Remotely starting your car with an iPhone is an easy way to add comfort and efficiency to your routine. You might do so to pre-condition your vehicle during winter (so you can defrost the windshield and warm the cabin), during summer to make the interior cooler, or for safety, as it can clear foggy windows before you get in. With EVs, remote pre-conditioning while still plugged in is useful as the car can run on grid power instead of the battery, which helps preserve range while preparing the cabin.
Unlike Apple’s Car Key, which is a convenient way to store your car keys on your iPhone and fire it up when nearby, remotely starting your car depends on whether you have access to an automaker app or if your vehicle has a remote-start module for third-party apps. That said, these are some of the most popular brands and options to remote start your car with an iPhone.
Apps and options to remotely start your car
While availability varies by model year, trim, and whether a connected service subscription is required, app-based remote start options include Ford cars — even without Apple CarPlay Ultra — which works with recent models using its Ford app and GM with its myChevrolet, myGMC, and myCadillac apps that include many 2023+ models.
Honda offers this functionality through its HondaLink app and Hyundai/Kia does so by using the Bluelink or Kia Access apps. Nissan, Subaru, and Toyota also offer an app for remotely starting your car. Premium brands like Mercedes-Benz with the Mercedes app, BMW with My BMW, Audi with the myAudi app, Tesla with its app, and the MyINFINITI will get the job done as well.
If you have a compatible vehicle, the general process is to download the app to your iPhone, set it up, and use the in-app starter. If your carmaker doesn’t offer a remote start feature, one third-party option is the Viper SmartStart app. It requires professional hardware installation and a subscription to use, which means this might not be the most convenient option, but it is a possibility.
