Note: Gemini is now available for cars with Google built-in. Compatibility and availability may vary by car manufacturer, language, region, and data plan. For more information, contact your vehicle’s manufacturer.
You can send, receive, and listen to messages in your car with Google built-in. To use other messaging apps in your car, you can download more compatible apps from the Google Play store built into your car.
Important: Settings and functionality may vary by car manufacturer, region, and data plan. For more information, check your owner’s manual.
What you need
Before you use message features in your car, make sure you:
Message notifications
Message notifications will appear on your car screen when you receive them.
After the message notification disappears, you can find your missed messages in your car’s notification center, Messages app or other compatible apps, or as a tile on your car screen.
Important: To receive message notifications on your car screen, make sure you enable notifications for Google Assistant.
Get started
Send or reply to a message by voice
- Say “Hey Google” or tap the microphone
or spark
.
- Say what you’d like to do.
You can speak naturally and be understood when you talk to Gemini built into your car.
Gemini can help you craft the perfect message without the need to transcribe exactly what you say. You can edit your message at any time, clarify what you mean, and compose messages in other languages.
Try these example prompts:
- “Oops, I'm stuck in traffic. Can you let [contact name] know and add my ETA [and a [car] emoji]?”
- Can you let [contact name] know that [I'll be late by ten minutes] and add a [sorry] emoji to it?
- “Can you tell [contact name] let’s meet up at the beach. Add a sunshine emoji, and translate it into [language] before sending.”
You can say things like:
- "Reply to [contact name]."
- "Send a text to [phone number]."
- "Message [contact name] with Facebook Messenger."
- "Message [contact name] on Whatsapp."
Send a message with the car screen
To send a message with the Messages app:
- Select Messages
.
- Tap New
or select an existing conversation.
- If you tap New
to start a new message, select the contact name on your car screen or say the name you want to message.
- If you tap New
- Say your message.
To send a message with other compatible apps:
- On your car screen, tap the app launcher
.
- Select your favorite message app to browse and send messages.
Quick replies with Gemini
Reply to a message with the car screen
- On your car screen, tap the message notification or tile, then tap Reply or the reply arrow
.
- Talk to Gemini or Google Assistant to create a custom reply.
Receive and listen to a message
You can talk to Gemini or Google Assistant to listen to your messages at any time.
1. Say "Hey Google" or tap the microphone or spark
.
2. Say what you’d like to do.
With Gemini, you can listen to any number of new messages, messages from a specific contact or group chat, or a summary of recent messages. If you receive multiple messages, Gemini will read you a summary of the messages and ask if you want to reply.
You can say things like:
- “Can you play my new messages from [contact name]?”
- “I want to hear my recent messages from [group chat name].”
- “Can you summarize my messages from [contact name]?”
- “I want to listen to my two most recent messages.”
- “Can you play my new messages from [contact name]?”
- “I want to hear my recent messages from [group chat name].”
- “What were the messages I just received?”
- “Can you summarize my messages from [contact name]?”
Gemini can also tell you more about the contents of the messages you receive. You can ask questions about the message, ask Gemini to translate the message, and ask if there’s an image within the message.
You can also use regular voice commands with Gemini or Google Assistant like “Read my messages.”
Mute messages
Add favorite contacts
- On your car screen, open the Phone app
.
- Tap Favorites
Add a favorite.
- Select a contact and tap Favorite
.