[RigaTony1982]

Originally Posted by thereef510

I went to my dealer to get my X5 washed and while I was there I talked to the lady who’s been maintaining our BMWs for the past however many years. She said if I can’t figure it out in a week, she can involve their in house tech people. Hopefully it’s a simple fix, but if it isn’t I honestly don’t care, i happily carry the key fob. I’d me more upset if digital key is wasn’t working correctly.

I just got a new Apple Watch series 10 today (not for this issue, my series 7 was dying because the battery was losing steam after three years) which is paired with my 16 PM. So it’s not the Apple hardware, I think? I ported over the key from my old watch but that still didn’t fix it with the new watch but I’m gonna try again tomorrow morning. Maybe it’ll finally stick. I’ll keep y’all updated

Yeah, doubt it's the Apple hardware. I also have a 16PM and it works fine. I'd think if it were a hardware issue, it just wouldn't work at all.

[Yamatokh]

If I remember correctly, you can only set one option (Key card, iPhone or Apple Watch) to go with your main profile. The other devices that did not assigned to your main profile, will be asked to choose profile when you get in. Currently your main profile is probably assigned to the digital key card. Once you set it to iPhone or Apple Watch, it will not ask for your profile when you get in if you use the device you set. If I remember correctly, the setting is not at profile setting menu, but in the easy access menu (digital key menu).

I will go take some photos for your reference tomorrow when I have time. It took me quite some trials to figured it out.... I must tell you it was not intuitive.

[thereef510]

Originally Posted by Yamatokh

If I remember correctly, you can only set one option (Key card, iPhone or Apple Watch) to go with your main profile. The other devices that did not assigned to your main profile, will be asked to choose profile when you get in. Currently your main profile is probably assigned to the digital key card. Once you set it to iPhone or Apple Watch, it will not ask for your profile when you get in if you use the device you set. If I remember correctly, the setting is not at profile setting menu, but in the easy access menu (digital key menu).

I will go take some photos for your reference tomorrow when I have time. It took me quite some trials to figured it out.... I must tell you it was not intuitive.

So when I took delivery, I set up the digital key credit card. Then two weeks later I tried to set up the Apple Watch/iphone. The last couple of times I’ve tried to get into my car, it no longer asks me to put in my PIN, it just asks me to select the profile, and it takes like 2 seconds to activate. I could live with that, honestly, in a pinch when I need to use my phone and watch to use my car. But I’d be grateful if you can point me to the digital key menu, so I can switch the phone and watch as my primary and make the credit card key the back up.

The car is so small, and with the seats sloped backwards, my phone tends to slip out of my pocket if I set in the drivers seat with it. So I’ve just learned to put it in the phone slot. That got me thinking I may as well just use my phone as the key too. But really, I’d be happier if I had the digital key plus option where it would work as how the comfort access key fobs now work. Still better than nothing.

Anyway thank you!

[Argo]

How does it work with the watch to get it in the center console spot to start the car? Do you have to take it off?

[thereef510]

Originally Posted by Argo

How does it work with the watch to get it in the center console spot to start the car? Do you have to take it off?

yeah I assume you'd have to take it off. which would be super dumb. I've only ever used my watch to lock/unlock the car and place my phone in the cradle.

[Matthewstorm]

This also happened to me with my Apple phone when I switched to Android the problem went away.

[Yamatokh]

Originally Posted by thereef510

So when I took delivery, I set up the digital key credit card. Then two weeks later I tried to set up the Apple Watch/iphone. The last couple of times IÂ’ve tried to get into my car, it no longer asks me to put in my PIN, it just asks me to select the profile, and it takes like 2 seconds to activate. I could live with that, honestly, in a pinch when I need to use my phone and watch to use my car. But IÂ’d be grateful if you can point me to the digital key menu, so I can switch the phone and watch as my primary and make the credit card key the back up.

The car is so small, and with the seats sloped backwards, my phone tends to slip out of my pocket if I set in the drivers seat with it. So IÂ’ve just learned to put it in the phone slot. That got me thinking I may as well just use my phone as the key too. But really, IÂ’d be happier if I had the digital key plus option where it would work as how the comfort access key fobs now work. Still better than nothing.

Anyway thank you!

Ok, this is where to set the "main key" for your car.



Go the Vehicle setting --> then choose "Door/Vehicle Access", --> Choose "Replace Main Key"



Once you enter the “Replace Main Key” menu, you will be prompted to place the device you wish to assign as the main key. You can use either the Key Card, iPhone, or Apple Watch by placing it on the wireless charging spot, and it will set that device as the main key.

For example, if you set up the Apple Watch as the main key, here’s what will happen:

When you unlock the door with the Apple Watch, it will not ask you to choose a profile or enter a password. On the other hand, if you unlock the door with the iPhone, it will prompt you to choose a profile.

You can start the car with the Apple Watch on the wireless charging spot, but since we all know it’s not practical, you can start the car with the iPhone or Key Card without affecting the profile. In other words, the device that unlocks the door determines the profile, not the device that starts the engine.

Hope this helps!

[thereef510]

Thank you Yamatokh for explaining that in such a straightforward manner. I was going crazy trying to figure out what setting I was missing. And of course the documentation doesn’t explain exactly how this all works. I love that this forum exists for problems like this to get solved so effectively.

I’m gonna set my watch as the primary because there’s almost no instance I ever leave the house without my phone and watch. In my x5, I frequently just carry the digital key card with me because as much as I love the heft and quality of the keyfob it is rather bulky.

Anyway thank you so much!

[rob5819]

Can anyone post a picture of this Key Card and how it was delivered? When I picked up my 2025 6MT I got two key fobs and was not aware of a Key Card. I successfully setup my Android phone to unlock / start the car. Was the Key Card somewhere in the owner's manual? My car is in for PPF / Ceramic so I can't currently check, hoping to get it back next week.

[StanDiego]

Originally Posted by thereef510

I’m gonna set my watch as the primary because there’s almost no instance I ever leave the house without my phone and watch. In my x5, I frequently just carry the digital key card with me because as much as I love the heft and quality of the keyfob it is rather bulky.

Anyway thank you so much!

Bear in mind that by leaving behind the fob, you're leaving behind your backup plan for unlocking. entering, and starting the car if the digital key doesn't work. When purchasing my car, my SA advised me the digital key usually works but not always. I've had less than a handful of situations where the digital key either wouldn't lock or unlock the car and I had to use the fob. Perhaps if I walked away for a few moments and returned it might work but I'd rather not take the chance. The fob will always go with me.

Murphy's Law suggests the digital key won't work when I most need it to.

[GerryC]

Originally Posted by rob5819

Can anyone post a picture of this Key Card and how it was delivered? When I picked up my 2025 6MT I got two key fobs and was not aware of a Key Card. I successfully setup my Android phone to unlock / start the car. Was the Key Card somewhere in the owner's manual? My car is in for PPF / Ceramic so I can't currently check, hoping to get it back next week.

Here’s what mine looks like. I took delivery at the PC so it was out with the fobs. You might look in the folder for the manual.

[RigaTony1982]

Originally Posted by GerryC

Here’s what mine looks like. I took delivery at the PC so it was out with the fobs. You might look in the folder for the manual.

Also can check the black thing all the manuals are in. Mine was buried in there on a previous car.

[thereef510]

Update: it still didn’t work…

I unlocked the car with my watch. I went into the digital key to switch it to primary. I placed the watch in the cellphone area to activate it. The car said to get both key fobs which I did. Then it said it failed because it didn’t detect both fobs. Then I disabled the digital key card. It still didn’t work. I left with my x5 for work but I’ll be back next weekend to mess with it some more. It’s at 1173 miles and I’m gonna get the oil changed next weekend, I’m gonna ask the people at the dealership if they can get it to work right. Or… Idk maybe I should just use the fob.

[thereef510]

Originally Posted by StanDiego

Bear in mind that by leaving behind the fob, you're leaving behind your backup plan for unlocking. entering, and starting the car if the digital key doesn't work. When purchasing my car, my SA advised me the digital key usually works but not always. I've had less than a handful of situations where the digital key either wouldn't lock or unlock the car and I had to use the fob. Perhaps if I walked away for a few moments and returned it might work but I'd rather not take the chance. The fob will always go with me.

Murphy's Law suggests the digital key won't work when I most need it to.

I was not aware of this. If it really isn’t reliable then maybe it’s not worth all this trouble. I guess I can just disable comfort access to unlock on approach on both my cars so they don’t go crazy whenever I’m near them. Thank you for letting me know that it’s not bulletproof

[thereef510]

Originally Posted by rob5819

Can anyone post a picture of this Key Card and how it was delivered? When I picked up my 2025 6MT I got two key fobs and was not aware of a Key Card. I successfully setup my Android phone to unlock / start the car. Was the Key Card somewhere in the owner's manual? My car is in for PPF / Ceramic so I can't currently check, hoping to get it back next week.

Mine was placed on the cellphone tray inside that plastic holder thing. I hope you find it, kinda dumb they don’t hand it to you the way they do both key fobs

[Yamatokh]

Originally Posted by thereef510

Update: it still didn’t work…

I unlocked the car with my watch. I went into the digital key to switch it to primary. I placed the watch in the cellphone area to activate it. The car said to get both key fobs which I did. Then it said it failed because it didn’t detect both fobs. Then I disabled the digital key card. It still didn’t work. I left with my x5 for work but I’ll be back next weekend to mess with it some more. It’s at 1173 miles and I’m gonna get the oil changed next weekend, I’m gonna ask the people at the dealership if they can get it to work right. Or… Idk maybe I should just use the fob.

Hi Thereef510,

First fore, I would suggest when you setup the digital key, you should unlock your car with the key fobs instead of your watch.

When you get in, go to digital key menu and reset the digital key, so you can start from scratch. Setup the iPhone as digital key first (don't setup card yet at this moment). Then it will ask you if you also want to setup for your watch, just say yes.

At this point, your iPhone should be recognized as the main key and linked to your main profile. And you can go to the door/vehicle access menu to setup the Apple Watch as the main key (you will need to place the watch on the wireless charger).

Once it's all done, you can test if your Apple Watch worked as main key (no ask for profile when go in). Then you setup the card at the last.

Please try it and see if it works. Good luck!

[thereef510]

Originally Posted by Yamatokh

Hi Thereef510,

First fore, I would suggest when you setup the digital key, you should unlock your car with the key fobs instead of your watch.

When you get in, go to digital key menu and reset the digital key, so you can start from scratch. Setup the iPhone as digital key first (don't setup card yet at this moment). Then it will ask you if you also want to setup for your watch, just say yes.

At this point, your iPhone should be recognized as the main key and linked to your main profile. And you can go to the door/vehicle access menu to setup the Apple Watch as the main key (you will need to place the watch on the wireless charger).

Once it's all done, you can test if your Apple Watch worked as main key (no ask for profile when go in). Then you setup the card at the last.

Please try it and see if it works. Good luck!

When I’ve tried to follow the prompts to set up my Apple Watch from inside the BMW app, it just says ‘something went wrong’ and doesn’t want to work. I have had to go into the Apple Watch menu and manually add the digital key to my wallet, which then works. I’m currently away at work from my car, but I’ll be back to reset everything and try it once again this weekend and report back.

But in all honesty, if its not bulletproof reliable as the digital credit card and key fobs are, then I really cant really on the phone/watch combo anyway. That has me a bit less excited, I really thought they were all one in the same. Regardless I’m happy to reset it and try again!

[Yamatokh]

Originally Posted by thereef510

When I’ve tried to follow the prompts to set up my Apple Watch from inside the BMW app, it just says ‘something went wrong’ and doesn’t want to work. I have had to go into the Apple Watch menu and manually add the digital key to my wallet, which then works. I’m currently away at work from my car, but I’ll be back to reset everything and try it once again this weekend and report back.

But in all honesty, if its not bulletproof reliable as the digital credit card and key fobs are, then I really cant really on the phone/watch combo anyway. That has me a bit less excited, I really thought they were all one in the same. Regardless I’m happy to reset it and try again!

Hi Thereef510

Please let me apologize to provide the wrong information previously. Today I went through the whole process again, and realize I remember wrongly about the place to "lock" the profile and the main key.

The place to set it is actually at the Profile menu. Once you choose an active profile in the profile menu, you can go in and "lock" this profile with
1. Key Card
2. Password
3. Digital Key.

Please see the Digital Key, is it appear to be "Locked" or "unlocked"? If it appear to be locked, please unlock it first. When it's in the unlocke state, it will then prompt you to put the device you want to "lock" with this profile. At this point, you can put either your iPhone or Apple Watch on the wireless charger tray, and then click "lock". As soon as it locks, that means the setting is done.

For me, I also set my Apple Watch to be my main key. It always works for me. But if you want extra security, you can always put the card key in your wallet as a backup.

Please let me know if above works for you.

Good luck.

[thereef510]

Thanks I’ll try it this weekend and let you know if it worked

[rob5819]

Originally Posted by thereef510

Mine was placed on the cellphone tray inside that plastic holder thing. I hope you find it, kinda dumb they don’t hand it to you the way they do both key fobs

Just a quick follow up. Finally found the digital key today. It was stuck on the sun visor. I looked everywhere else, my wife took the Z4 this morning and put the visor down and the key fell out. Now i have to figure out how to program it. My Samsung phone works with the digital key, hoping the key card is similar.

[thereef510]

It’s very easy. Just put the key in the spot where your cellphone goes, the area of the wireless charger. Then go into the menu and add the smart key to your profile. I forget exactly where in the menu but it says something like digital key. Then make sure to assign it to your driver profile.

I have yet to have had time to try and figure out the phone situation as I’ve barely been home enough to drive my car. But in the new year I’ll have more time and report back.