Why can't I add my BMW Digital Key Plus to my Apple Watch or iPhone?

Non beta ios

iphone 16 pro max

secondary user keys no longer working.

the BMW forums are Talking same issue.

seems to be an IOS18 issue.

18.1 upgrade made my secondary BMW key work again no other change on my iPhone 16

Can confirm, 18.1 fixed all my issues.

I have an Iphone 16 Pro (not the max) and installing IOS 18.1 immediately fixed all my key issues as the secondary user on my X5.

Everybody having issues with this feature and the new iPhone series, should use the Feedback link to tell Apple directly about it. Apple does not follow these user to user communities, and this is the only way to make them aware of problems.

Feedback - Apple Watch - Apple

Feedback - iPhone - Apple

This is way worse than anyone knows !!

Its digital key and plus and wait for this -

I bought a 2025 m4 comp convertible 2 weeks ago. Installed the digital key no problem and it worked great for the few days I drove it. Went to target to grab something real quick and ran in and out and when I got out 2 mins after I ran in and out I placed my phone on the tray and it said key not recognized. I was parked in an awkward spot as I just ran in and the saga began but I was starting to panic and I remembered I had the physical digital credit card in my pocket which was tested and started the car before a few days prior and that place on the reader failed as well. After a handful of attempts and a phone restart and getting and back in and trying everything the car essentially said place actual key next to steering column which I didn’t have the actual key with me as why should I and I was stranded for 3 hours. Thank god Sunday was nice ans didn’t rain as I couldn’t raise the roof of windows or anything. I had to send a friend to my house to get the actual key and once that was placed next to the steering column it started no problem. Car had 120 miles on it.

keep in mind I had a 2023 m4 comp with digital key and never had an issue. Seems iOS has something to do with it and yes I did get a 16 pro and had updated to 18.01 a few days before but no beta. I’ve never used beta. And keep in mind it let me start the car and leave my garage and 20 mins later it decided it was going to not start and strand me.

bmw is involved and they spent hours trying to get it to fail but we couldn’t and now bmw engineering wants to have the car and reprogram every module in the car in a potential multi day event which I really don’t want to do. I think there is a problem with the tray because it acts funny and sometines depending on position doesn’t charge which I don’t care I use the cord usually but the nfc got funky and caused the car to lock down and require the actual key !! Imagine if I was 100 miles or more away from home or in a place that wasnt safe and it stranded me like this.

this is a safety issue and quite epic so for now I’m carrying the actual key with me in case but this isn’t what I paid for !

When I make my wife's phone the primary user, and set up CarKey for her phone, I can successfully send a CarKey to my iPhone 16 Pro's wallet. However - it does still not support Digital Key Plus. I am still not able to unlock my car from my pocket; I have to physically open the wallet and press my phone onto my car door, and then on the tray. And even then it refuses to recognize my profile, so I have to do the whole QR-code thing.

So this is very much still a bug that needs to be fixed. I am still unsure whether the issue is on BMW or Apple. Though BMW's website claims Digital Key Plus is supported on "iPhone 11 or newer".

So starting with the obvious. Are you in the United States or another country? Is the App Store from your country tied to the Apple Store you are currently using? Do the keys add to you “My BMW” app with no issues? If you have an X5, try upgrading the software first, delete the BMW app, reinstall and try again. Do you have both keys in the car when you try to add them to the My BMW app?

Do you have “passive entry” checked on your key, in the wallet?

No its not just iPhone 16, and its not Beta issue.

I have iPhone 15 pro and i finally updated to iOS 18 day before yesterday because it was keep on asking me, and boom. Nothing works.

The car doesn't even recognize my key fob anymore either. Only works when I put the key fob near the steering column, and keeps on dinging that the car cannot recognize the key.

Took it to the dealer today and they did some tinkering, removing all the digital key, updating the headunit, etc.

Now the key fob works as it should, but digital key still doesn't work.

Whenever I try to add the digital key as instructed, the iPhone simply says "cannot add new key at this moment".

Extremely annoying since I don't carry any bags and only carry my wallet+phone.

I have the same problem, after upgrade my Apple Wacht Ultra from watchOS 10.0 to watchOS 11.0.1 my bmw digital key Plus stop working. I try to remove main key, reinsert couple of time working with iPhone 15 Pro Max but not with Apple Watch Ultra.

Hello there from Germany,

i have the same Problem. The secondary Key dont work with digital Key Plus on iphone 15 pro with iOS 18….

It only works as Digital Key. (only with NFC and not UWB?). So, i have to hold the iphone nearly the opener to open or close the car und to start the car, the iphone must be in the charging case of the car. Before everything, i have to sign in with face id in the wallet app.

The iphone 11 from my wife works fine..

Hope they fixed it fast.

greats

I have a bmw X6 2024 and have just upgraded my iPhone 12 (Digital Key Worked) to iPhone 16 Pro Max and Iwatch 10 and I still can not add a Digital Key.

i have called Apple and it seems it is definitely not anything to do with them I have also had 4 calls with BMW Customer Support where I have deleted and reloaded everything. Gone to the top tech person at the Dealership as well as installing the latest upgrade in the car and there is still no solution I have left them with it again.

A little bit disappointed to be honest.

I have IPhone 16 pro. Remote start works but unlock/lock do not. I also cannot set up my digital key. Very frustrating. I had an iPhone 11 until last week, with zero issues.

i have an iPhone 16 Pro Max and my digital keys work perfect. Have you tried removing the key from your Apple wallet and starting from scratch?