Pocket Casts not working on Android Auto is a common problem that can manifest as missing icon, choppy audio streams, or a non-responsive, blank screen.
This page covers all of the tested and proven solutions for how to fix it when Pocket Casts isn’t working on Android Auto, in addition to some tips for how to stop the problem from happening in the future.
Why Pocket Casts is Not Working With Android Auto
Here are some possible reasons why Pocket Casts isn’t working with Android Auto:
- A poor internet connection
- Compatibility issue between Pocket Casts and your car’s infotainment system
- Pocket Casts is restricted from running in the background
- Incorrect settings in the Pocket Casts app or Android Auto.
- A bug in the Android Auto app
- The app cache has become corrupted
How to Fix Pocket Casts Not Working on Android Auto
Here are the best solutions for how to fix Pocket Casts not working on Android Auto:
1. Check your phone’s Wi-Fi or cellular connection. The quickest way to do this is to open another app that needs an internet connection.
To troubleshoot the connection issues, you can switch between Wi-Fi and cellular connection and toggle airplane mode ON and OFF.
If Pocket Casts stops playing music sometimes while you’re driving, and it happens at the same place every time, then it’s likely a signal issue that’s out of your control.
2. Restart your Android device. This can often clear up minor software glitches that may be causing problems with Pocket Casts.
3. Park your car and restart it by turning the ignition off and on. Or, if you can’t do that, some infotainment systems can be restarted by pressing and holding the infotainment’s power button.
This is a recommended step to take, especially if you’re encountering this error.
Pocket Casts doesn’t seem to be working right now.
4. Open Android Auto from your car. It’s possible for your phone to be plugged into your car and everything else running correctly, but Android Auto hasn’t been triggered. It must be turned on for your phone to put Pocket Casts on your car’s display.
For example, with your phone plugged in, you might see an Android Auto button on your car’s head unit. Tap it to load the Pocket Casts icon and icons for all your other Android Auto apps.
Not all cars work the same way. Consult your car manufacturer’s user manual for details specific to your vehicle.
5. Check to make sure your vehicle and your car stereo are compatible with Android Audio. The Android auto compatibility page will help you find out if your specific car and stereo are compatible. If they are not, there’s nothing you can do to get Pocket Casts working on Android Auto in your vehicle.
6. Add Pocket Casts to Android Auto if it’s not showing up as an option in your car. You shouldn’t need to do this because it happens automatically once Pocket Casts is installed on your phone. However, it’s possible to hide apps from displaying in Android Auto, which might be why Pocket Casts isn’t showing up in your car.
On Android phone, navigate to Settings > Apps > Android Auto > Open > Customize launcher > Tap Pocket Casts app to add a checkmark next to it.
7. Turn off battery optimization to fix things like buffering issues and unresponsive screens.
Here’s how to stop restricting Pocket Casts’s battery usage on a Google Pixel: Go to Settings > Apps > Pocket Casts > App battery usage, then tap Optimized. If that doesn’t help, return to that final screen and select Unrestricted instead.
8. Enable autostart for Pocket Casts. This will allow the Pocket Casts app to start automatically when you connect your Android device to your car. To enable autostart for Pocket Casts, go to Settings > Apps > Pocket Casts > Autostart.
9. Update your Android apps and update the Android OS. If a known bug prevents Pocket Casts from working correctly with your car, there’s a good chance an app update or operating system update will fix it.
10. Clear the cache for the Android Auto app and the Pocket Casts app. Deleting an app’s cache clears away potentially corrupted temporary files that could be to blame for Pocket Casts not working with Android Auto.
11. Uninstall and reinstall the Pocket Casts app. If nothing else has worked to this point, take the time to completely uninstall Pocket Casts from your Android phone. Then reinstall the Pocket Casts app from Google Play Store.
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Veronica Dash is a technology writer with over 5 years of experience in the realms of Smart Living, Connected Life, and Home Automation.
From creating intelligent lighting systems to designing integrated smart home ecosystems, her experiments have consistently pushed the boundaries of what is possible in the connected world.
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