[FlashMonkey929]

I use the digital key almost exclusively, except when I have to valet the car. On days where I know I have to valet then I bring the fob to hand off to them, it's just easier than trying to explain how to use the key card. Both my iPhone and Apple Watch are paired to the digital key plus, and my Apple Watch battery lasts me just over 2 days normally if I don't charge it. You can also share/revoke keys via text messaging, which is convenient when I have to hand off the car to a family member. Side benefit is that when I go to the beach, I don't have to worry about someone making off with my belongings when I'm in the water, I just have my watch with me and I'm good.

For my usage (with the exception of the valet), Digital Key Plus is perfect for me.

[Rayneman]

I carry the fob, as it is also attached to a key ring with some keys I still must use often. Off topic, but while the new fob looks nice, I cannot get my usual ring through the silly opening area where one would put it. I've fooled around with a number of different things and finally ordered some nice fob case that has a more suitable attachment area for what I usually carry.

Anyway, I rather like the digital key, such that when I walk up to the car, it opens, and when I leave it locks. There's not really a ton of effort saved but so far it has worked without incident. I am not sure I'd want that to be my only means of accessing the car though.

[KingSize.Hamster]

Originally Posted by John27

I'm too old and set in my ways to use the digital key although I can see the benefits and convenience of doing so. Using just the key card as opposed to the key fob seems OK but reliance on a mobile phone is, for me, more problematic.

I have two main concerns. The first would be if my phone were stolen while I was out as I'd be unable to access and use the car until I could retrieve the key fob which could be hours away (a key fob or key card could also be stolen of course, but would be less likely than a mobile which would be more visible to thieves)?

The other thing is if the car breaks down and is towed to a dealer, I can't leave them with my phone and so again, would need to retrieve the key fob from home.

I recently had a practical example of this where my X1 broke down on me and was taken to a dealer for repair by BMW Assistance. If I had used the digital key on my mobile phone, it would have taken just under an hour's round trip (by car) to get home and return (only about 7 miles each way but the traffic in London is murder) with the key fob. Probably not something that happens very often (hopefully) but a real pain if it does.

Interesting points. If your concerns are about these edge scenarios, I would try removing battery of the key and toss it into the car somewhere. Then use phone on regular days.

Frankly nowadays there are bigger problems to deal with when one loses a phone though. So to me it's more about the towing etc.

[kenrok1]

Originally Posted by Rayneman

...cannot get my usual ring through the silly opening area

I've seen other people on here mention that too - our dealer put smaller ~ like I guess you would call an auxiliary ring? on there before they handed them over.

[fueledbycaffeine]

Originally Posted by KingSize.Hamster

Interesting points. If your concerns are about these edge scenarios, I would try removing battery of the key and toss it into the car somewhere. Then use phone on regular days.

Frankly nowadays there are bigger problems to deal with when one loses a phone though. So to me it's more about the towing etc.

The key card would be a way to get around a lost or stolen phone. You could then argue but what’s to stop a thief from taking your wallet too, but then what’s to stop a would-be thief from taking your keys as well.

Yes, the towing thing could be problematic, but it’s less concerning for me if I’m in my local area because then I’m never really all that far from my keys. If you had to have the car towed to a BMW dealership, I’d imagine a key card isn’t a big deal.

[Baldilocks73]

My wife uses her phone set up as her key, as well as the little digital card in her wallet. She also carries her physical key in her purse. I guess she has plenty of redundancy.

The phone itself actually unlocks the car when she gets close to it. She hasn’t tried that with the digital key.

[fueledbycaffeine]

Originally Posted by Baldilocks73

My wife uses her phone set up as her key, as well as the little digital card in her wallet. She also carries her physical key in her purse. I guess she has plenty of redundancy.

The phone itself actually unlocks the car when she gets close to it. She hasn’t tried that with the digital key.

I hate carrying a purse when I don’t have to these days due to a shoulder injury, but I’m really worried about the size of the key fob because the pockets of women’s pants are significantly smaller than men’s pants. I can barely fit my iPhone 16 Pro in some of them whereas my husband can put his Pro Max, my phone, his keys (with a BMW key fob), and his wallet in ONE pocket. 😬

[Baldilocks73]

Originally Posted by fueledbycaffeine

I hate carrying a purse when I don’t have to these days due to a shoulder injury, but I’m really worried about the size of the key fob because the pockets of women’s pants are significantly smaller than men’s pants. I can barely fit my iPhone 16 Pro in some of them whereas my husband can put his Pro Max, my phone, his keys (with a BMW key fob), and his wallet in ONE pocket. 😬

It’s not really that large of a key and it’s very lightweight. I was surprised at how hollow it feels.

[KingSize.Hamster]

Originally Posted by fueledbycaffeine

I hate carrying a purse when I don’t have to these days due to a shoulder injury, but I’m really worried about the size of the key fob because the pockets of women’s pants are significantly smaller than men’s pants. I can barely fit my iPhone 16 Pro in some of them whereas my husband can put his Pro Max, my phone, his keys (with a BMW key fob), and his wallet in ONE pocket. 😬

I'm a guy. I just have one phone, and a slim cardholder with about 6 cards (including IDs) when I go out. I don't carry cash around (just one 70 USD-equivalent bill tucked in there). I much prefer to walk around with as little as possible regardless of how much junk I could fit in my pockets.

I just feel like in 2025, we should be able to walk around with a lot less "stuff". Home door lock is digital with fingerprint. This minimalist strategy has worked for me for many years.

I do have to carry car key around when I drive other cars with keys of course ...

[FZI89]

Originally Posted by Baldilocks73

It’s not really that large of a key and it’s very lightweight. I was surprised at how hollow it feels.

Depends on what you’re used to before. I’m coming from a 2012 X5, which had a significantly smaller key. Having this new key fob in my pocket felt bulky and took too much space.

With digital key plus, I feel secure enough to never need to carry the key fob with me. I got my phone as the main entry method, my watch as a backup, and the card key for anything else (e.g. remote software upgrade that requires you to use key fob or card key to enter after installation).

[JayZe]

Both key fob and key card are stored at home since the first day. I never used them.

The digital key works flawless. Zero issues.

[Gaffer_H]

I went to drop the car off for tyres this morning, whilst booking it in to hand the key over, guess what.. no key 😂

Had to drive back to my office to get the key card from my desk.

[Lantirn]

I never use the key fob, except if I am going very long trip, more than 200km, and this mainly to have a key if I have to leave to a repair shop or something.

Never had any issue except that some times when I approach the car fast it doesnt unlock immediately when grabbing the door handle. But this happens only when I approach fast.

I find it very practical for below reasons:

1) I dont have to carry the keyfob which is big
2) I dont have to move (moving with the key activates the frequencies of the key) all the time with the keyfob with me, which increases the probability of the key to be intercepted by thiefs. I would have to use faraday pouch with me, and I dont like 3rd party things on my BMW stuff. But even then you have the risk of the key to be captured when you use it to get into your car.
3) UWB (Ultra wide bandwidth) puts an end to relay attacks. UWB is not intercept-able by anyone trying to catch the frequencies because they are localised with high precision on the direction of the digital key only, plus, its impossible to steal them. Keyfob is not UWB.
More info here
https://www.bmw.com/en/innovation/bm...-wideband.html

Also take a look at a german report when they tried to test-steal key frequencies. Use translate as you wish
https://assets.adac.de/image/upload/...639_ptp7nn.pdf

Whatever uses UWB is almost impossible to steal and is considered the best protection. At the time of the report they tested only iX1 which had UWB, consider it the same model.

[tex2670]

Originally Posted by kenrok1

Same behavior with the keyfob too if you keep in your pocket and have the "unlock when approaching" enabled.

Well that's exactly the point. Who walks around their house all the time with a car key fob in their pocket?

Originally Posted by kenrok1

I havent setup the digital key yet. Thinking I may check it out but wasnt sure how it would behave if I valet the car or something... wondering if the car is smart enough to know if you have the fob with you that it takes priority?

In that case, you just bring your fob with you. Car can go back and forth between digital, key card, and key fob seamlesly.

[SilverGrey]

Since taking delivery of my iX1 a few weeks ago, I was a bit hesitant to use my iPhone just as the key, wondering what would happen if it didn't work. A few weeks on, it’s been faultless and I am a convert. I don’t use the actual key now.

Just a quick question. My Apple Watch (SE) is also set up to ‘Unlock and Drive’ under Privileges in the Watch Wallet. I can unlock the car just with the Watch (ie I don’t have my phone with me) but if I try and start the car, I get an errror message along the lines of needing to have my phone with me. I’ve only done this at home as a test, so not a problem, but my understanding is that I should be able to drive just with my Watch without needing to have my iPhone with me.

[kenrok1]

Originally Posted by tex2670

Well that's exactly the point. Who walks around their house all the time with a car key fob in their pocket?

my father in law - dunno why but he always has... as for me, i do not walk around the house with it - but its usually in my jacket pocket and if i am working outside around the driveway it "wakes up" the car as you put every time i pass by - so I disable the unlock on approach

Originally Posted by tex2670

In that case, you just bring your fob with you. Car can go back and forth between digital, key card, and key fob seamlesly.

yes of course - its not like I would hand my phone to the valet to park the car I am just saying if I use digital key - and per the owners manual it sounds like this may be the "primary" and leave the vehicle is going to start that annoying shit like honking the horn because the key left the vehicle?? or possible lock the vehicle because I walked away ~ what if the fob is inside - what now... I have to go back to let the valet in? You see what I am getting at.... hopefully these are non issues but I wont know until I try (or "mock" try - because I don't want to wait until i get somewhere to find out.)

makes sense?

[tex2670]

Originally Posted by kenrok1

yes of course - its not like I would hand my phone to the valet to park the car I am just saying if I use digital key - and per the owners manual it sounds like this may be the "primary" and leave the vehicle is going to start that annoying shit like honking the horn because the key left the vehicle?? or possible lock the vehicle because I walked away ~ what if the fob is inside - what now... I have to go back to let the valet in? You see what I am getting at.... hopefully these are non issues but I wont know until I try (or "mock" try - because I don't want to wait until i get somewhere to find out.)

makes sense?

You've put way more thought into this than I have LOL.

What if you activate digital key and test it out,and if it's not to your liking, just deactivate the digital key?

[tropa_elite]

Originally Posted by KingSize.Hamster

Interesting points. If your concerns are about these edge scenarios, I would try removing battery of the key and toss it into the car somewhere. Then use phone on regular days.

This is a very smart idea! Thanks!

[John27]

Originally Posted by tropa_elite

This is a very smart idea! Thanks!

But, if your phone is stolen, how do you access the car to get at the fob (I agree this option may well deal with the situation where the car breaks down)?

While I agree that if your mobile is stolen, there are other issues that go way beyond access to the car, but it still remains a significant issue if you are far away from home and so, problematic to easily access the fob or key card etc.

[paulockenden]

Originally Posted by SilverGrey

Just a quick question. My Apple Watch (SE) is also set up to ‘Unlock and Drive’ under Privileges in the Watch Wallet. I can unlock the car just with the Watch (ie I don’t have my phone with me) but if I try and start the car, I get an errror message along the lines of needing to have my phone with me. I’ve only done this at home as a test, so not a problem, but my understanding is that I should be able to drive just with my Watch without needing to have my iPhone with me.

The SE watch doesn’t have UWB. You need the full-fat version for that.

[SilverGrey]

Originally Posted by paulockenden

The SE watch doesn’t have UWB. You need the full-fat version for that.

Thanks. I did wonder. That’s why I mentioned it was the SE!

[paulockenden]

Originally Posted by SilverGrey

Thanks. I did wonder. That’s why I mentioned it was the SE!

It also means you have to touch the watch against the handle to lock/unlock, whereas with the full-fat watch it will unlock on approach.

As to starting the car, try taking the watch off and putting it in the phone holder. I *think* that might work.