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ars edited this page Feb 5, 2026 · 8 revisions

Wireless Android Auto

HeadUnit Revived allows you to connect your phone wirelessly via WiFi. Unlike official Android Auto head units, this app currently does not use Bluetooth for the initial handshake. Instead, it relies on a WiFi connection established via a helper app or manual discovery.

Prerequisites

  • Phone: Android 10 or higher with Android Auto installed.
  • Head Unit (Tablet): Android 4.1+ device with WiFi.
  • Network: Both devices must be connected to the same WiFi network. This can be:
    • A mobile hotspot created by the phone.
    • A mobile hotspot created by the head unit.
    • An external WiFi router (e.g., in-car LTE router).

Connection Modes

In Version 1.12.0, we introduced a Wireless Mode selector in Settings to make connection management easier and more stable.

1. Helper Mode (Recommended)

This is the most reliable way to connect wirelessly. It uses a launcher utility on your phone to trigger the connection.

  • Option A (New): Wireless Helper
    • Designed for Headunit Revived.
    • Supports Zero-Config Discovery (NSD) and Bluetooth Auto-Start.
    • Join the Beta Test
  • Option B: Original Wireless Launcher
    • Compatible with Port 5288/5289 triggers.

How to setup:

  1. Head Unit: Go to Settings and set Wireless Mode to Helper Mode.
  2. Phone: Open your helper app and start the service.
  3. Result: The phone will find the headunit and automatically launch Android Auto.

2. Auto-Scan Mode

In this mode, the Headunit (Tablet) actively scans your network for phones running the Android Auto "Headunit Server".

  1. Phone: Start the "Headunit Server" in Android Auto Developer Settings (see below).
  2. Head Unit: Set Wireless Mode to Auto-Scan Mode.
  3. Result: As soon as you enter the car and the network is established, the tablet will find your phone and start projection automatically. No extra apps needed!

3. Manual Mode

The classic way. No background scanning, no automatic triggers.

  1. Head Unit: Set Wireless Mode to Manual.
  2. Connect: Tap the WiFi button on the dashboard. Click Scan or manually enter your phone's IP to connect.

Technical Details: Android Auto Developer Mode

If you don't want to use a helper app, you must use the native "Headunit Server".

  1. Enable Developer Mode:
    • Open Android Auto settings on your phone.
    • Scroll down to the "Version" section.
    • Tap on "Version" 10 times until Developer Mode is enabled.
  2. Start Server:
    • In Android Auto settings, tap the three-dot menu (top right).
    • Select Start Headunit Server.

⚠️ Important: This method may fail on some Phone Hotspots (10.x.x.x networks) due to routing restrictions. If connection fails, please use Helper Mode.

Troubleshooting

  • Broken Pipe / Disconnects: Version 1.12.0 improves handshake stability significantly. If you still see drops, ensure you are using 5GHz WiFi.
  • Audio stays on Phone: Try disabling Use AAC Audio in Settings.
  • Emulator Testing: Use adb forward tcp:5288 tcp:5288 for the tablet and 10.0.2.2 as the IP on the phone side.

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