Android Auto’s new look is here, but not everyone’s on board

As part of a recent rollout, Google applied its Material You interface to Android Auto’s music player, creating a more unified look that matches your phone’s wallpaper. The problem is that it replaces the dynamic album art backgrounds, and some users are calling it a visual downgrade.

Album art background replaced with wallpaper color

The music player now pulls background colors from your Android wallpaper instead of using the currently playing track’s album art. This change was meant to bring consistency across the interface, but it’s also flattened the look and stripped away one of the music player’s most distinctive visual elements.

Reddit user Adil15101 shared a side-by-side image comparing the old and new layouts. The older interface displayed vibrant backgrounds tied to the music, while the new one opts for blander, wallpaper-based palettes that don’t always fit the vibe of what you’re listening to.

This design decision follows a broader update we recently covered, where Android Auto officially adopted Material You theming. The update allows your car's display to match your Android phone’s wallpaper color palette, bringing a more cohesive visual identity across screens. While some users appreciate the polish, it’s clear the music player changes have proven controversial.

Smaller album art and a disjointed layout

The update also tweaks the layout. The seekbar has been moved below the timestamp, and the album art is now smaller, creating what many are calling a cluttered-yet-empty feel — particularly on cars with portrait-oriented displays.

Reddit user flcinusa noted that the already-reduced album art looks “comically tiny” on their display. While the repositioned seekbar may reduce accidental touches, it creates odd spacing and visual imbalance, making better use of the space feel like an afterthought.

A redesign users didn’t ask for

To be fair, Material You is a big UI leap for Android Auto, which has traditionally been more utilitarian and function-focused. Google has also confirmed it’s also working on a light theme, climate control integration, and Gemini AI voice features — all part of a broader push to modernize the platform.

But for now, this refresh seems to be the decision based on the users' feedback. And for music lovers used to bold, dynamic album art backgrounds, this latest change might feel more like a step backward than forward.