12:16 13-10-2025

Android Auto 15.2 breaks taskbar widgets: what to do now

Android Auto users have run into a fresh headache after installing version 15.2: widgets disappeared from the taskbar, and the bar itself shifted to the left and snapped into a vertical layout. The glitch surfaced in late September as the staged rollout began.

Google’s forums already host dozens of complaints. Owners of both Pixel and Samsung phones report the same pattern: toggling the Taskbar widgets setting doesn’t bring the elements back, and when they try to enable it, the interface briefly redraws before reverting to the incorrect view.

Some users have found stopgap fixes. Clearing Android Auto’s cache and data restores the widgets, but only for a short spell—after an app restart the problem returns. Others roll back to previous versions, which eliminates the issue but sacrifices recent improvements. Neither route feels like more than triage.

Google has confirmed it has opened an investigation, but has not given a timeline for a fix. The picture is expected to become clearer with Android Auto 15.4, which is already available in beta.

For now, users are advised to either wait for a stable update or temporarily revert to an earlier build.

Android Auto remains useful yet temperamental. Each update brings refinements alongside the risk of fresh bugs. It’s a reminder that even polished systems can stumble—especially around interface elements that hold the experience together—so patience will likely be needed while Google fixes its digital cockpit.