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Volkswagen's myVW App Now Available on Apple Watch

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Volkswagen today announced that it is bringing Apple Watch support to the myVW app, allowing Volkswagen owners to access key vehicle functions from their wrists.

vw-app-apple-watch.jpg

The myVW ap is available for most MY20+ ICE and electric vehicles that have an applicable connected vehicle service plan. Volkswagen has several paid plan options, like Remote Access, VW Vehicle Insights, and Safe and Secure.

Some of the features available through the Apple Watch app include Lock/Unlock, Honk and Flash, Vehicle Status, and Lock Status. For EVs, Remote Charging, Charge Status, and Climate Start/Stop are available. ICE models have access to Remote Start/Stop and Fuel Status.

To use the app, vehicle owners will need to download the myWV app, accept the myVW terms of service, add their vehicle to the virtual garage, and subscribe to a paid or included Remote Access or VW Vehicle Insights plan.

Article Link: Volkswagen's myVW App Now Available on Apple Watch
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2025/11/13/myvw-apple-watch-app/
Navigation on the Apple Watch app is still a bit wonky but a welcome addition. I’d like to have had them prioritize locking and remote start on the main pane.
 
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I'm surprised and pleased by this news as a VW owner, but I'm doubtful this solves my main wishes for the VW iPhone app, and I assume the VW Watch app by extension, which are:
- to be able to lock/unlock my car remotely (VW includes this function in some cars but not others for no apparent reason)
- to be able to use Siri to open the trunk/hatch door, as well as other functions like turn on and set climate, open/close windows, lock/unlock doors, open/close roof shade
 
Will it stop making me enter a 4 digit code every time I use the app from the same fricken phone it’s been installed on? I don’t want to enter codes on my watch every time I try to do anything.
 
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subjonas said:
I'm surprised and pleased by this news as a VW owner, but I'm doubtful this solves my main wishes for the VW iPhone app, and I assume the VW Watch app by extension, which are:
- to be able to lock/unlock my car remotely (VW includes this function in some cars but not others for no apparent reason)
- to be able to use Siri to open the trunk/hatch door, as well as other functions like turn on and set climate, open/close windows, lock/unlock doors, open/close roof shade
Click to expand...
If your car didn’t come with full remote capabilities it won’t be magically enabled.
 
Do their new cars have 5G connectivity for connected car services? They were building vehicles as recent as model year 2020 with 3G-only hardware and left customers screwed when AT&T shut down their 3G network in 2022... Now they use T-Mobile and Verizon in place of AT&T and T-Mobile is rumored to begin shutting down their 4G network starting next year...
 
I absolutely adore VW for most things. For the last 25 years I've only ever bought VWs. But, the quality of the app and its connected services is awful. I don't really care much that there is a watch component now, because I didn't need another thing to be disappointed by.

I agree with subjonas

subjonas said:
I'm surprised and pleased by this news as a VW owner, but I'm doubtful this solves my main wishes for the VW iPhone app, and I assume the VW Watch app by extension, which are:
- to be able to lock/unlock my car remotely (VW includes this function in some cars but not others for no apparent reason)
- to be able to use Siri to open the trunk/hatch door, as well as other functions like turn on and set climate, open/close windows, lock/unlock doors, open/close roof shade
Click to expand...
The ability to lock/unlock my doors would he great (I currently drive an ID.4, it's not an option), and in today's world doesn't seem like a lot to ask. But I'd settle for them improving the connectivity. It takes forever for a command to get to the car from the App (apparently they route the request up to a server, then let the server make a sandwich and contemplate the meaning of life, then roll some dice and if it gets snake eyes, it can send the command to the car), so starting up the climate has to be planned ahead. I can check to see if the door is locked, that's pretty reliable, but I can't do anything about it if it's not.

I would say that getting status of a charge session is great, except I have never seen a charging station that didn't provide more information and do it faster.

So, I guess it might be nice to have some visibility from the watch, but it'll mostly just be another place to see proof that VW ain't investing much in their software.
 
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Gengar said:
Do their new cars have 5G connectivity for connected car services? They were building vehicles as recent as model year 2020 with 3G-only hardware and left customers screwed when AT&T shut down their 3G network in 2022... Now they use T-Mobile and Verizon in place of AT&T and T-Mobile is rumored to begin shutting down their 4G network starting next year...
Click to expand...

My 2019 Tiguan has LTE.. I bought it at the tail-end of the model year and the dealer swapped the cell module for me knowing that 3G was on the way out..

I disconnected the cell module's antenna, so it no longer connects, but I assume it still works.
 
banfiz said:
VW ID Cars software is so bad, why they doubled down on it is beyond me. Sent mine back the UI was bad and the bugginess was awful. VW stick to making cars let software companies make software
Click to expand...
I agree, the software is crap. But I love how the cars drive. As long as I can use CarPlay, which I can, I can deal with the software… not that I don’t wish it were better.

When I got my ID.4, it was pretty much a given I’d end up in another VW (I’ve always liked them), but since I was new to EVs I did all the test driving and research. Tesla’s software is great, sure, but I want a comfortable drive more than raw speed, and nobody beats VW for that, IMO.

What still surprises me is how every car company still acts like your life inside the car and outside the car are totally separate. They spend the bare minimum of effort integrating the two. I mean, pairing a garage door button still feels like a dark ritual. And worse, some companies are moving towards expanding there crap experience by eliminating Android Auto and CarPlay options.

That’s why I’m a little (a very little) optimistic about CarPlay Ultra. It’d be great if the car saw my phone and just set everything: lighting, seat position, default climate, the works. I shouldn’t have to tell the car who I am by licking my name on a screen, only for it to remember like two things about me.
 
ikramerica said:
If your car didn’t come with full remote capabilities it won’t be magically enabled.
Click to expand...
I wouldn't think magically but possibly by some programming. But I doubt that too.

I assume you're implying that my car's remote incapability is due to lack of hardware. That seems unlikely since my car (ID4) is newer and a higher tier model than other VW cars that do have remote lock/unlock. Not including the function is more likely a business decision or something else not totally obvious.
 
If this augments CarPlay and CarPlay ultra that’s great.

If it’s a prelude to not adding ultra or backing out of CarPlay, or Car Keys, than it’s a big big turnoff.
 
banfiz said:
VW ID Cars software is so bad, why they doubled down on it is beyond me. Sent mine back the UI was bad and the bugginess was awful. VW stick to making cars let software companies make software
Click to expand...
Even their non-ID vehicle software is subpar. We have a 2023 Atlas and the constant CarNet/infotainment gremlins are a real knock on an otherwise great car. We're taking it in again in a few weeks for them to take a look at the system. The OTA update they launched a few months ago was supposedly going to fix some issues but it seems like it was actually a step backwards for most, especially the newer models that are mostly touch.
 
I wonder if functions like lock/unlock will work without the AW being connected to an iPhone. My BMW watch app has all these features, but if I didn't bring my phone — they won't work, despite my AW having cellular.
 
ikramerica said:
Will it stop making me enter a 4 digit code every time I use the app from the same fricken phone it’s been installed on? I don’t want to enter codes on my watch every time I try to do anything.
Click to expand...
Mine only does this for remote start, not for any of the other functions. Same on the watch.
 
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