Toyota Rolling Out Apple Wallet Car Keys on iPhone

[MacRumors]

In 2020, Apple added a digital car key feature to its Wallet app, allowing users to lock, unlock, and start a compatible vehicle with an iPhone or Apple Watch. The feature is currently offered by select automakers, such as Audi, BMW, Hyundai, Kia, Genesis, Mercedes-Benz, and Volvo, and Toyota is now rolling out support as well.

According to a Reddit post, select trims of the 2026 Toyota RAV4 support the Apple Wallet car key feature in the United States, at a minimum. We have yet to confirm if the feature is rolling out to any of Toyota's other 2026 model year vehicles.

Toyota's implementation of the feature utilizes Ultra Wideband technology, allowing you to simply approach the vehicle, open the door, and start the vehicle, all with your iPhone in your pocket or your Apple Watch on your wrist. This passive entry functionality requires an iPhone 11 or newer* or an Apple Watch Series 6 or newer.

A few months ago, MacRumors was first to report that Toyota was planning to offer Apple Wallet car keys, so this rollout was expected. It appears that the feature requires a Toyota Remote Connect subscription, which starts at $15 per month. A free one-year Remote Connect trial is included with the purchase of a new Toyota vehicle.

Apple has a web page with a list of vehicle models that support iPhone car keys, but it is updated infrequently, so it is currently missing some newer additions.

* Excluding the iPhone SE 2, iPhone SE 3, and iPhone 16e.

Article Link: Toyota Rolling Out Apple Wallet Car Keys on iPhone

 

[Dark enV]

Many called it when they said you'd have to have the Toyota subscription to use this. So stupid.

 

[Rychiar]

any car feature requiring a subscription is insane. I'd never buy a car from a company pulling that crap

 

[HouseLannister]

If you cancel the subscription, does it remove the key from the wallet? Seems like you get the free trial and you are good to go as long as you don't launch any Toyota app on your phone after installing the key. But I could be misunderstanding how the tech works.

 

[neuropsychguy]

Yes to Toyotas, but no to a subscription for many car features. Toyota Remote Connect has some good benefits, but not for $15 - $25 per month.

 

[Dark enV]

If you cancel the subscription, does it remove the key from the wallet? Seems like you get the free trial and you are good to go as long as you don't launch any Toyota app on your phone after installing the key. But I could be misunderstanding how the tech works.

From what I've seen it would remove the key or at least the functionality of it if the subscription is no longer active.

 

[dwsolberg]

I'm voting "no" with my wallet.

 

[Dark enV]

Yes to Toyotas but no to a subscription for some car features. Toyota Remote Connect has some good features, but not for $15 - $25 per month.

Facts. The cost is ridiculous and it's mainly for things nobody even wants. The only useful feature in there is remote start really and I'm definitely not paying $15 a month for it.

 

[chrono1081]

I love this feature and havent carried a car key with me in nearly a year but it’s so stupid Toyota is charging for it.

 

[TalkieToaster]

Subscriptions for use of features of a car are an ABSOLUTE dealbreaker.

 

[jz0309]

Toyota, late as usual, nd a subscription? wow ... they're not in my future with this kinda stuff

 

[Juggernaut99]

I don't hate subscription for "bonus"/cloud-based remote features (e.g. key sharing). But to charge a monthly fee to enable a proximity-based key? Staaahp.

 

[IceOnFire]

My mind says yes, my wallet says hell no.

 

[LightProtector]

This is absolutely a feature that should NOT be behind a subscription.

 

[lovehateapple]

Hopefully Toyota and other car companies will learn when everyone boycotts and no one signs up for their subscription service. Or better yet, sales of their vehicles go down on top of it.

 

[DotCom2]

NO MORE SUBSCRIPTIONS!

 

[LightProtector]

Hopefully Toyota and other car companies will learn when everyone boycotts and doesn't sign up for their subscription service. Or better yet, sales of their vehicles go down on top of it.

Their sales definitely won't go down because of this, but consumers will have a strong reluctance to subscribe.
But at least for me, I won't be looking at Toyota unless they change this. I got spoiled by Tesla's phone key haha. I need a car with phone key and specifically UWB unlocking.

 

[The_Martini_Cat]

What I am looking forward to is loaning my 2026 Toyota to a family member, and so in 2027 I give them my phone to take with them on a short trip to the supermarket, it unlocks the car, then they drive there, and the one-year subscription expires while they are in the store, so they can’t get back, and then after that they lose my phone.🍸😹

 

[1rottenapple]

initial reaction, YA that's awesome.

Then read, subscription. Really? Subscription? So we have various streaming, insurance car, insurance home, mortgage or rent, trash service, HOA. Let's add a subscription to use your phone as key. That is free on my tesla.

I'll be really outrage when my toilet demands a monthly subscription to flush after 1 year trial.

 

[HouseLannister]

Hyundai/Kia are cheaper and don’t charge for their digital keys.

 

[Jett0516]

Interesting that toyota is charging a monthly fee for this.

My BMW digital car key does not require a subscription. 😂

 

[CoolBradG]

Interesting that toyota is charging a monthly fee for this.

My BMW digital car key does not require a subscription. 😂

I wouldn't laugh too hard, because BMW used to charge a subscription fee to use CarPlay in their vehicles.

 

[dontwalkhand]

I don't hate subscription for "bonus"/cloud-based remote features (e.g. key sharing). But to charge a monthly fee to enable a proximity-based key? Staaahp.

Wait til you hear about how they even lock the physical key remote start behind this same subscription.

 

[fooladder]

My Toyota trial subscription has expire a few months ago. I wouldn't have noticed other than Toyota iphone app stopped opening up and asking me for extra permissions to connected whenever I got into my car. While I had my subscription, this was a regular occurrence, and neither accepting and declining seemed to have impacted anything. Nothing in the Toyota subscription is worth than hassle it imposes, not even the digital key.

EDIT: Car keys in Wallet would have been cool if it got me out of the Toyota software ecosystem, not bound me closer to it.

 

[Techwatcher]

So you have to pay a monthly fee to open your car door? Is Toyota braindead?