Volvo Digital Key – experience everyday freedom

We’ve all been there, frantically checking your pockets and trying to remember where you left your car keys. With a Digital Key, that stress becomes a thing of the past. A Digital Key lets you lock, unlock and start your Volvo using a compatible smartphone or smartwatch.

The Digital Key works via Bluetooth and Ultra Wideband (UWB), or NFC technology, and you can share it with family or friends in a few taps. As of 2026, the Digital Key is compatible with the Volvo EX90, ES90 and EX30. You can set up this smart key lock through your car’s centre display, the Volvo Cars app or an activation link sent to your email before you receive your car.

The Digital Key is part of our connected car experience, designed to bring effortless access and more peace of mind to every journey.

Key takeaways

• Works via Bluetooth and Ultra Wideband, or NFC
• Share keys directly from your wallet or app with friends and family
• Active entry and start requires you to physically interact with the key fob or device, for example pressing a button or tapping it against a reader. Passive entry and start works automatically via proximity sensors, allowing you to unlock and drive the car simply by having the key or device present in your pocket or bag.
• Digital Key enables active entry and start. Digital Key plus enables passive entry and start.

Everyday life with a Volvo Digital Key

From morning till night, a Digital Key brings simplicity to every drive. Step into your Volvo with ease, even when your hands are full of backpacks or breakfast on the go. Your morning commute just became a whole lot easier.

You can also share your Digital Key with family, friends and other trusted drivers, without planning meetups to exchange physical keys.

And if you’re on a business trip, you can grant temporary access to colleagues or parking attendants with a few taps.

Embrace the freedom of driving your Volvo with a Digital Key. Spontaneous drives feel simpler when your phone is all you need.

“At Volvo, we believe convenience should feel effortless. By introducing the industry-defined Car Connectivity Consortium Digital Key, we give our customers the freedom to access their car and share their key securely—anytime, anywhere." — Digital Key product owner Stelios Ganitis.

How does the Volvo Digital Key work?

The Digital Key works both at range and like a physical key card up close, like a key card. It uses Bluetooth to connect your device to the vehicle ,and Ultra Wideband technology to securely localise your device. Within around 6 metres, your car lights turn on as you approach. Keep your device in your pocket or bag and you can unlock and drive without taking it out. Your car can also preload your profile and personal settings before you get in.

Digital Key vs. Digital Key Plus

A Digital Key provides active entry and active start. Digital Key plus adds passive entry and passive start.

Your car’s equipment level determines which Digital Key type is available. Core, Plus and Ultra are the three equipment levels you can choose from when configuring your car.

Active entry and start

With active entry and active start, you can lock and unlock the doors manually by holding your phone or smart device on the car’s exterior key reader. To start driving with active start, place your Digital Key on the interior key reader.

Passive entry and start

Passive entry and passive start allows your car to recognise your Digital Key and unlock when you approach or when you pull the door handle. Your car can also lock when you leave, or when you press the touch point on the door handle. To start driving, make sure your Digital Key is present in the cabin.

Sharing your Volvo with a Digital Key

Sharing your Digital Key is simple. You can do the whole process from your phone’s wallet or your car key app. Send an invite to your driver and they can add the shared key to their device.

Here’s how to share your Digital Key.

Via the Volvo Cars mobile app:

1. Log in to the Volvo Cars app, go to the Car tab and then Digital Key.
2. Press Manage Digital Key. You'll be re-directed to Apple Wallet.
3. Press the share button in the top right corner.
4. Choose how you want to send the invitation link.
5. Choose key permissions and press Continue.
6. Authenticate yourself if required by Apple Wallet.
7. Select a person and send the invitation link.

A Digital Key is now shared.

Via Apple Wallet:

1. Open Apple Wallet on your phone.
2. Select your Digital Key.
3. Press the share button in the top right corner.
4. Choose how you want to send the invitation link.
5. Choose key permissions and press Continue.
6. Authenticate yourself if required by Apple Wallet.
7. Select a person and send the invitation link.

A Digital Key is now shared.

How do you revoke or limit access to your Digital Key?

You can delete Digital Keys at any time, either via your car's centre display or your phone's wallet app.

Anyone with a Digital Key can remove it from their own device. As the car owner, you can also remove the primary key or shared keys via Apple Wallet or your personal profile in the centre display.

Here’s how to delete a Digital Key through your car’s centre display:

1. Press the car symbol in the bottom bar and go to Settings.
2. Go to Profiles.
3. Select the owner's profile, then Car keys, then Digital Keys.
4. Select the Digital Key or keys you want to remove.
5. Press Remove and authenticate yourself using your Volvo ID.

Note: When the car owner deletes a shared key through their phone's wallet app, the key will be fully disabled after the temporary key holder finishes their last drive, or after 48 hours. If the shared key is deleted via the centre display, the key is instantly disabled. This is designed to support safety. Discover more about our safety methods and safety technology.

What security features are there that prevent the Digital Key from hacking?

Digital Key and Key Tag use Ultra Wideband technology, which is among the most secure technologies currently available for vehicle access systems.

As the holder of your own Digital Key or one that’s been shared with you, you can remove it at any time. The key is usually removed within a few seconds from the phone and the vehicle.

As the owner, you can revoke your own keys or shared keys individually from the following places:

• Your wallet
• The car’s centre display (can remove each key individually, or all keys together)
• Volvo Cars app
• Volvo ID portal (only for cars on the SPA2 platform)

For safety, shared keys in wallets other than the owner’s may not terminate immediately. They are disabled after one additional drive cycle, or after 48 hours.

Benefits of the Volvo Digital Key

Your Digital Key is one less thing to carry and one less thing to forget. Your phone is already with you, so you can just hop in and drive off. And sharing access with family and friends is simple: no meetups required.

Tips and troubleshooting for the Volvo Digital Key

If your Digital Key isn’t working, try these remedies depending on the issue.

If approach unlock fails:

• Point your phone at the car, unlock the phone screen and pull the door handle
• Check that Approach unlock is enabled in the car’s centre display

If the door handle pull fails:

• Wait a few seconds and try again
• Try unlocking with NFC on the door handle. To unlock with NFC, open the Volvo Key card in your wallet, authenticate with Face ID or your passcode, then tap the left side of the door handle.

If the car fails to go to D (Drive):

• Take your phone out of your pocket, then try again
• Try starting with NFC on the wireless charger. To start with NFC, open the Volvo Key card in your wallet, authenticate with Face ID or your passcode, then place it on the wireless charger.

If Walk-away locking fails:

• You can go back and lock the car using the indentation on the door handle
• Check that it is enabled in the centre display (by default it is disabled)
• Check that the Passive entry setting in your wallet app is on. It is enabled by default.
• Check that no other phone or Key tag is left in the vehicle
• Check that all doors and the boot are closed properly

If the issues persist, try the following:

• Toggle Bluetooth in your device settings. Go to Settings, then Bluetooth, then toggle off and on. The fast menu toggle may not work.
• Reboot your device, phone or watch

Perform a key reset

To reset the system, follow these steps:

1. Tap the thumb edge sensor on the door handle where you usually lock the car, five times.
2. Leave a gap of at least one second between each tap.
3. Complete all five taps within 10 seconds. Counting one thousand one, one thousand two and so on can help you keep the timing steady.

Delete your Digital Key from your phone’s wallet and pair it again

FAQs about your Digital Key

Which Volvo models are compatible with the Digital Key?

The Digital Key is compatible with the Volvo EX90, ES90 and EX30, as of 2026.

Can I still use a traditional key?

Yes. You can still use a traditional Key Tag if you prefer. It also uses Ultra Wideband technology and supports approach unlock, walk away locking and starting the car without taking it out.

Is the Digital Key secure against hacking?

Digital Key and Key Tag use Ultra Wideband technology, which is among the most secure technologies currently available for vehicle access systems. You can revoke shared keys at any time.

What devices support the Digital Key?

Apple, Google Pixel and Samsung Galaxy devices support the Digital Key.

Discover all compatible Apple devices and Google Pixel and Samsung Galaxy devices at each respective site.

Small print:

• *UWB technology is not available in the following countries:
• • Armenia
  • Azerbaijan
  • Belarus
  • Indonesia
  • Kazakhstan
  • Kyrgyzstan
  • Nepal
  • Russia
  • Tajikistan
  • Turkmenistan
  • Ukraine
  • Uzbekistan