Play Youtube Video on Android Auto using this app
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.
8th Feb 2018 : For raising bugs or enhancement requests please visit https://github.com/thekirankumar/youtube-android-auto/issues
 | (1528257 hits) Youtube Auto Latest Version Download |
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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Hi, the app is great, but somehow I can’t switch to Spotify from YouTube. It says start playing from YouTube. So how can I listen to Spotify after using YouTube? My car is 2017 honda civic. Thanks guys
Latest version here
I can’t play any music on any player until I launch YouTube Auto, I tap on understand the risks. Then I’m able to play music.
Not doing this operation will result in YoutubeAuto (sound player) Always coming up saying “start playing a video from YouTube auto…”
all of those have the problem “start playing a video from YouTube auto” with black screen.
I finally solved. Click on the last icon of Android Auto (the one to shut off) and click again on the icon of CarStream
I also activated the Debug USB into phone settings.
Now it’s working
how can i remove the “I understand the risk”? i know safe is important but it’s allways nice to have kids watching cartoons
Hello, greetings from Brazil …
To upgrade, do I need to download apk and delete the previous one or have another method?
Congratulations on the excellent work!
You need to download apk and install, not delete the old app. I noticed once that I got two YT Auto apps, but I think that it was a new app at that occasion. Never needed to delete before or after.
v1. 5.3 (tested on merz gla non touch screen)
1. volume control missing again
2. fastfoward work, every click move foward 10s
stop resume work. but foward movement very slow like it takes 2~3sec to move 10s.
3. during play, need many times to click back button to exit play.
I figured out the internet browser using the Google search function of YouTube auto. It would be amazing to have a keyboard pop up for field entries and have a full fledged browser.
v1. 5.3 (tested on merz gla non touch screen)
4. i had my handbrake on, the warning still appear
Doesn’t work using 1.5.3 APK. I am using a Samsung S8 and Android Auto on a Ford Mustang. Just shows a message on the screen to “play content on YouTube app”. I do everything right but nothing.
Just want to thank you for the great work and all the effort you have put in. Frankly, I like the notification where the video title is briefly shown when I clicked next button on my steering wheel. This give me a brief info on what’s playing now. Well done.
All I get as far as options is YouTube auto background player. Doesn’t allow me to send videos to the unit no matter what I’ve tried.
Não abre o YouTube no mylink 2 2017 ..oque eu faço…grato
A me va benissimo basta seguire bene i passaggi per istallarlo grazie al fondatore del app sei stato un grande adesso aspetto come fare a interfacciare il telefono al mio navigatore my 17 della kia sportege
Just keeps telling me to play on the YouTube Auto app I have a Pioneer radio touch screen also just has a blank screen won’t let me play Spotify or Google Play just keep taking me back to YouTube Auto
Same issue and I also have a Pioneer. Just tells me to “Start playing from Youtube app first”
Hi,
Love the app, works great ok Mazda 2 2016.
Will be nice if you could add the option to enlarge the text font.
Thanks.
First of all I like to thank you for ur efforts! My suggestion is I’ll be gr8 if u add offline support to watch video from sd card of phone. I found thr was no sd card support
First let me thank you for a great job
Would it be possible to add ARABIC language to the keyboard.
Please note that there are many people who has Youtube auto now and wish they can have Arabic Keyboard
Thank you
Hi Kiran!
Thank you for your great work! I would like to ask why the “www.iwantv.com.ph” still logs me out? I dont know the reason why it happens. It would be a huge help if you can fix it. Thank you very much!
First let me thank you for a great job
Would it be possible to add ARABIC language to the keyboard.
Please note that there are many people who has Youtube auto now and wish they can have Arabic Keyboard
Thank you
First let me thank you for a great job
Would it be possible to add ARABIC language to the keyboard.
Please note that there are many people who has Youtube auto now and wish they can have Arabic Keyboard
Thank you
First let me thank you for a great job
Would it be possible to add ARABIC language to the keyboard.
Please note that there are many people who has Youtube auto now and wish they can have Arabic Keyboard
Thank you
Should we update to latest Android auto?
Latest version here
I can’t play any music on any player until I launch YouTube Auto, I tap on understand the risks. Then I’m able to play music.
Not doing this operation will result in YoutubeAuto (sound player) Always coming up saying “start playing a video from YouTube auto…”
First let me thank you for a great job
Would it be possible to add ARABIC language to the keyboard.
Please note that there are many people who has Youtube auto now and wish they can have Arabic Keyboard
Thank you
Thank you so much for this application, really I was looking for this app for long time & you are the man deserve all support for this great product . Only one thing if you can develop and enhance for millions of Arabs people which is ARABIC LANGUAGE, if did that will be much great ….. thank you so much
Greetings bro,
I can’t thank you enough for the great job.
My only concern is it possible to add ARABIC language to the keyboard.
Since there are a lot of arab who has your amazing Youtube auto and wish they can writer an Arabic words for search
Thank you again and wish you all the best.
First let me thank you for a great job
Would it be possible to add ARABIC language to the keyboard.
Please note that there are many people who has Youtube auto now and wish they can have Arabic Keyboard
Thank you
First let me thank you for a great job
Would it be possible to add ARABIC language to the keyboard.
Please note that there are many people who has Youtube auto now and wish they can have Arabic Keyboard
Thank you
First let me thank you for a great job
Would it be possible to add ARABIC language to the keyboard.
Please note that there are many people who has Youtube auto now and wish they can have Arabic Keyboard
Thank you
Hi i have down loaded youtube auto bt i m not able to get the youtube auto option like others . I have followed ur instruction to get youtube auto and allowed unknown sources in android auto bt still i m not getting option of youtube auto like others . Only getting return to maruti suzuki .plz help me ragarding this . My car is ciaz2107
First let me thank you for a great job
Would it be possible to add ARABIC language to the keyboard.
Please note that there are many people who has Youtube auto now and wish they can have Arabic Keyboard
Thank you
Hello Brother,
First let me thank you for a great job
Would it be possible to add ARABIC language to the keyboard.
Please note that there are many people who has Youtube auto now and wish they can have Arabic Keyboard
Regards
Mohammed
Cool little app. Only issue I have so far is that it tried to take over and be the default no matter what. Any time I start the car, I want Pandora to be the default (and only choose youtube auto when needed), but every single time it tries to load. More annoying than anything as it’s easy to switch.
I second this one. This will cause me to uninstall as it claims itself for audio every time I plug in. Please fix! Great app otherwise.
Please help my you tube auto don’t work on my kia sportage whith AA. The message on display on my car is “start playng from youtube app first” thanks
Arabic kkeyboard please.
Thanks
Thank you for a great job
Would it be possible to add ARABIC language to the keyboard.
Please note that there are many people who has Youtube auto now and wish they can have Arabic Keyboard
Thank you
First let me thank you for a great job
Would it be possible to add ARABIC language to the keyboard.
Please note that there are many people who has Youtube auto now and wish they can have Arabic Keyboard
Thank you
Make a button to launch the Yandex Navigator program. Please!
Hi, awesome app your work is fantastic. The most recent update has stopped the full screen mode from working. When I click full screen it takes me to the understand the risks menu.
Amazing App. Support for .mkv playback and to access videos stored on phone’s sd card would be good to have
Just tells me to “Start playing from Youtube app first”
PIxel XL, Pioneer AIC-8100NEX
First let me thank you for a great job
Would it be possible to add ARABIC language to the keyboard.
Please note that there are many people who has Youtube auto now and wish they can have Arabic Keyboard
Thank you
1.5.3. works well for OnePlus 5 and Kia Sorento 2017. Full screen works but like others I have the issue that YouTube auto is default and it’s difficult to start any other audio app as YouTube auto keeps interfering. I can listen to Spotify and after a while YouTube start by itself and I see the “start playing a video from YouTube auto…”
Is Google going to block this application? Why? And is it possible?
First let me thank you for a great job
Would it be possible to add ARABIC language to the keyboard.
Please note that there are many people who has Youtube auto now and wish they can have Arabic Keyboard
Thank you
Hola podrías hacer funcionar algún gps que funcione sin datos ejemplo Sigic Car te agradecería mucho
Dear
Could you please help us with adding the Arabic language for keyboard.
Thanks and appreciate you efforts of excellence app
The only working version for me was V1.1.3..
However, it appears to be corrupted file now..
Besides that, all other latest version not working for me.. just shows a blank white screen..
Can you produce another version like V1.1.3 again?
Buonasera Kiran…sei riuscito a farci vedere un app che di sicuro non saremmo stati in grado di arrivarci. Adesso andando sempre ad aggiornare io non riesco più ad inserire la parola chiave nel motore di ricerca sia Youtube che Google come mai…?
All that shows is the autoyoutube background app. How do i play videos
j have this problem