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”

  1. Jörg

    Will there be an update or do you surrender..? ;)
    CarStream is my fav Auto App.. I made a website specially for my car screen, showing my memos, appointments of the day, some news and a nice photo show.. All useless now. What does it need, to encourage you to “fight back”? KEEP ON THIS GOOD WORK PLEASE

    Reply ↓
  2. Pulin purohit

    Yes, Kiran Kumar sir ji pure India me aap hi ye Kam kar sakte ho, please sir do it, we all are very much thankful to you.

    Reply ↓
  4. Sean

    Yes Giuseppe it is I’m using a note 8 with car stream if it doesn’t work for you after using all the unblock options try using the android auto before the latest update if your on it.

    Reply ↓
  5. Ryan

    It’s highly advised to not update AA until there is a fix. I’m on the note 8 and it still works for me. For those of you who need older versions of AA, look on apkmirror.com.

    Reply ↓
  7. Mohit

    Bro… Could you please guide a work around to this problem… We’re support now and I don’t like driving wrong without youtube anymore… Try to figure something out man… I’m sure you can

    Reply ↓
  9. Niftee

    Managed to revert back to AA 2.957, and installed APK Editor, but looks like Google has taken down the APK Editor PRO version from the PlayStore…get an error when trying to edit in APK Editor and when clicking to learn more about the PRO version it is “NOT FOUND” on the store. Are there any other options that I can use to edit the package name simply or does one have to be a dev and manually rebuild the APK to do the unblock workaround now?

    Reply ↓
  11. Joel

    I reverted back to Android Auto 2.957…
    I had to uninstall the latest Android Auto first before installing the older version.
    I disabled auto update in the play store.
    Carsteam is back up and running, no problem.

    Reply ↓
  12. Niftee

    Do you *have* to install the original APK first in order to change package name to unblock, or can you just edit the package name of the APK and re-save before installing it?

    Reply ↓
  13. Ankthepot

    If you updated to Android auto 3.0 uninstall it and download the 2.957 AA version from apkmirror install tje old version and install the latest carstream version 1.83 and use apk cloner to modifier if you dont want to have the work with apk editor pro like me.

    Reply ↓
    1. GR

      In the play store there’s multiple apps called APK CLONER, any specific one we should use?

      And what are the exact steps to follow and “clone” the 1.8.3 apk?

      I unistalled AA 3.0 and installed the 2.957 .apk from apkmirror and don’t know what is the next step nor cloning the app, please help.

      Thanks,
      GR

      Reply ↓
  15. Abhinav

    Suddenly car stream disapear from the car screen. I thoght its blocked again than i changed pakage name but still not showing on Car screen. Pleaae suggeat what i should now.

    Reply ↓
  16. PatricioJP

    Hola chicos, alguien tiene android auto en su versión anterior para compartir aquí ??, Es que no puedo descargarla, no encuentro cómo .

    Reply ↓
  17. PMR

    I don’t have the “send to car” button shown on the video. Is this as it should be? In the car I see the carstream app under music but on the bottom left button no. Suggestions?

    Reply ↓
    1. walter

      Hola que tal. Hasta hace una semana me andaba, ahora dejo de andar y me hace lo mismo que vos. Ya probe de veces de borrar las aplicaciones y no lo puede resolver. Agradeceria quien tiene info para solucionarlo.

      Reply ↓
  18. Juamis

    good afternoon I did the procedure and the system keeps locking, you could not update the software? Your software is great and functional and you’re welcome

    Reply ↓
  19. Rintronato

    Guys,
    all malfunctions are due latest release of AA (3.0).

    Please download AA release 2.957.apk from apkmirror, delete the previously installed release (3.0) and replace it with the older 2.957.

    YouTube Auto, or as you renamed it, will promptly come back on your car’s screen.

    Reply ↓
  20. Abhinav

    @Rintronato – while downloading perivios version of AA this is showung. Pakage detail error. Please suggeat.
    Kiran – buddy need yiur help in this

    Reply ↓
  22. Rintronato

    @Abhinav: be careful, you have to select the right version of AA 2.957 based on your hardware. ARM or ARM64… otherwise you will have the error alert you mention!

    Reply ↓
    1. Anil

      Download the latest version of Car Stream 1.8.3.
      Uninstall AA3.0 and install AA2.9.
      “Send to Car” option was available only on previous builds. You can select Car Stream from the last tab of Android Auto from your Car.

      Reply ↓
    1. Gabriele Rizzo

      Just skip the AD after 5 seconds by clicking next on the upper right corner of the page. Close ads. When you get in pastebin there are the instructions + proof of working + video tutorial

      Reply ↓
    4. Gianluca

      Grazie per la guida anche se nel mio caso non ha funzionato nonostante abbia seguito i passaggi. Potresti fare una lista delle app che utilizzi con Android auto. Conosco solo Carstream per il momento. Grazie ancora

      Reply ↓
    2. Mihai

      Even better try apkmirror for AndroidAuto – check to download the right version for your phone
      For Apk Editor pro try Aptoid.

      Reply ↓
  30. Pascal

    Dommage, Android auto à fait un update V3 et Car Streem ne fonctionne plus :(
    Dommage!!! J’aime bien Car Streem!
    Good job!!

    Reply ↓
  33. Jo

    Hi,

    thanks for the great work here!

    Is there any way to disable/block the User Agent (or switch it to “Desktop”? I use some sites that block me to download the app and want them to think I’m using a desktop browser.

    Reply ↓
  35. Emy

    In last version I can not forward or rewind the movie recorded in my phone through jog shuttle in my Audi. Possible to solve the question?

    Reply ↓
  36. Eric

    Hey thanks so much for your hard work on CarStream! I’d really love if local video was from VLC instead of plex if that’s possible! I’d also love if you could get retroarch working!!!!!

    Reply ↓
  37. Leo

    I tried everything and it doesnt work, meaning when I press the right bitton on the screen in the car it just says “return to Chevy auto” I can click the headphone logo and it does show but not on the last “speedometer” looking icon

    Reply ↓
  38. Jerry

    Anybody know what kind of video files are supported from the internal SD card? I got some movies and TV shows to play, but no audio.

    Reply ↓
  39. William

    For those looking for the “@” symbol I believe this is controlled by the Android Auto app, I’ve tried adding it using app editor but failed.
    Wonder if it’s possible to get the source code for AA?

    Reply ↓
    1. Gabriele Rizzo

      I’ve made a guide above. Just scroll comments, there’s a link (can’t post it here because it has to wait moderation)

      Reply ↓
      1. Nicolas

        Gabrielle your link does not work is SPAM it goes to a publicity website and does not move from there. Why you dont post a CLEAN LINK?

        Reply ↓
        1. Ryan

          Obviously, someone doesn’t know how links, or in fact the internet, works. He even stated how to use the link and what it does.

          Reply ↓
  42. Nicolas

    I cannot see my External SD car …do I have to put a sppecial format? Or The only way to see my External SD card is using Plex? I cannot see the SD card in the TREE FOLDERS of CARSTREAM PLAYER

    Reply ↓
  43. Paul

    Voice Search use to work but now I can only type in what I am looking for. Is there a way to use voice search within the app again? BTW running 1.8.3 on Android Auto 3.

    Reply ↓
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