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USB connecting your car stereo and Android phone

Connecting via USB is a completely digital connection that often results in the best possible sound quality and allows drivers to select music safely from the dashboard.

Antuan Goodwin
Antuan Goodwin gained his automotive knowledge the old fashioned way, by turning wrenches in a driveway and picking up speeding tickets. From drivetrain tech and electrification to car audio installs and cabin tech, if it's on wheels, Antuan is knowledgeable.
Antuan Goodwin
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1 of 6 Antuan Goodwin/CNET

Step 1: Check for USB port

Make sure that your vehicle has a USB port and supports USB mass storage devices.
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Step 2: Connect your Android phone

Connect your Android phone to your car's USB port using a micro-USB cable. You should see a small USB icon appear in your notification bar.
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3 of 6 Antuan Goodwin/CNET

Step 3: Select the USB notifcation

Pull down your notification bar and select the "USB Connected" entry.
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Step 4: Mount your SD card

Select the option to mount your SD card as a USB storage device and wait for the phone to confirm.
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Step 5: Select USB audio source

Using your car stereo's interface, select USB as the audio source. The stereo should then search for audio files on your Android's SD card.
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Step 6: Enjoy your music

Once your songs have been indexed, you'll be able to listen to them through your car's speakers. Some systems will organize the songs by metadata, but most will just allow you to navigate your folder structure.

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