As of our check on September 9, 2026, car keys in Apple Wallet work with vehicles from BMW, MINI, Mercedes-Benz, Audi, Porsche, Genesis, Hyundai, Kia, Toyota, Volvo, Polestar, Lotus, Rivian, RAM, BYD and NIO, with General Motors brands, Acura, Lucid and others announced but not yet shipping on every model. Apple itself does not publish a model by model list; its support page tells you to ask the manufacturer, so the table below is compiled from automaker announcements and Apple’s own statements, and it will keep changing.
This guide lists the brands and models we could confirm, explains the difference between NFC and Ultra Wideband keys, and walks through setup, sharing and Express Mode. The device requirements come straight from Apple’s Add your car key to Apple Wallet support page, which lists iPhone XS or later and Apple Watch Series 5 or later as minimums, with iPhone 11 or later required for some features. If you are upgrading phones, the iPhone data transfer guide covers what happens to Wallet items during migration.
How car keys in Apple Wallet work
A digital car key is a credential stored in the Secure Element of your iPhone or Apple Watch, the same chip that holds Apple Pay cards. The car and phone authenticate each other cryptographically, and the key works without a cellular signal. Apple built the feature on the Car Connectivity Consortium’s Digital Key standard, which is why so many automakers can adopt it.
Two radio technologies are in play:
- NFC keys require you to hold the phone or watch against a reader, usually in the door handle or mirror, then place it on a pad inside to start the engine. Every supported model supports at least NFC.
- Ultra Wideband keys use the U1 or U2 chip in iPhone 11 and later to measure distance precisely. The car unlocks as you approach with the phone in your pocket and starts without it leaving your bag. Apple calls this passive entry.
Both types support Express Mode, which lets the key work without Face ID, and both keep working for a few hours after the battery dies thanks to Power Reserve.
Cars that support Apple Wallet car keys
The list below groups every model we could verify by brand. Support usually starts with a specific model year and continues forward, and some automakers limit the feature to certain trims or markets, so confirm with your dealer before assuming a used car qualifies.
| Brand | Models with car key support | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| BMW | 1 through 8 Series, X1 through X7, X5 M, X6 M, Z4, i4, i5, i7, iX, iX1, iX3 | First automaker to ship, from the 2021 model year; newer models add Ultra Wideband |
| MINI | Cooper 3 door and 5 door, Countryman, Aceman | Current generation models |
| Mercedes-Benz | E-Class, EQE, EQS | Recent model years, Ultra Wideband capable |
| Audi | A5, A6, S6, Q5, SQ5, Q6, SQ6 | Launched on the latest platform generation from 2025 |
| Porsche | Macan Electric, Cayenne Electric | Added in 2026; check Porsche’s Digital Key page for trims |
| Genesis | G70, G80, G90, GV60, GV70, GV80, GV80 Coupe | Ultra Wideband on GV60 and newer models |
| Hyundai | IONIQ 5, IONIQ 6, Kona Electric, Palisade, Santa Fe | Marketed as Hyundai Digital Key 2 |
| Kia | Telluride, Niro, Seltos, EV9 | Kia Digital Key 2, recent model years |
| Toyota | RAV4 (2026) | Toyota’s first model, launched early 2026 |
| Volvo | EX30, EX90 | Electric models on the new platform |
| Polestar | Polestar 3, Polestar 4 | Shares Volvo’s implementation |
| Lotus | Eletre, Emeya | Electric SUV and sedan |
| Rivian | R1T, R1S (second generation) | Rolled out in late 2025 |
| RAM | 1500 (2025 and later) | Recent model years |
| BYD | Han | China market |
| NIO | ET7 | China market |
That works out to well over 30 distinct models once you count BMW’s lineup individually, and the number only grows. Apple said at WWDC 2025 that 13 more brands had signed on: Acura, Chevrolet, Cadillac, GMC, Porsche, Rivian, Smart, Lucid, Tata Motors, Hongqi, WEY, Chery and Voyah. Porsche and Rivian have since shipped. Watch for GM’s three brands and Acura next, since those cover a large share of US sales.
How to add a car key to Apple Wallet
The exact flow depends on the automaker, but the pattern is the same. Before starting, update iOS, sign in to iCloud with two factor authentication on, and make sure the car is registered to your account in the manufacturer’s app.
- Open the automaker’s app (My BMW, Mercedes me, myAudi, MyHyundai, Kia Access) and look for Digital Key or Car Key. Some cars start from the infotainment screen instead.
- Tap Add to Apple Wallet. The app hands off to Wallet, which shows the car and asks you to confirm.
- Follow the pairing instructions. For NFC keys, you will usually be asked to hold the phone against the reader in the door or on the console. For Ultra Wideband keys, you may simply need to be inside the car.
- Choose whether to enable Express Mode. Leaving it on means the key works without Face ID; turning it off requires authentication every time.
- Wait for the car to confirm. Some brands need the car online to finish activation, so do this somewhere with a signal.
The key then appears in Wallet, and a copy can be added to a paired Apple Watch. Keys are tied to your Apple ID, so they move with you to a new iPhone, though a few automakers require re adding the key after a device change.
Sharing a key with family and friends
Sharing is what makes digital keys better than a fob. Open Wallet, tap the car key, tap the More button, then Share or Invite, and send the key through Messages, Mail or AirDrop. The owner sets the access level: full access, or restricted access that can limit top speed, acceleration or stereo volume for a teenage driver, depending on what the automaker exposes.
The owner can revoke a shared key at any time from Wallet. Each recipient gets a unique key that the car recognizes separately. The underlying standard supports cross platform sharing, and some automakers allow inviting Google Wallet users, but coverage varies by brand.
NFC versus Ultra Wideband: what you actually notice
With an NFC key you tap to unlock and tap to start. It is reliable and works on the oldest supported iPhones, but it is not much more convenient than a fob. With an Ultra Wideband key the car unlocks before you reach the handle, locks as you walk away, and starts with the phone anywhere inside. The car needs Ultra Wideband hardware too, so an early NFC only model will not gain passive entry from a newer phone.
Ultra Wideband also resists relay attacks, where thieves extend a key signal to steal a car from the driveway, because the car measures time of flight and knows the phone is really within a few feet.
Using the key when the phone is dead, lost or being replaced
Power Reserve keeps NFC car keys working for a few hours after the iPhone shuts down from low battery, as long as Express Mode is on; passive entry does not work in that state, so tap the phone to the handle. If the phone is lost, use Find My to mark it as lost, which suspends Wallet items, or remove the key from the automaker’s app.
When you replace the phone, keys are removed during the erase process and restored on the new one through iCloud for most brands. If yours does not reappear, add it again from the automaker’s app. If you are shopping, the iPhone price list shows current models, all of which include Ultra Wideband, though the camera ranking is probably a bigger factor in that decision.
Troubleshooting
The Add to Apple Wallet button does not appear in the car app
Either the car is not enrolled as compatible, the app is out of date, or your account is not the primary owner. Update the app, confirm the VIN in your account, and ask the dealer whether the car has the digital key option enabled.
The car does not respond to the phone at the door
Find the exact NFC reader location for your model; on many cars it is a small area on the driver’s door handle or the mirror. Hold the top of the phone, not the middle, against it for a full second. If Express Mode is off, wake the phone and authenticate first.
Passive entry stopped working after an iOS update
Toggle Bluetooth off and on, then open Wallet and check that the key still shows Ultra Wideband capability. If not, remove the key and add it again from the automaker’s app. Ultra Wideband pairing sometimes needs to be refreshed after a major update.
Frequently asked questions
Which cars support Apple Wallet car keys in the US?
Current US market support includes BMW, MINI, Mercedes-Benz, Audi, Porsche, Genesis, Hyundai, Kia, Toyota’s 2026 RAV4, Volvo, Polestar, Lotus, Rivian and the RAM 1500. Support is model and trim specific, so check the automaker’s digital key page for the exact vehicle before relying on it.
Does Apple publish an official list of compatible cars?
No. Apple’s support page states that you should contact the manufacturer or dealership to confirm compatibility, and Apple only names brands during keynotes. The list in this article comes from automaker announcements verified on September 9, 2026, and we note the date because new brands are added several times a year.
Do I need a specific iPhone for Ultra Wideband car keys?
Yes. Passive entry uses the U1 or U2 chip, which arrived with iPhone 11. Apple’s support page lists iPhone 11 or later and Apple Watch Series 6 or later for these features. Older phones back to the iPhone XS still work with NFC keys, which require tapping the phone to the car.
Can I share a car key with an Android user?
It depends on the automaker. The Digital Key standard supports cross platform sharing, and some brands allow an iPhone owner to invite a Google Wallet user, but many still limit sharing to Apple devices. Check the sharing options inside Wallet for your specific car; unsupported platforms simply do not appear.
Does the car key work if my iPhone battery dies?
Usually yes. Power Reserve keeps Express Mode NFC keys working for a few hours after the phone shuts down. You will need to tap the phone to the door reader and the console pad rather than rely on passive entry. Keep the physical fob in a safe place as a backup regardless.
The bottom line
Apple Wallet car keys have grown from a single BMW launch into a feature spanning more than a dozen brands and dozens of models, with GM, Acura and Lucid on deck. If you drive one of the cars in the table, setup takes a few minutes in the automaker’s app and the key follows you across iPhones and to your Apple Watch.
Because Apple does not maintain a public model list, treat any list, including this one, as a snapshot. Confirm your exact model year and trim with the manufacturer before buying a car on the strength of this feature.
