Android Auto now requires Android 11 as Google drops older phones

Support now starts at Android 11

Google has quietly raised the minimum requirement for Android Auto, its system for running phone apps and navigation on a car's screen. According to 9to5Google, a Google support page now states that the in-car experience needs an Android phone running Android 11.0, codenamed Red Velvet Cake, or higher, along with an active data plan.

Until now, Google also supported Android 9 and Android 10. That older minimum had itself been raised in 2024, although the change was not enforced until 2025.

Warnings arrived before the paperwork

The change has been rolling out in practice for some time. 9to5Google reports that some drivers began seeing a message in October 2026 saying their phone would no longer be supported. Google only updated its official documentation this week.

There is also a gap between the stated rule and the current software. Android Auto 18.1, the latest app update at the time of writing, still supports Android 10, so the enforcement of the new limit may vary between app versions.

Who is affected

Drivers with phones on Android 9 or Android 10 are the ones affected, as those versions will no longer connect to Android Auto. Anyone on Android 11 or newer can keep using the service as before.

For those on an older device, the practical step is to check the phone's current Android version in settings. If the hardware supports it, installing an available system update will keep the car feature working; otherwise a newer phone is the only route, since the requirement is set by Google rather than by the car.

Why Google keeps raising the bar

Android Auto depends on Android system components that age out over time, and Google has moved the minimum forward repeatedly in recent years. The 2024 increase, enforced in 2025, and this latest step to Android 11 follow the same pattern, with documentation changes lagging behind the practical cut-off.

If an older phone stops connecting in the car, Google's support page is the official place to confirm the current requirement.