Everything to know before putting your car key on an Android phone

Google added support for integer car keys pinch nan merchandise of Android 12 successful 2021, 1 twelvemonth aft Apple brought its type of nan aforesaid idea, CarKey, to iOS. Both fto you shop a integer transcript of your car cardinal successful your default wallet app (Google Wallet, for Android devices) and power your car complete a unafraid wireless connection. What other functions are disposable to you depends connected each vehicle's maker, but nan expertise to unlock your car comes astatine a minimum. Because this smartphone cardinal is wholly digital, and fundamentally a practice of information associated pinch your car, it tin besides beryllium shared pinch different phones via a elemental matter message. That's even including iOS devices.

While integer car keys are a comparatively caller summation successful nan expansive strategy of smartphone features, nan conception was successful nan useful for respective years earlier moreover Apple and Google hopped connected board. The Car Connectivity Consortium, an manufacture group representing car and electronics companies, introduced its first "Digital Key" standard each nan measurement backmost successful 2018. The type of integer car keys disposable connected smartphones coming is built connected an updated type of that aforesaid standard.

On Android, erstwhile you've added your cardinal to Google Wallet, your smartphone connects to your conveyance complete Bluetooth and Ultra-wideband (UWB). The second is nan power exertion utilized successful by things like Google's Find Hub and Apple's AirTags. Digital car keys tin besides autumn backmost connected an NFC (or Near Field Communication) relationship if your Android instrumentality doesn't person 1 of those different radios. Your car whitethorn besides usage NFC to authenticate your telephone erstwhile you first adhd your cardinal to Google Wallet.

These methods whitethorn really beryllium much unafraid than your car's wireless fob. According to Google, "digital car keys connection enhanced information compared to cardinal fobs, which are susceptible to relay attacks." Relay attacks amplify nan awesome from a cardinal fob truthful that a car tin beryllium unlocked without you aliases nan cardinal needing to beryllium nearby. 

Since 1 of nan main features of UWB is nan expertise to find something's precise position comparative to its radio, your integer car cardinal won't unlock thing unless your telephone is physically adjacent your car. Because nan accusation associated pinch your car is stored securely connected your phone, it besides benefits from nan aforesaid information methods that protect everything other you support connected your device, for illustration photos aliases messages.

How you really spell astir adding your car cardinal to Google Wallet will alteration depending connected your car. Some companies fto you adhd nan cardinal straight done their app, while others nonstop you an email pinch an "Add to Android" button. Some moreover fto you group up nan cardinal done your in-car display. Whichever method your conveyance requires, you'll request an up-to-date Android telephone pinch nan Google Wallet app installed and a Google Account to get started.

All 3 methods require logging successful pinch your Google Account, agreeing to nan position of work and authenticating your smartphone, either complete NFC done your car's NFC scholar (often housed successful a built-in wireless charger), via an authentication codification aliases both.

Android's integer car cardinal characteristic requires you to person a smartphone moving Android 12 aliases later to work. For example, that intends you could usage integer car keys connected a Pixel 6 aliases later, a smartphone from Samsung's Galaxy S26 series, a Motorola Razr aliases Razr Plus aliases a OnePlus 15. Google maintains a afloat database of compatible devices connected its website, but immoderate smartphone moving nan latest type of Android and that supports Bluetooth, UWB and NFC should fresh nan bill. To beryllium clear, though, only Bluetooth and NFC are mandatory for nan basal functions of integer car cardinal to work. UWB enables further features.

In position of cars, support for integer car keys is mostly constricted to premium and luxury brands and newer electrical vehicles, but that could alteration complete time. Kia's EV3, EV4, EV5, EV6 Facelift and EV9 each support integer car keys. So does nan Hyundai IONIQ 5 and IONIQ 5N. If you thrust a Volvo EX90, a BMW X5 aliases a Rivian released aft 2025, you're besides successful luck.

If your car isn't successful that short list, your car marque mightiness still support integer car keys connected Android. Here are nan main US and European brands that support nan feature, according to Google's website:

• Audi

• BMW

• Genesis

• Hyundai

• Kia

• LEXUS

• Mercedes-Benz

• MINI

• Polestar

• Porsche

• RAM

• Toyota

• Volvo

While UWB and NFC mightiness make a integer car cardinal connected your telephone much unafraid successful immoderate ways than a elemental fob, that doesn't mean utilizing your smartphone arsenic a cardinal is free from risk. In fact, adding your car keys to your telephone makes losing it moreover riskier. If you don't person capable information measures group up (like utilizing a anemic passcode, for example) it's that overmuch easier for personification to entree your car if they bargain your phone. Relying connected your smartphone complete beingness keys mightiness besides origin problems if a package rumor prevents you from utilizing Google Wallet or, God forbid, you suffer your phone.

The elemental solution is to ever transportation your cardinal arsenic a backup successful nan aforesaid measurement you transportation your wallet if you usage Google Pay. You tin ever autumn backmost connected a beingness cardinal aliases paper erstwhile your telephone fails you. You mightiness besides see enabling biometric authentication and disabling passive introduction — Google's method for automatically unlocking cars — to make judge you person to beryllium intentionally unlocking your car to get wrong it. If your telephone is stolen, you tin besides delete aliases suspend your integer cardinal from different instrumentality truthful it can't beryllium utilized until you get your telephone back.