Android Auto keeps its settings simple, for good reason. The app is based around the things you need every day, with minimal distractions. But if you unlock the developer mode in Android Auto, you can access a few more features. Most are designed for testing and debugging, but some are actually quite useful for everyone.
How to enable developer settings in Android Auto
The developer settings in Android Auto are hidden, so you need to activate them before you can use them. The precise instructions might differ depending on which phone you’re using, but the simplest way on most devices is to go to your phone settings, tap the search button, and type “Android Auto.” The option for the Android Auto settings should appear here.
Open it and scroll down to the bottom, where you’ll see the Version section. Tap on that ten times. A box will appear asking you to confirm that you want to enable the developer settings. Tap OK. Now press the three-dot menu button in the top right corner to access them.
The developer options in Android Auto aren’t as much fun as the ones you get in Android on a phone, and there are a lot fewer of them. But there are some that are worth exploring.
Wireless Android Auto
Wires or no wires?
Many years ago, the wireless Android Auto toggle was part of the main app, but then it got relegated to the developer settings. While most new cars now support wireless connections, there are still good reasons to turn it off.
In my experience, wireless Android Auto isn’t quite as reliable as a wired connection, and it drains the battery very quickly. You need to charge your phone while you’re using it. If you don’t, you’ll probably get to the end of your journey, but you might not have much juice left in your battery.
Of course, wireless is much cleaner and clutter-free, so you can use this setting to enable it again, if that’s your preference.
Type
Android Auto & Apple Carplay adapter
What’s Included
Adapter, USB-C to USB-A cable
Easily add wireless Android Auto or CarPlay to your vehicle with this capable dongle that works with both platforms.
Unknown sources
Install apps from outside the Play Store
The next option worth enabling is Unknown Sources, which you’ll find near the bottom of the screen. This is similar to the standard Android setting that allows you to install apps from outside the Play Store. If you use an alternative app store like F-Droid or you sideload apps like alternative navigation apps or open-source media players, then this will enable them to work on Android Auto.
Once you’ve enabled it, you have to go back into the main Android Auto settings and select Customize Launcher. Here you can see the list of all the apps that will appear on your Android Auto screen. Check the ones that you want to add.
Enabling apps from unknown sources doesn’t magically let you use any app on Android Auto. You’re still bound by the limitations of the service, which restricts you to using things like mapping, messaging, and certain media apps, etc. It doesn’t mean you can start watching YouTube on your device while driving, and even third-party YouTube clients will likely remain audio-only.
Video resolution
Get a better fit and smaller notifications
Credit: Cory Gunther / How-To Geek
When you connect Android Auto, your phone and car negotiate to find the best video resolution to use. It’s usually fine, but it doesn’t always work out quite right, especially if you have a larger display. The image can end up being blurry or poorly scaled, and sometimes notifications take up far too much space on the screen.
If you have problems like this, go into the developer settings and select Video resolution. You’ll see that the default option is Allow car and phone to negotiate, but you can force it into a higher resolution. You’ll need to experiment to see how each one looks on your device and then pick the one you’re happiest with.
Take screenshots
Capture your screen at any time
Want to take a screenshot of your Android Auto screen? You can do this but only through the developer settings on your phone.
Queue up the screen that you want to capture on your Android Auto device, then in the developer settings, tap Share screenshot. From the share screen that opens, locate your files app to save it. Using Files on my Pixel, the image goes into the Downloads folder. Yours might be different depending on what you’re using.
You can also share screenshots through your email app or in messaging apps via the same menu.
Save videos
Play back your driving route
Finally, these are quite niche, but there are Save video and Save audio options in the developer settings. These record the picture and sound from your Android Auto screen as you drive. The options are intended for developers who need to diagnose problems, but some enthusiasts might also use them to record their journeys.
However, keep in mind that they use a huge amount of data and will fill up your phone storage very quickly. And if you’re driving in a hot environment, that constant recording can also heat up your phone and drain your battery faster.
More settings to change
If you decide that you don’t want to use the developer mode on Android Auto, you can just leave it enabled and forget all about it. Alternatively, tap the three-dot menu button in the Android Auto settings and select Close developer mode.
Once you’ve finished looking through these settings, don’t forget to tweak the regular Android Auto options as well. Some of the ones I change are forcing dark mode for my maps, customizing the launcher to make apps more accessible, and enabling music to play as soon as the phone connects.
The first NAS that I built using an old laptop started out as a simple Plex server meant to keep my movies and shows all in one place and easy to access from any device. But like most homelab setups, it didn’t stay simple for long. One service turned into two, a few more Docker containers got added here and there, and before I knew it, my experimental Plex server turned into a full-blown homelab device.
All these self-hosted apps have completely changed how I use the device, as its job has been pushed well beyond the role of a simple media box. If you’d like to expand your horizons, here are some of the most useful services that you can run on your own home server.
I automatically back up all my photos with Immich
Keep every photo safely stored and synced without relying on Google Photos
Immich was one of the first self-hosted apps I installed after setting up the usual media stack. You can think of it as Google Photos, but instead of backing up your images to Google’s cloud, your home server acts as the cloud instead. The app is shockingly user-friendly, and while it doesn’t match all of Google Photos’ advanced features in scope or quality, it gets close.
Just like Google Photos, it backs up all photos from my phone (and my wife’s) completely automatically, pretty much as soon as I take them if I’m connected. It also organizes my photos and generates memories and flashbacks at the top of my timeline, reminding me of photos I took on this day in previous years, which is a heartwarming Google Photos feature beloved by many.
It can even read location metadata from my photos to create an interactive world map showing where I took them. This is incredibly cool, and since traveling is one of my favorite things ever, it feels super inspiring and makes me want to take even more photos abroad.
Interesting and unique NAS use cases Trivia challenge
Beyond basic backups — how well do you know the surprising things a NAS can do?
MediaHome LabBackupNetworkingAutomation
Which popular open-source media server software is commonly self-hosted on a NAS to stream personal video libraries to any device?
Correct! Plex is one of the most popular apps for turning a NAS into a personal Netflix-style streaming server. It organizes your media with artwork and metadata and can transcode video on the fly for different devices and connections.
Not quite — the answer is Plex. While Kodi and VLC are great media players, Plex is specifically designed as a client-server platform that lets you stream your NAS library to phones, smart TVs, and browsers from anywhere in the world.
What is the name of the widely recommended data protection strategy that involves keeping three copies of data, on two different media types, with one copy offsite?
Correct! The 3-2-1 backup rule is a cornerstone of data protection strategy. A NAS plays a central role by acting as the second on-site copy, while cloud sync or an offsite drive satisfies the third copy requirement.
Not quite — the answer is the 3-2-1 backup rule. RAID is often mistaken for a backup, but it only protects against drive failure, not accidental deletion or ransomware. The 3-2-1 rule is the gold standard precisely because it covers multiple failure scenarios.
A NAS running a hypervisor or container platform like Docker can host a Pi-hole instance. What does Pi-hole primarily do?
Correct! Pi-hole acts as a DNS sinkhole, blocking known ad-serving and tracking domains before they ever reach your devices. Hosting it on a NAS via Docker means it runs 24/7 without needing a dedicated Raspberry Pi.
Not quite — the answer is that Pi-hole blocks ads at the DNS level. Rather than installing an ad blocker on every single device, Pi-hole protects your entire network, including smart TVs and phones, by intercepting ad domain requests before any data is loaded.
Many NAS manufacturers offer dedicated surveillance software packages. What is the primary function of these applications?
Correct! Synology Surveillance Station and QNAP’s QVR Pro are examples of NAS-based NVR (Network Video Recorder) solutions. They let you manage multiple IP cameras, set motion-triggered recording, and review footage without paying for a cloud subscription.
Not quite — the answer is managing and recording IP camera footage. A NAS can replace a dedicated NVR appliance entirely, storing days or weeks of footage locally. This is a compelling use case since it avoids ongoing cloud storage fees while keeping footage on hardware you control.
Which self-hosted application, commonly run on a NAS, automatically downloads TV show episodes and movies by integrating with torrent or Usenet indexers?
Correct! Radarr handles movies and Sonarr handles TV shows — together they form the backbone of a self-hosted media automation stack. They monitor release groups, grab new episodes automatically, and pass files directly to your Plex or Jellyfin library.
Not quite — the answer is Radarr and Sonarr. While Bazarr handles subtitles and Prowlarr manages indexers, Radarr and Sonarr are the core apps for automating movie and TV downloads respectively. They integrate with your NAS download client and media server for a seamless pipeline.
A NAS can be configured as a VPN server so that remote users can securely access the local network. Which VPN protocol, known for being modern and extremely fast, is supported by newer NAS operating systems like Synology DSM?
Correct! WireGuard is a modern VPN protocol praised for its lean codebase, high speeds, and strong encryption. Synology added WireGuard support to DSM, making it easier than ever to securely tunnel into your home network from anywhere without exposing your NAS directly to the internet.
Not quite — the answer is WireGuard. PPTP is outdated and considered insecure, while OpenVPN and L2TP/IPSec are reliable but more resource-intensive. WireGuard achieves better throughput with less overhead, which matters on the modest CPUs found in many NAS devices.
Nextcloud is a self-hosted platform frequently deployed on a NAS. Which major commercial cloud service does it most directly aim to replace?
Correct! Nextcloud provides file sync, document editing, calendar, contacts, and video calls — a direct alternative to Google Drive and Google Workspace. Running it on a NAS means your data never leaves your own hardware, which is a major privacy and cost advantage.
Not quite — the answer is Google Drive and Google Workspace. Nextcloud replicates the full productivity suite experience: shared folders, collaborative document editing, and mobile sync. When paired with a NAS, it becomes a powerful private cloud that rivals Google’s offering without any subscription fees.
Some photographers and videographers use a NAS as the central hub for a collaborative editing workflow. Which protocol, natively supported on macOS and optimized for high-bandwidth file access, makes a NAS behave like a fast local drive for video editing?
Correct! For video editing workflows, SMB Multichannel (or historically AFP on older Macs) allows a NAS to deliver the kind of sustained throughput needed to scrub through high-bitrate footage without copying files locally first. Pair this with a 2.5GbE or 10GbE network and a NAS can rival a dedicated SAN for small creative teams.
Not quite — the answer is SMB with Multichannel (or AFP on legacy Macs). FTP and WebDAV are too slow and latency-prone for real-time editing. SMB Multichannel bonds multiple network connections to boost throughput, which is why NAS vendors like Synology specifically market this feature to creative professionals editing 4K and 6K footage.
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I use AdGuard Home for DNS-level network control
Block junk traffic before it even reaches your network
Credit: Ismar Hrnjicevic / How-To Geek
I recently upgraded my home network with a very cheap Wi-Fi 7 router, and unfortunately, it didn’t quite solve the all-too-common annoyances I’ve had with my day-to-day internet usage. Pages still took several seconds to load, and I continued experiencing random hangs, even on a wired connection.
After doing some digging, I learned that the issue was most likely related to how the router handles DNS forwarding, and that I could fix it by letting my NAS handle it using a network-based DNS filter called AdGuard Home. After setting it up, I noticed a massive improvement in browsing speed.
On top of offloading DNS forwarding requests from my router to my much more powerful NAS, AdGuard Home reduces how much work the router has to do in the first place by blocking ads, trackers, malware, and similar bloat. It blocks over 40% of all DNS requests, so you can probably imagine the kind of heavy lifting this little app is doing for my network in the background.
The Seagate Expansion 6TB external hard drive is an excellent starting point if you are building a laptop NAS, offering plenty of capacity for backups and media. It is affordable, easy to set up, and fast enough over USB 3.0 for most home server use cases.
I run my smart home through Home Assistant
A central place to control and automate all your smart devices
Credit: Ismar Hrnjicevic / How-To Geek
I don’t have a ton of smart home devices, but the ones I do use require full and reliable control at all times. I use a bunch of smart bulbs and plugs from different brands to control lamps around my home, and for a long time, I used Google Home to manage them.
However, I recently discovered the beauty of Home Assistant, which is light enough to run inside a Docker container on relatively weak hardware like my laptop. Home Assistant supports almost any smart home protocol, allowing me to connect devices from different brands. It also has advanced automation and routine support that goes well beyond the basics of apps like Google Home.
Some Home Assistant aficionados sneer at the idea of running Home Assistant inside a Docker container instead of Home Assistant OS, but the beauty of this setup is that you still get the essential Home Assistant experience while keeping your home server flexible. Maybe I’ll upgrade to VMs one day, but for my current needs, this setup works just fine!
Sometimes, I forget I even have Home Assistant running because it’s so reliable now.
I host a private fitness tracking setup instead of relying on Strava
A self-hosted alternative for logging runs without sharing data
Credit: Ismar Hrnjicevic / How-To Geek
Strava is an incredibly popular fitness app that I used briefly to log my outdoor runs. It’s built to act as a social platform, meaning it heavily encourages sharing your exercises with others, complete with GPS tracking data. Sending sensitive data like this to a third-party platform just rubs me the wrong way, so I replaced it with an open-source app that keeps my workouts offline.
To keep all my workouts logged in one place, I use Endurain. It’s basically a self-hosted alternative to Strava that you and other people connected to your NAS can use to log workouts while keeping the data contained within your own system.
It’s an awesome little app that gives me full ownership of my workout metrics while keeping the sensitive data offline.
I run my own cloud storage with Nextcloud
Your own private Google Drive-style storage
Credit: Jordan Gloor / How-To Geek
Nextcloud offers a whole suite of services that you typically associate with Google, like contacts, calendars, and Google Drive. I was particularly interested in that last one, as I’ve already got Immich for my photos and don’t really mind using my Google account for everything else.
However, Google Drive is something I’ve been wanting to replace for years, and Nextcloud has finally helped me achieve that. Instead of a measly 15 GB limit (which is shared across my entire Google account), I’ve got terabytes of available space on my attached external hard drive.
I finally have a self-hosted cloud storage solution that I can back up and sync all my important files to, and it’s super convenient for transferring files between my devices.
To top it all off, I get significantly faster upload and download speeds as well, which is a massive plus considering my severely limited 200Mbps (download) / 15Mbps (upload) internet plan.
There are time sucks, and then there are time sucks.
Your Plex server can be more than just a streaming box
Once you start experimenting with your media server by running other self-hosted services on it, you’ll begin to understand just how versatile a simple NAS can actually be. I now treat my little laptop NAS as an experimental playground, constantly swapping out services and trying out new apps, just to see what actually sticks in day-to-day use—which is what self-hosting is all about!
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