Enable Bluetooth, location and Mobile Access, sign in to the Tesla app near the car, choose Set Up Phone Key and complete the prompts.
Check that your vehicle has it.
Verified for the 2026 U.S.-market Model 3 with a compatible Bluetooth phone and authorized Tesla account.
Does the documented scope match your car?
This check combines the verified year, any source-supported powertrain scope, source-named trim/package and required equipment. It does not read a VIN or factory build record.
Published availability and qualifications
Verified for the 2026 U.S.-market Model 3 with a compatible Bluetooth phone and authorized Tesla account.
- 2026 Model 3 with compatible phone and Tesla mobile app
Know what kind of control to look for.
This original category diagram is an orientation aid, not a picture of your exact trim. Use the written labels and your vehicle manual to identify the real control.
Step by step.
- 01
Enable Bluetooth and location access for the Tesla mobile app and keep the app allowed to run in the background.
- 02
On the vehicle touchscreen, confirm Controls > Safety > Allow Mobile Access is enabled.
- 03
Sign in to the Tesla app while inside or near the vehicle.
- 04
Touch Set Up Phone Key on the app home screen, or open Security > Set Up Phone Key.
- 05
Follow the app and touchscreen prompts, then verify the phone appears under Controls > Locks.
Important limits
- Keep a key card available as a backup.
- A phone left inside with Bluetooth enabled can be detected as a key.
- Bluetooth behavior can change when a phone enters battery-saving mode.
Quick checks.
- ✓Confirm Bluetooth, location and Mobile Access permissions if pairing stalls.
- ✓Move other connected phone keys away if the connection limit is reached.
- ✓Remove and re-add the phone under Controls > Locks if authentication remains unreliable.
What happened on your vehicle?
Your response is stored on this device. If you separately allow analytics, a non-account-linked guide/result event may also be measured. No VIN or personal information is requested.
Tesla Model 3 Owner's Manual — Keys
We use the written official source to determine the steps and applicability shown above.
Reviewed with a visible trail.
Scope and steps were checked by Car Cheat Codes Editorial Review. A guide is narrowed or corrected when the source does not support a broader claim.
- Published
- Last modified
- Source checked
Guide change history
- Initial verified publication.