Alarm.com for Android Auto™ User Guide
Android Auto™ allows users to perform customizable Scenes, control garage doors, and receive important on-screen alerts while they are on the road.
For more information, see Alarm.com for Android AutoTM Overview.
Compatibility requirements
- A residential or commercial account
- A compatible Android phone
- Alarm.com app with version 5.0.0+
- A compatible vehicle or stereo system
Note: Android AutoTM is supported in most 2018 car models or newer. For cars without Android Auto pre-installed, customers can use Android Auto using a portable car display.
Connect to Android Auto™
- Verify you are logged in to the Alarm.com Alarm.com app.
- Connect the Android phone to the compatible car display using Bluetooth or a USB cable.
- Depending on the car, the phone will either connect automatically or the Android Auto™ app icon will appear on the car display.
- Tap
on the Android Auto™ home screen.
Scenes
Home, Away, and customizable Scenes are available using Android Auto™.
Note: Customizable Scenes are available on Alarm.com for Android Auto on version 5.7.4+. Customizable Scenes can be created using the Alarm.com app or Alarm.com customer website. For more information, see Create/edit a Scene.
To use a Scene:
- Tap on the Android Auto™ home screen.
- Tap the desired Scene (e.g., Home, Away, etc.).
Note: Scene icons and icon colors can be updated using the Alarm.com app. - A loading icon will appear while the display while the Scene is being performed.
Note: If a garage door (i.e., Open or Close action) is involved in a Scene, the Garage Door icon will also have a loading icon. - The original scene icon will display after the Scene has been completed.
Garage Door
Important: For the Garage Door feature to display on Android AutoTM, the Alarm.com customer account must have the Garage Door feature enabled and the Alarm.com login must be granted permission to remotely control garage doors.
Garage doors can be opened and closed using Android AutoTM.
Note: Chamberlain does not allow its MyQ devices to be included in Alarm.com’s Android AutoTM integration. Chamberlain and Liftmaster MyQ garage devices and any Scenes that include one or more MyQ garage devices will be hidden from the Android AutoTM app. These devices will continue to be available through the Alarm.com mobile app but do not appear on the Android AutoTM display. Z-Wave, Genie, and other non-Chamberlain garage controllers are available through Android AutoTM. For a very short period, MyQ devices were available through this integration. Some customers may have had access to these devices temporarily before downloading a later update to the Android app.
To send a garage door command:
- Tap on the Android AutoTM home screen.
- Tap the Garage Door icon to open or close the garage door.
Note: The
icon will display when the garage door is opened and the 
icon will display when the garage door is closed. The garage door icon will not display if the customer does not have any garage door devices. Up to four garage door devices can be displayed and controlled.
- A loading icon will appear while the command is being performed.
- The Garage Door icon will be updated after the command has been completed.
Notifications
Android Auto™ allows users to view Alarm.com notifications, Head Unit notifications, and Notification Center notifications.
Alarm.com notifications
The following Alarm.com notification types are available with Android Auto™:
- Pending alarm
- Alarm
- Arming reminder
- Location-based notifications (i.e., Sensor Left Open, Garage Door Left Open, Panel Left Disarmed).
Head Unit notifications
Head Unit Notifications appear on the Android Auto™ interface even if the user is not in the Android Auto Alarm.com Alarm.com app. These notifications show the notification message, an available primary action, and a dismiss notification action.
Note: The primary action for arming reminders is Arm Stay.
Notification Center notifications
The Notification Center notifications show more information including text for action icons and appear with all other Android Auto notifications.
To view Notification Center notifications:
- Tap the bell icon in the bottom right corner of the screen.
- Flick to scroll through the notifications.
- Find the desired Alarm.com notification.
- The notification provides the user with up to two actions to choose from.
The following table lists the primary and secondary actions for various notification types on Android Auto™. For Head Unit notifications, only the primary action icon will display. For Notification Center notifications, both primary action and secondary action icons and corresponding text will be displayed. Most of the notifications will not have any available action to perform. However, Arming Reminders and Garage Door Left Open will have available actions.
|
Event |
Primary Action |
Secondary Action |
|---|---|---|
|
Pending Alarm / Alarm |
N/A |
N/A |
|
Arming reminder |
Arm stay |
Arm away |
|
Garage door left open |
Close garage door |
N/A |
|
Lock left unlocked |
Lock |
N/A |
|
Sensor based notifications (i.e., location- based) |
N/A |
N/A |
Rearrange the dashboard
The dashboard can be rearranged using the display or the Alarm.com app.
To rearrange the Android Auto Dashboard from the display:
Important: The vehicle must be parked to rearrange the dashboard from the display.
- Tap Settings from Alarm.com for Android Auto™ to seamlessly pull up the Android Auto settings menu on your mobile device.
- In Android Auto Settings, drag and drop to reorder scenes and actions as desired.
To rearrange the Android Auto Dashboard using the Alarm.com app:
Important: Alarm.com Alarm.com app version 5.7.4+ is required to access Android Auto settings.
- Log in to the Alarm.com Alarm.com app.
- Tap
. - Tap App Settings.
- Tap Android Auto.
- In Android Auto, drag and drop to reorder scenes and actions as desired.
Frequently asked questions
I cannot access the Alarm.com app on Android Auto. What do I do?
If the user is not logged in on Alarm.com Alarm.com app, a request prompt will appear instructing the user to sign in on the Alarm.com app. No notifications will be sent to the user’s phone. The user must manually open the Alarm.com app and log in.
I cannot access my devices on the Android Auto Alarm.com Alarm.com app. What do I do?
There are a few reasons why the user logs in but cannot access any functionality using Android Auto. This could be caused by the account not having a garage door device set up, the user is experiencing interactive lock-out, or the user does not have the appropriate permissions.
Can I use split-screen with Android Auto™?
No. The Alarm.com Alarm.com app and associated branded apps cannot currently be displayed using ;Android Auto’s split-screen user interface functionality.
Is there a light mode option for Android Auto?
No. Only dark mode is available.
Can I use the Alarm.com app while using Android Auto?
Yes. When the Alarm.com Alarm.com app is open on Android Auto, the mobile app can also be used. When a user performs a command on their phone, the actions will be reflected appropriately on Android Auto.
I'm getting an error on Android Auto. What do I do?
When errors occur, there are two toasts that could appear.
- An error occurred. Please log in again displays when the user needs to log in again.
- An unexpected error occurred. Please try again displays when the user needs to perform an action again.
Note: Error toasts only appear when the Alarm.com Alarm.com app is open and they display for about 3 seconds.
Does Android Auto update in real-time?
Yes. Android Auto is compatible with real-time updates. Real-time updates should still be running when the Android Auto Alarm.com app is in the background.