Key Takeaways
- The Apple Wallet app will replace a car key, allowing users to unlock, lock and start their car digitally.
- Apple Car Key has a limited list of supported models, including BMW, Kia, and Hyundai.
- iPhone XS and later and some Apple Watches support Apple Car Key, which allows you to share your car key.
of Apple Wallet The app replaces several items that used to exist pocket From coupons and boarding passes to credit cards and ID, your wallet holds a lot of things. But one lesser-known item the Wallet app can replace is your car keys. Apple Car Key is a feature within Apple Wallet that lets you digitally unlock, lock, and even start your car.
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But while Apple Car Key has been around since 2020, the list of models that support the feature is still limited. BMW has the widest selection of supported models, but the list also includes Kia and Hyundai vehicles. However, many manufacturers offer mobile apps that let you remotely control newer cars, allowing you to use similar functionality outside of the Wallet app.
Here are the cars that support Apple Car Key and other important information drivers need to know before enabling the feature.
What is Apple Car Key?
Apple Car Key uses Apple Wallet to unlock your car
If keyless ignition cars can use radio frequency identification to unlock and start their vehicles, why not use your smartphone to unlock them? That’s exactly the idea behind Apple Car Key. First launched in 2020, Apple Car Key allows users who own compatible vehicles to unlock and start their cars using their iPhone or Apple Watch instead of a key fob.
You will need to set up the feature while sitting in the car and using the screen.
Apple Car Keys are stored in the Wallet app. Once your Car Key is set up, you can open the Wallet app to see the various options, including locking, unlocking, and starting your car. This feature needs to be set up while you’re sitting in your car and using the screen, so it’s not a solution if you’ve locked your keys in the car but haven’t yet activated your digital key. It’s a clever idea, I’ll admit.
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In some models, there’s no need to take out your iPhone: Passive entry recognizes when the device is nearby and automatically unlocks the vehicle. In other models, users can simply place their iPhone or Apple Watch near the door handle to unlock it.
Another feature is the ability to share your car keys, allowing a friend to unlock and start your car from their device. Setting up the sharing feature varies by car model and often requires an additional verification step, such as an activation code.
Which cars support Apple Car Key?
These vehicles support using the Wallet app as a key
BMW
Although Apple Car Key has been around for four years, adoption has been slow, in part because it requires both a compatible Apple device and a compatible vehicle, and in part because automakers have been slow to roll out the feature: Apple’s list of Car Play-compatible vehicles includes more than 800 models, but only a handful of them support Car Key.
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Here is the current list of supported vehicles:
BMW
BMW
- 1 Series, 2021-2024
- 2 Series, 2021-2024
- 3 Series, 2021-2024
- 4 Series, 2021-2024
- 5 Series, 2021-2024
- 6 Series, 2021-2024
- 8 Series, 2021-2024
- X5, 2021-2024
- X6, 2021-2024
- X7, 2021-2024
- X5 M, 2021-2024
- X6 M, 2021-2024
- Z4, 2021-2024
- i4, 2022-2024
- iX, 2022-2024
- iX1, 2022-2024
- iX3, 2022-2024
- i3, 2023
- i7, 2023-2024
- i5, 2024
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BYD
Michael Fortsch/Unsplash
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Genesis
Genesis
- GV60, 2023-2024
- G90, 2023-2024
- G70, 2024
Hyundai
Hyundai
- Palisade, 2023-2024
- IONIQ 6, 2023-2024
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Kia
- Telluride, 2023-2024
- Nilo, 2023-2024
- Seltos, 2024
- EV9, 2024
lotus
lotus
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Which iPhones support Apple Car Key?
You also need to update iOS
In addition to a compatible car, you’ll need an iPhone with NFC, Bluetooth, or Ultra Wideband technology — iPhone XS or later, or iPhone SE 2nd generation — and the latest iOS.
Some Apple Watches also support this feature, including the Apple Watch Series 5 and the new Apple Watch SE. If you haven’t updated watchOS and have an older model, you’ll need to update the software first.
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Can I unlock my car with my iPhone without Apple Car Key?
Some third-party apps offer similar functionality.
BMW
The list of cars that support Apple Car Key is relatively short, especially compared to Apple’s list of compatible models. However, Apple Car Key isn’t the only way to unlock your car with your iPhone.
Many manufacturers offer apps that allow you to unlock, unlock and remotely start your car. The list of manufacturers that offer apps with key-like functionality is much longer than the list of Apple Car Key compatible vehicles. The biggest difference is that you’ll need a separate app rather than the Wallet native app that comes with your iPhone.
Some manufacturers’ apps also support Apple Watch, giving you some control from your wrist.
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How do I use my iPhone as a car key?
If Apple Car Key isn’t supported, you might still be able to use your iPhone
apple
There are two ways to use your iPhone as a car key: with Apple Car Key or with a dedicated app from your car manufacturer. The options available for your specific scenario will depend on the vehicle you own. Older models often don’t support the feature, with Tesla first introducing the option in 2017. Some manufacturers offer digital key compatibility as a standard feature, while others require a model upgrade to use the option.
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The process for setting up your phone as a car key varies depending on your car make and model, but it usually involves a combination of your car’s infotainment system and a smartphone application, often with direct on-screen instructions.
