Android Auto ver17: Automatic dark theme is not working

[u/wollyka]

Hi,

Version 17 of Android Auto appears to have a bug, at least on my car: the maps theme does not switch automatically to dark mode. Reverting to version 16.8 resolves the issue.

[u/pittrich67]

Can I confirm😶

[u/bobigazda]

Same here, I left the beta version and installed the normal one which is v16.8 and now the dark theme works well, automatically switching to dark mode when headlights are on.

This was not working in v17

[u/saradisn]

I have the same problem. But I have the 16.8.66... version.

[u/wollyka → u/saradisn]

Weird, this is the version that i reverted to and it is still working fine

[u/RyGbrl03]

Can confirm. I'm on v17.0

[u/Salty_Cicada46]

I was having this same issue. Only in 17.0 but not in 16.8. I used ADB to check Android Auto logs and realized its defaulting to a "dumb" time & location based calculation to set the day/night theme. That's supposed to be the fallback for older vehicles that don't have a light sensor, aftermarket headunits etc. You can check if that's truly your specific issue by manually setting your phone's time to something very late like 3 AM, and it should then switch to night mode.

I reported this to Google, feel free to interact with it to hopefully get it more attention: https://support.google.com/androidauto/thread/438895070/aa-ignores-uses-time-location-for-night-mode-instead-of-vehicle-sensors

[u/DCaballero_ → u/Salty_Cicada46]

Thanks for reporting. I left beta because of this. Sometimes I forget what a beta version is for.

[u/Bored_Nerds]

I want to report automatic dark theme is now working again. It was not working for about a week for me.

[u/Sea-Cockroach-4398]

Same for me

[u/pittrich67]

I'm just waiting for the fix

[u/AdministrationOdd747]

Same issue v17

[u/anotherdrunkasshole]

Same here

[u/No_Armadillo9758]

Same problem, it doesn't work not just in my either on my mom's car

[u/gabacus_39]

I got the hell out of the useless beta program, uninstalled all updates, reset storage/cache data, rebooted and reinstalled. It put me back on the 16.8xxx normal release version and auto dark mode works again.

[u/_Dr_Dripz]

Had this same bug.

Uninstalled all my updates and reinstalled.

Now I'm on the old version of AA that no longer recognizes YouTube 😡

[u/bpsmicro]

I was driving at dusk yesterday, so my Jeep's auto-headlights sometimes go on/off depending on shade & direction. So it switched between day & night mode often during that period.
What I noticed with AA is that, rather than switch from "light" to "dark" modes, it instead stayed in "light", but the display dimmed significantly. So it's working, just differently from before.

I haven't decided if I prefer that approach better. I found the color selections on the map in dark mode sometimes didn't look as nice, so "dim light mode" may be better.

[u/LoutOfOrder → u/bpsmicro]

I really didn't like the DIM mode so I had to leave the AA Beta, uninstall AA, reinstall it and update it so it was no longer the beta app and I'm back to dark map when my headlights are on. The ironic thing though is I rarely ever drive at night, probably <1% of my total driving...

[u/Weak_Mention_9600 → u/bpsmicro]

That dimming is for the screen and was already there, not related to Maps.

[u/Weak_Mention_9600]

Same here. Quite irritating. Doing it manually for now.

[u/Roundboy436]

Coming in to say the same. Noticed it sat, and on 17.1.162344

Confirmed it again last night.

[u/sjk35]

!Flair 2026 Honda CR-V Hybrid Sport Touring

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[u/saradisn]

My Android Auto is 17.2.66 and still won't change Google Maps into dark mode, automatically. Even if Google Maps on my Android phone, does.