Tesla App for Apple Watch Coming This Month [Update: Now Available]

Tuesday December 3, 2024 1:56 pm PST by Hartley Charlton

Tesla will soon allow Apple Watch users to unlock and control their vehicle using a dedicated watchOS app for the first time.

tesla app
Tesla today announced that, starting later this month, owners will gain the ability to use their Apple Watch as a digital key for their car, providing functions previously limited to the smartphone app. The upcoming watchOS app will enable users to unlock or lock their vehicle, open the trunk and frunk, check the battery status, and adjust climate control settings.

Currently, Tesla owners using smartwatches have to rely on third-party applications like Watch for Tesla to perform many of these functions. Tesla will automatically install the Apple Watch version for users who update the companion app on their iPhones later this month as the new version rolls out. Users of Wear OS devices currently have no timeline for receiving a similar app. The watchOS app is part of Tesla's broader annual holiday update, which includes features like remote access to Sentry Mode recordings and improvements to navigation.

Update: As of December 3, the Tesla app for Apple Watch is available for download.

Tag: Tesla

Popular Stories

Home Hub Command Center with Dome Base Feature

Apple Smart Home Hub to Feature iMac G4-Style Design

Wednesday September 30, 2026 4:36 am PDT by Hartley Charlton

Apple's long-rumored smart home hub will have an iMac G4-style design and a host of unique features, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports. The smart home hub is said to feature a square 6-inch display, with variants that can be placed on a countertop or mounted on a wall. It features a single FaceTime camera on the front, with microphones and speakers in its connected base. Gurman described the...

• 208 comments

Three New Apple Smart Home Products Coming on October 13

Wednesday September 30, 2026 4:04 am PDT by Hartley Charlton

Apple plans to introduce a series of new smart home products on Tuesday, October 13, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Apple reportedly plans to debut its long-awaited smart home hub device, a new HomePod mini, and a new Apple TV on the date. The new HomePod mini and Apple TV are set to retain their existing designs, but tout faster chips to support Siri AI. The new HomePod mini will...

• 56 comments

New Apple TV 4K Leaked

Friday September 25, 2026 8:16 am PDT by Joe Rossignol

MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris has uncovered an image file from Apple for an unreleased Apple TV 4K, suggesting that a new model will finally be released soon. The image is specifically for an "Apple TV 4K (4th generation)" model. Apple TV 4K (4th generation) image (on a gradient) The image reveals that the Apple TV will have the same external design as the current model, with all of its...

• 194 comments

Top Rated Comments

ChrisA

24 months ago

If my Tesla catches on fire with me in it will I be able to open the doors with the app?

Have you ever seen a Lithium battery fire? It is not as exciting as you think. They burn slowly. You would have time to grab your bag and look around to see what else you need and then leave. Then you would walk away and call 911 and watch

But on the other hand, have you ever seen a gasoline fire? They look kind of like a mushroom cloud. You don't have time to blink. and no one would slowly walk away from a gas fire.

Then there are the statistics. In the US there are about 25 fires for every 100,000 EVs sold, compared to about 1,530 fires for every 100,000 gas-powered vehicles sold. High-speed crashes are the cause of most EV fires. But simpler things can set off gasoline

When you think about it, it should not surprise anyone that gasoline is an 80 times greater fire hazard than a battery. What common substance is more flammable than gasoline?

Finally, you do not need a phone to open a Tesla door from the inside. The door handle is one of the very few physical controls in the car.

Score: 33 Votes (Like | Disagree)

bigjnyc

24 months ago

Never. Definitely the biggest downside of my Tesla, but I’ve just accepted it at this point.

Tesla's software and interface is soooo much better than carplay. It's not even close. It's the one vehicle where carplay is not needed.

Score: 22 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Scotty_Trees

24 months ago

No thanks, I’ll never buy anything Tesla. I’d rather put my money anywhere else.

Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Mazda 3s

24 months ago

No thanks, I’ll never buy anything Tesla. I’d rather put my money anywhere else.

tesla app for apple watch coming this month image

So, CarPlay when?

Never. Honestly, the interface is so good, and the feature set is so great that I don't miss CarPlay on the Audi and Subaru that our two Teslas replaced. YMMV

Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)