If we want to listen to some good music, all we have to do is open Spotify (also in the free version with advertisements), connect headphones or audio speakers to the PC or smartphone and start listening to our favorite artist or our unlimited playlists. But if we wanted to listen to music from streaming services while traveling, how to connect Spotify, Amazon Music and other similar music apps (Deezer, Apple Music, etc.) to the car?
How to listen to music in your car using streaming services like Spotify, Amazon Music and Apple Music
No problem: in this guide we have collected all the methods for listening to multimedia apps with car speakers, regardless of the model of car we have (even cars over 10 years old). In this way we will be able to listen to all the music in streaming in the car during a journey, without having to prepare CDs, microSD or USB sticks with the songs to be sent to the system, but using only our smartphone.
Best Apps for listening to Spotify in the car
1) Integrated systems
If the car is very recent (last 2-3 years) it is possible that the equipment supplied supports Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.
These are protocols created by Google and Apple, in collaboration with car manufacturers, which use USB, Bluetooth or wireless connectivity to quickly connect a smartphone or tablet to the car, showing all the main functions of the car on a dedicated display. device and, of course, also multimedia apps like Spotify.
To connect the device in our possession, simply use a USB cable (the simplest method), to be connected to the device and to the free USB port on the dashboard or in the central tunnel of the car, then follow one of the two paths described here in low (depending on your system):
– On Android: connect the device and click on the car screen on the Android Auto icon; on the device we will be asked to install or update apps (such as Google Maps) and to authorize special permissions to access notifications and apps, we confirm everything to get full control. Once everything is connected we click on the Spotify app on the car screen.
– On iPhones: go to Settings > General > CarPlay > Car and select the car as soon as it is visible. Now just click on the car screen on the app you want to launch, such as Spotify.
If instead of the cable we want to use wireless connections, it is sufficient to leave the WiFi and Bluetooth on, then use the menus integrated in the car management system, until the devices to be connected are visible; we recommend the use of cables because in this way the smartphone does not run down during the trip but rather is recharged while we listen to music! In order to use Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, you must have a smartphone with Android 5.0 or later or an iPhone 5 or later models.
2) Echo Auto
Thanks to the device Amazon Echo Auto you can have Alexa voice assistant in your car, with the ability to play music from Spotify or Amazon Music. The Echo Auto uses the internet connection of the smartphone to which it connects via Bluetooth.
3) Bluetooth connection
If our car has a system with a Bluetooth connection or a car stereo with built-in Bluetooth, we can use it (obviously without special interfaces) to listen to music in the car, transforming the latter into a large Bluetooth “headset”.
To make the connection we will have to turn on the Bluetooth both in the car (or in the system) and on the smartphone, then use the integrated Bluetooth device search system (we may need the car manual to understand how to make the connection on our model, being different for each manufacturer).
Once connected via Bluetooth, our smartphone will send the audio part (multimedia, calls, notifications and system sounds) to the car, so that we can listen to any song played with Spotify or any other streaming app we have.
4) 3.5mm jack connection
Does our car only have the 3.5mm audio jack (also called AUX) to connect external devices?
We can make the connection in two distinct ways: using a 3.5mm Jack cable in the headphone input or a Bluetooth-Jack adapter to make the wireless connection.
For the cable, it is sufficient to purchase a model that is long enough, so as not to disturb while driving; for example we can view the Syncwire Nylon 3.5mm Aux Cable (€6).
One socket is connected to the headphones jack of the smartphone and the other socket to the AUX input of our system or our car radio, so as to immediately hear every sound transmitted by the device, without having to use other devices (we can also use this method on cars without USB sockets).
If, on the other hand, our car has at least one USB port, we can also use the Jack Bluetooth Receiver (€12).
Connect to the AUX input of your car or car stereo, use the included USB cable to supply electricity (even if it has an internal battery with up to 10 hours of autonomy), turn on Bluetooth on your smartphone and press and hold the button of this adapter until it is visible among the usable devices in the Bluetooth menu of our device. We carry out the Bluetooth association and confirm where necessary on the smartphone display, so as to be ready to listen to wireless music.
5) FM transceiver
If our car does not have AUX inputs and USB ports, we can try using an FM transceiver, like this one Car Bluetooth FM Transmitter (€20).
These devices are able to connect via Bluetooth to our smartphone and retransmit the sounds on a free FM radio frequency, so as to transmit Spotify music even to very old cars (over 15 years old). This small device connects to the cigarette lighter to get electricity, then just connect it to your smartphone via Bluetooth (it will immediately come out as associable in the device menu) and choose one of the FM frequencies not used by any radio station; at the end we tune the car radio to the same frequency and start playing the music we want from Spotify or similar apps. The device fits into any car and also provides two USB ports useful for recharging smartphones, effectively transforming even a rather old car into a modern one.
6) Change car stereo
If your car allows the change of car radio, we can “bring it into the future” by installing (with the help of an electrician) a modern car radio with AUX and Bluetooth support, so as to integrate the most convenient connection methods.
One of the best car stereos that we can install is the Sony DSX-A410BT (€88).
By installing this car radio we will have AUX connection, USB connection, Dual Bluetooth (two devices at a time), quick association via NFC and support for FLAC files, for superior audio. Definitely one of the best solutions if we are considering changing car stereos, so as to have the latest connections and the ability to listen to Spotify anywhere.
If we want to use a streaming service other than Spotify, we advise you to read the following guide -> 7 unlimited and on-demand music services from PCs and smartphones.