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If music starts when your phone connects to Android Auto even though autoplay is off, check Android Auto’s Start music automatically setting, then update Android Auto and the media app. Google has acknowledged a bug that can send playback commands despite the setting being disabled; the fix was reported as fully rolled out to the latest beta but still rolling out to stable users, with no stable version cutoff specified.

Turn off Android Auto’s startup music setting

  1. Park before changing settings. On your phone, open Settings and search for Android Auto if you do not know where it appears in your phone’s menu.
  2. Open Android Auto’s Start-up settings and switch off Start music automatically. The route or wording may differ by phone. Android Central’s April 2026 walkthrough describes this setting.
  3. Reconnect to the car while parked and check whether playback starts. Avoid handling your phone while driving.

Update Android Auto and the media app

If the setting was already off, or music still starts after you disable it, update Android Auto and the affected media app, reconnect, and test again. Google representative Mishaal Rahman said, “We’re rolling out a fix so unsolicited play commands won’t be sent when you have autoplay turned off.” He later said the fix was fully rolled out to the latest beta release but was still rolling out to stable users. The post did not give a stable version number or completion date, so an update may not mean the fix has reached every stable installation. Read Rahman’s Android Auto community discussion.

Check whether the trigger is Android Auto or the music app

Android Auto’s autoplay setting and a media app’s own autoplay feature control different behaviors. Android Auto autoplay refers to media starting when the phone connects; it does not turn off in-app features such as Spotify Autoplay, according to Rahman’s clarification in the same community discussion. If playback starts only in one app, check that app’s settings and support guidance. If it happens across multiple media apps as Android Auto connects, the connection-triggered behavior is more likely to be the relevant setting or platform bug.

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Google says Android Auto lets users play music and podcasts through compatible apps and directs users to the app developer for app-specific problems. Its developer guidance says media apps should not automatically start playback when Android Auto connects to an app’s media browser service; playback may instead resume or start based on the car’s state or user actions. Those guidelines help explain why the phone, app, and vehicle can all affect what happens, but they do not identify the cause on any particular car. Google’s Android Auto Help and Android Developers’ media playback guidance provide further detail.

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Use Spotify’s troubleshooting steps if Spotify is the only app affected

  1. Restart Spotify.
  2. Switch the car’s ignition off and back on to restart the car’s system.
  3. If the issue continues, reinstall Spotify if possible.

Spotify recommends these steps for in-car playback problems and says to contact the vehicle or stereo manufacturer if they persist. Spotify’s in-car support guide has its troubleshooting advice. Set up the app before driving, and interact with a device only when safe and permitted by law.

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Escalate persistent problems to the car or stereo maker

If updated software and the relevant app’s restart or reinstall steps do not stop playback, contact the vehicle or stereo manufacturer. The cause cannot be pinned on Android Auto, the media app, or the infotainment system without details such as the phone, vehicle, app, software version, and whether the connection is wired, wireless, or Bluetooth-only. If you can compare connection modes, do so only while parked; the result may help support staff narrow down which part of the setup is involved.

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