Samsung’s latest Galaxy update might break Android Auto – how to fix it

Ben Schoon | Nov 7 2024 - 2:30 pm PT

A recent update on Samsung Galaxy smartphones could prevent Android Auto from working, but it’s pretty easy to fix.

The latest November 2024 update on Samsung Galaxy devices is rolling out. The update doesn’t change much, but it does adjust how Samsung’s “Auto Blocker” feature works. The feature will now block all USB connections except for charging. That’s a good idea for safety, but it prevents Android Auto from working on Samsung Galaxy devices with the feature enabled, at least over a wired connection.

The good news here is that Auto Blocker isn’t enabled by default, and you have to turn on “Maximum restrictions” manually as well. This update should only have an impact on Android Auto if you already had Auto Blocker enabled and if you had it set to its highest settings too, like one user on Reddit ran into already.

To change this, go to Settings > Security and privacy > Auto Blocker > Maximum restrictions and ensure these are turned off. You can still have Auto Blocker enabled to and continue using Android Auto on a Samsung Galaxy device, but “Maximum restrictions” must be disabled. You’ll be asked to enter your PIN if you turn off Auto Blocker entirely.

If you’ve suddenly noticed that Android Auto isn’t working on your Galaxy device, it’s certainly worth checking if this change has anything to do with it.

If you do wish to continue using “Maximum restrictions” while also using Android Auto, you can use a wireless adapter to get around this new change. AAWireless and Motorola MA1 are among the best options on the market.