Some BMW Owners Experiencing Issues With Shared Car Keys on iOS 18 - MacRumors
Skip to Content

Some BMW Owners Experiencing Issues With Shared Car Keys on iOS 18

by

Following the release of iOS 18 last month, some BMW owners have experienced issues with shared car keys in the Apple Wallet app, according to messages on the Apple Support Community and the largest BMW discussion forum.

bmw digital key plus wallet app car key
Affected users said that the "passive entry" feature that allows you to lock, unlock, and start compatible BMW vehicle models by simply having your iPhone on you no longer works for secondary Wallet keys shared with others, such as a spouse or other family member. The primary key still works for passive entry, the people said.

The issue does not appear to be fixed in the iOS 18.0.1 update released last week, or in the latest iOS 18.1 beta. The underlying cause is unclear.

We will share any new information about this issue as it becomes available.

Tag: BMW
Related Forums: iOS 18, iPadOS 18

Popular Stories

iphone 16 teal

'Siri AI' Lawsuit Update: Apple to Pay Owners of These iPhone Models

Thursday July 9, 2026 7:08 am PDT by
In May, Apple agreed to pay $250 million to settle a U.S. class action lawsuit over Siri AI's delayed launch, and eligible iPhone users could receive up to a $95 payout. This week, the California court overseeing the case held a hearing regarding preliminary approval of the settlement, but the judge has not yet issued a ruling. It will likely be at least a few more months before eligible...
Read Full Article • 120 comments
Apple TV Thumb 3

Everything Coming in the 2026 Apple TV 4K

Wednesday July 8, 2026 4:51 pm PDT by
The Apple TV 4K hasn't been updated since 2022, and it's due for a refresh. An update is planned for 2026, but Apple is likely going to wait to launch it after Siri AI launches in iOS 27. Design Apple TV design updates don't happen often, and that's not changing. The next Apple TV is going to have the same squircle shape as the current model, and it'll continue to be made from a black...
Read Full Article • 175 comments
apple wallet drivers license feature iPhone 15 pro

Apple Says iPhone Driver's Licenses Will Expand to These 6 U.S. States

Thursday July 9, 2026 7:29 am PDT by
In select U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or state ID to the Apple Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, and then use it to display proof of identity or age at select airports and businesses, and in select apps. To set up the feature, open the Wallet app on the iPhone and tap on the plus sign in the top-right corner. Next, tap on Driver's License and ID Cards,...
Read Full Article

Top Rated Comments

applesith Avatar
applesith
23 months ago
Critical access and information for everyday life (car keys, door locks, ID, payments, etc.) are too important for me to rely on one piece of technology that can go wrong with an update, a bug, a dead battery, or something unexpected. It's nice to have some of these on my phone, but I will never fully rely on my phone.
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
A
A418t81
23 months ago
iOS 18 (not the beta) straight up broke apple car key on my iX and iPhone 15. Absolutely refused to connect to reissue the key or communicate with the car in any way. I had a 16 PM delivered about a week later and that phone works without any issue. Really unacceptable. This is the first and only issue I have ever had with the car key and iX in 15 months. The tech has been literally flawless. This problem has been in the betas with people complaining about it for many months. Super crappy of apple not to fix it before release. I could have easily been stranded had the phone update occurred anywhere other than at home.

Also, ACK works for several hours after your iPhone battery is dead FYI.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
M
macsound1
23 months ago
I always wondered if people used digital keys regularly. I could see it being useful if you're at the beach or something where you don't have pockets or want carry your keys and wallet and phone, but otherwise I'm way to paranoid to trust everything in my life to a single device and not have a backup.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
C
CarpalMac
23 months ago

Critical access and information for everyday life (car keys, door locks, ID, payments, etc.) are too important for me to rely on one piece of technology that can go wrong with an update, a bug, a dead battery, or something unexpected. It's nice to have some of these on my phone, but I will never fully rely on my phone.
Absolutely agree. It boggles my mind that people choose to rely on something that has so many potential (and more likely) risks of failure.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
E
EU-Regulations
23 months ago
Well, since I updated to TVOS18.0 everything hurts.
Support demands to upgrade everything, but hey, all the trouble really started since the update.

Software deployment and "Support" is no fun anymore.

Will stay on 17 for now, no matter what !

>>I got too much Apple stuff here, I must the one to blame <<
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
A
AbSoluTc
23 months ago
FWP lol. Good to know though. Seems 18 broke quite a few things that still arent fixed.

Several iOS versions later - STILL get the stupid squared off lock screen notifications that switch to curved. The dumbest crap I have ever seen and it's annoying as it causes a second or two of delay as it refreshes the animation.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Read All Comments