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How to install the app

How to watch local videos of all formats on SD Card

Raising bugs, enhancement for new features

CarStream is developed and maintained by me in my free time. In order to efficiently manage my time, it would be great if you can use github for raising bugs and feature requests. I have been using this blog’s comments section till now for this, but it doesnt scale well. So if you put anything here, it will mostly get ignored. So please use github. I know its painful to create a github account, but it helps me. Before raising a github issue, check if the same issue exists, otherwise it will most likely be closed.
Use this link to reach github issues page

Debugging black screen issue

Black screen when switching on Youtube auto is usually related to Power saver mode on your phone. Some phones have it as “aggressive doze mode” or “advanced battery optimization”. For youtube auto to work seamlessly, you have to switch off power saver mode completely or disable it just for Youtube auto.

Also sometimes you can follow this trick of switching on youtube auto phone app on phone and then connecting to the car. Please try this on Xperia and Huawei phones. Also some huawei phones are not compatible with android auto in general. Even Waze doesnt work. Source

Disabling the bottom bar in fullscreen mode

Many users have requested this feature of hiding the nav bar when in fullscreen mode. Unfortunately google doesnt support this feature and we can expect google to give an API in future version of android auto. So this is not feasible.

Source code

If you want to add new features or checkout the code visit https://github.com/thekirankumar/youtube-android-auto/ Pull requests for new feature are welcome.

Donation

If you like this app, please make a donation.

My bitcoin (BTC) address 1MHUymspbm3FgJexAFcvxxq6QdHS9bJjZh

My paypal address https://paypal.me/thekirankumar2

My litecoin (LTC) address LXRkN1JDm1weqDL6WKCQRTcqqfPnSiGaCQ

Credits

Unofficial Android SDK https://github.com/martoreto/aauto-sdk Without this SDK this project wouldn’t exist. Thanks to Martoreto for reverse engineering the Waze app and coming up with a easy to use SDK and a sample app.

VideoEnabledWebview https://github.com/cprcrack/VideoEnabledWebView This webview makes fullscreen videos easy to implement.

Thanks for helping with translation :

German : Timo Neumeier
Russian : Ilja Skobelev
Italian : Gabriele Rizzo
Chinese : Nelson
French : Adil Bousfiha
Finnish : Joona Ahveninen & Raitsa
Portuguese: Daniel Stuart
Turkish: Ufuk Ata
Danish: Hayrullah Celik
Bulgarian : Boby
Polish : Krzysztof Białek
Estonian : Magnus Jaaska & Olev Kaas
Spanish : César Formica & Miceot

If you want to translate to your local language, please visit the github repository and raise a pull request or just mail me the strings.xml file at [email protected]

Note

Disclaimer :This is my personal project and I maintain it in my free time. The work here is in no way related to my Employer. It is a hobby project where I have not committed to anyone about maintaining it. With Google blocking every move, its getting more difficult to progress. You can imagine how it would be to fight as a one man army against google.

Unblocking instructions

[21st Jan 2018] Google has blocked the app multiple times till now and its becoming difficult for me to release just a new version to unblock it. Here are some tricks to do it yourself when google blocks the app.

Google blocks the app’s package name. This is how apps identify themselves and google is able to block the app easily by just identifying my app’s package name and then blocking it. As a workaround, if you are an android developer, just clone the source code and change the package name in build.gradle as well on the google-services.json file.

If you are not a developer, I recommend you use APK Editor Pro app (Its a paid app, but the apks are available everywhere). It allows you to change package names of any app without creating the APK yourself.

  • Download APK editor PRO (free version doesnt allow many features)
  • Open the settings and click “sign APK with” and select “key created by APK Editor”
  • Exit settings and come back to main menu
  • click “Select APK from app”
  • select the car stream apk
  • select “Full Edit”
  • click on the third tab on bottom called “manifest”
  • click on the second line from top called “manifest xmlns:android….
  • click on “package” and change the package name to anything you want. This is the most important step. You should use something which is unique to you. Use maybe your name or username in it. Do not use special character except “dot”. If your name is john doe, use maybe “com.johndoe.testapp” as the package name. Be creative here, because this is what google uses to block the app
  • Click save button, be careful not to press cancel.
  • Now click the build button on the top-right corner of the screen
  • This will take a few seconds and finish the creating a new APK
  • [IMPORTANT] Once it finishes, uninstall the old version of car stream. If you dont uninstall, the new APK wont install
  • Now go back to APK pro and press install the new apk you created which has your custom package name
  • After installation, Car Stream should work for you


If you get install issues with APK editor, try APK cloner. It doesn’t let you change package name, but it automatically chooses a package name and is easy to use and free.
If google blocks the apk again, come back here to this section for a new workaround.

8th Feb 2018 : For raising bugs or enhancement requests please visit https://github.com/thekirankumar/youtube-android-auto/issues

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2,440 thoughts on “CarStream (previously YoutubeAuto) for Android Auto APK download and setup”

  3. Bruno

    Hello, tried many time in my chevy my link usig huawei P10, but dosen’t work. Screen stays black. Tried with all version. also when using the app and pressing ‘send to auto’ it’s asking me to enable video sent from phone in the AA app. but i cannot find that option even in Dev mode.

    Reply ↓
  4. Lanfer

    Hi, The App has worked for few Days, but Now it is disappeared from the menu. I have tried Old versions and New version. Can you help me?

    Reply ↓
  5. Ryan

    I believe Google has finally blocked it. Was working fine this morning and now nothing. Doesn’t show up at all. Tried uninstalling and reinstalling both apps with no luck. One other thing I noticed when starting up Android auto was the introduction to the Google assistant which I have never seen until today. So it must be a server side block…

    Reply ↓
  7. Manuek

    its not working any more since 6:00 PM New York time, this morning was fine, i think google locked it again… one good thing and their locked it.

    Reply ↓
  8. Fabio

    Works fine on my uconnect 8.4/moto G5 plus (Jeep Compass), but I’d like an offline playlist to be possible.
    Great job of yours. thank you so much

    Reply ↓
  10. JEsc

    You mention Plex on ur Name Vote for CarStream. Is that something ur currently working on or should it work already? I tested it this morning but couldn’t figure out how to load the Plex page from the Car side. I have tons of movies in Plex I’d like to get to work thru CarStream instead of just music thru the Plex Android Auto app.

    Reply ↓
  11. JEsc

    Mine worked for me during my commute home between 3 – 4pm EST after doing all the updates and getting the new Google Assistant on my Android Auto.

    Reply ↓
  22. Kevin

    Hey Kiran, thanks for creating such a great app. So the app is showing up on my android auto, but it just says “Click last tab in bottom bar…” What does this mean and how do I get the app to work? Thanks again!

    Reply ↓
  24. Ozn Kyr

    Hi. Thnx for your programme but we have a problem on the carstream. Whrn we push the searh in the youtube button, there is not seeing a numeric screen. That’s why I can not search a video at youtube on car screen in the programme. Please solve the problem at new version. Thank you so much…

    Reply ↓
      1. Matteo

        Hi Kiran,
        i suspect that Goggle is not very habby about that with your app users can see video driving car….
        https://play.google.com/intl/en_ALL/about/privacy-security-deception/device-network-abuse/

        I suppouse that you can try to detect car moving with gps by default…. when car is moving you must stop any video paying…..

        As workaround of this feature user can deny gps access to your apk ….. CarStream cannot know is car is moving or not then your player work always…..

        What do you Think ?

        bye

        Matteo

        Reply ↓
    1. Kiran Kumar Post author

      Yes, they are blocking by package name. I release an app with a new package name and they block it. Random package names shud work, and will work by cloning my repo and putting your own custom package name.

      Reply ↓
  29. Nikhil

    Hi,
    I tried Youtube Auto in my Volkswagen Polo HighLine Plus, and its not working and more over its not showing any options for YouTube Auto, am I missing any settings or is it not supported in Polo…
    please help.

    Reply ↓
  33. Nithin

    Does not connect to my Honda CRV 2017…. help please…
    Did as per your video instruction. But it plays only audio no video…

    Reply ↓
  34. Romeo

    Hi,
    Thank you so much for your app!!!
    But I have a problem whit it, when I lunch it I can listen audio but no video. I have Nexus 5 as smartphone and new Citroen C3 for car. May you help me. Thanks

    Reply ↓
  35. Nick

    Is it maybe the problem in new version of AA which came out this week?
    I didn’t update my AA in case this is the issue !

    Reply ↓
  37. Celik

    Hi Kiran…

    I have some suggestions:
    can i be possible to have next and previous button on the screen as on the phone?

    the buttons on steeringwheel doesnt work.

    i cant play youtube in the background

    can yo remove the black panel on the top when youtube loads and/or song plays, dont think its nessesery to have title shown in youtube.

    Reply ↓
  40. number11

    Hi, I have the two versions youtube auto 1.5.1 and the new carstream 1.6.0 installed on my phone. Both is working on my car. I did not understand how google is blocking the app. Maybe it is something else problem.

    Reply ↓
    1. number11

      But I have a problem with youtube videos, youtube videos play as if green and pink colors overlayed on the video. I think it is related to some codec related issues in the OS? I have Resurrection Remix OS, 7.1.2.
      I tried dailymotion.com and videos play normal, so only youtube is problematic.
      any suggestions on how to fix this?

      Reply ↓
  41. Chancellor

    You need to find a different way to let your followers know when you change the app. Because if anyone at Google downloads this app once, they can easily know when you have a new version. As you send out a comment to everyone.
    So try to find a different way to communicate.

    Reply ↓
  42. richy

    Great App. Works fine in my Seat Leon ST.
    When i’m using a Playlist in YouTube, after each Video the Fullscreen-Mode ends and the Window minimized. Known Bug?

    Greets from Germany

    Reply ↓
  43. Currao

    Honor 8 (Android 7) and release 1.6.1.
    I just see the message “Click last tab in bottom bar and start…”. And the controls to play/stop. But I can search nothing and any video is showed. What am I doing wrong?

    Reply ↓
  44. Алекс

    Not working player without video. No one version is not well worked. Often hangs and does not switch off the steering wheel, until the clears the application cache. Using one video a prompt comes up top with the icons of the search and the bottom line YouTube playback slider

    Reply ↓
  45. Bill

    New app works great for me. Appreciate all the hard work on this. Anyway you can get the app to realize that I have downloaded videos. That way when I lose service I don’t lose videos. Also have the playlist issue to as I have been using this to play music videos for songs I normally listen to

    Reply ↓
  46. Janne

    1.6.1 works great in my Astra. Just tested. I haven’t updated to the latest Android Auto, could that be why Carstream works for me? Someone wrote that the problems could have to do with Google Assistant. I don’t even know what that is?

    Reply ↓

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