What Is Fermata Auto? The Complete Guide for 2026
If you have searched for a way to play your own music, videos or live TV on a car screen without paying for a subscription, you have probably run into the name Fermata Auto. It shows up in forum threads, YouTube tutorials and tech blogs, usually with the same question attached: what exactly is it, and is it worth installing?
This guide answers that properly. It covers what Fermata is, where the name comes from, what it can and cannot do, how it behaves on a phone, on Android TV and on Android Auto, and what you should know before you install it.
The short answer
Fermata Auto is the popular name for Fermata Media Player, a free and open-source audio, video and TV player for Android. It is written by Andrey Pavlenko, released under the GPL-3.0 licence, and its source code is public on GitHub. The "Auto" part comes from the fact that it was built from day one to work well on Android Auto, the system that puts a simplified Android interface on your car's display.
Unlike many players that dump every file into one giant library, Fermata is built around folders. You point it at the places where your media already lives, and it plays them the way you organised them.
Why a folder-first player matters
Most people who still keep their own media have it sorted by hand: one folder per album, one per audiobook, one per TV series, one for podcasts. Streaming-style players often ignore that structure and rebuild a library from tags, which breaks the moment a file has no metadata or a podcast episode is tagged "Unknown Artist".
Fermata does the opposite. It remembers the last track and the exact position for every folder. Stop an audiobook halfway through chapter nine on your phone, plug into the car the next morning, open the same folder and it carries on from the same second. The same applies to a series: you do not hunt for the episode you were watching.
What Fermata can do
- Folder-based playback with automatic resume per folder.
- Favorites, bookmarks and playlists, including CUE and M3U playlist formats.
- IPTV through an addon that supports an XMLTV programme guide (EPG) and catch-up.
- Three playback engines: Android's MediaPlayer, ExoPlayer and VLC. You can switch if a file refuses to play.
- Sound tuning: equalizer, bass and volume boost, and a virtualizer, which can be set per track or per folder.
- Per-folder playback speed, which audiobook and podcast listeners tend to love.
- Subtitles and audio-track selection for video (this needs the VLC engine).
- Customisable titles and subtitles so the on-screen text shows what you actually want to see.
- Android TV support, with favorites and playlists on the TV home screen.
- Network folders such as SFTP, SMB and Google Drive.
Recent releases added more. Version 2.0.0 introduced real-time automatic subtitle generation, 2.0.1 added an Opus-MT based subtitle translator and SponsorBlock for YouTube, and 2.0.2 disabled FS Mirror to avoid a conflict with Android Auto 17.3. You can read the full changelog for dates and details.
How it behaves on each device
On an Android phone or tablet
It is a normal player app. You add folders, tap a file and it plays. Most of the settings live behind a menu and are optional. Beginners can use it without touching them; power users can tune every folder separately.
On Android TV
Fermata supports the TV interface and can place favorites and playlists on the home screen. It is a handy way to watch IPTV channels or a folder of videos on a TV box without installing several different apps.
On Android Auto
This is where most people meet it. The full-featured build is installed from the download page rather than a store, so Android Auto must be told to accept apps from unknown sources. Once enabled, Fermata appears in the car launcher. It is designed to be used with large touch targets and simple navigation. Our step-by-step install guide walks through every step.
The "Fermata Auto" family of apps
The name can confuse newcomers because it has covered several pieces over time. The main player is what most people mean. Around it, the project has at various points included a mirroring component (Fermata Mirror, plus a full-screen variant called FS Mirror) and a media service used for audio browsing. Not every piece exists in every release, so always read the notes of the version you are downloading. See our Fermata Mirror explainer for the details.
What Fermata is not
It is worth being honest about the limits.
- It does not supply content. There are no built-in channels, no movie catalogue and no music store. You bring your own files or your own legal IPTV playlist.
- It is not an official Google product. Because it is sideloaded, Google does not vet it, and Android Auto updates can change how it behaves. That is exactly why release 2.0.2 exists.
- It is not meant for use while driving. Video is for when the car is parked. Please follow your local laws.
- Some phones and adapters behave badly. Reports exist of trouble with certain Samsung One UI versions and with some wireless Android Auto adapters. Results vary by device.
Is it safe?
The code is open, the licence is GPL-3.0, and the official downloads are the files published on this website and on the project's GitHub releases. The risk with any free app is not the app itself but fake copies. Scam sites such as fermata-auto.com exist and have nothing to do with the developer. We wrote a separate guide on how to avoid fake Fermata download sites.
Who should use Fermata Auto?
- Audiobook and podcast listeners who want exact resume per folder.
- People who keep a large personal music collection on their phone or a NAS.
- Anyone who wants IPTV with a programme guide in one lightweight app.
- Android TV users who prefer a folder view to a streaming-style library.
- Drivers who want a free player on the car display, used responsibly while parked.
If you only stream from Spotify or YouTube Music, you do not need it. If you own your media, it is one of the most flexible free players available.
How to get started in five minutes
- Open the download page and pick the APK for your phone (arm64 for almost all modern devices, see arm vs arm64).
- Install it and allow your browser or file manager to install apps when Android asks.
- Open Fermata, grant the media permissions and add your folders.
- For the car, enable Developer settings in Android Auto and turn on Unknown sources, as shown in the install guide.
- Connect to the car and look for Fermata in the launcher.
Frequently asked questions
Is Fermata Auto the same as Fermata Media Player?
Yes. Fermata Auto is the common name for Fermata Media Player, particularly the build used with Android Auto.
Does Fermata Auto cost anything?
No. It is free and open source under GPL-3.0. There is no paid version.
Does Fermata include TV channels or movies?
No. You supply your own media files or a legal IPTV playlist.