Sharing a RAV4 between two drivers: both phones, both profiles and the Toyota app

Quick picks

The three ways each driver connects to a RAV4

So most of the confusion about sharing a RAV4 comes from mixing up three separate things. Basically, a phone can be paired over Bluetooth, a driver can have a driver profile on the touchscreen, and one person can own the RAV4 in the Toyota app. And each of the three works differently, so it helps to know which one you're setting up.

Now something to note is that Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto don't need a driver profile or the Toyota app at all. But on a 2023 and newer RAV4, connecting a second phone for calls does need a driver profile, which I explain below. I cover CarPlay setup for each year in my CarPlay and Android Auto guide.

Two phones in one RAV4: what each year allows

So the number of phones the RAV4 can use at once depends on the year. The table below sums it up, and the steps for each year follow.

Two phones in a 2019 to 2022 RAV4

So a 2019 to 2022 RAV4 can remember up to 5 Bluetooth phones and music players. But the car uses one phone for calls at a time. When you start the RAV4, the car connects to the phone that was connected last, if that phone is nearby.

Now if you both ride together, you can tell the RAV4 whose phone to pick first. Basically, Toyota calls that choice automatic connection priority. And when priority is on, the RAV4 connects to the phone at the top of your list.

1. Press MENU, then touch Setup, then Bluetooth.
2. Touch Detailed Settings, then Preferred Device Settings.
3. Make sure automatic connection priority is turned on.
4. Touch Preferred Phones, pick the main driver's phone, and touch Move Up until that phone is at the top.

And fortunately, each person's contacts stay separate. The manual says contacts are kept for each phone, and the RAV4 can't read one phone's contacts while another phone is connected. When all 5 spots are full, the RAV4 asks which phone to replace. But keep in mind that deleting a phone also deletes that phone's contacts from the car.

Two phones in a 2023 to 2025 RAV4

So a 2023 to 2025 RAV4 remembers up to 5 Bluetooth devices, and two of them can be used for calls at the same time. But Toyota's manual says a driver has to be set up to connect two phones for calls. In Guest mode, which is what the RAV4 uses when no driver profile is loaded, the RAV4 connects only one phone for calls and one music device.

Basically, each driver profile has a primary device, which is that driver's main phone. And a secondary device is a second phone the car connects for calls alongside the main phone, like your partner's phone when you ride together. With a profile loaded, the RAV4 connects the primary device first, then the secondary device, then the most recently connected phones.

To set your main phone (the primary device):

1. Load your own driver profile.
2. Tap the gear icon to open Settings, then tap Personal info.
3. Tap Link devices and pick your phone.

And if a driver has no main phone yet, the first phone that driver pairs becomes their main phone on its own.

To add your partner's phone as the second phone for calls (the secondary device):

1. Tap the gear icon to open Settings, then tap Bluetooth & Devices.
2. Tap your partner's phone.
3. Tap Set as secondary device.

Now something to note is that Toyota has a few rules for main phones on the 2023 to 2025. One phone can't be both the primary and the secondary device for the same driver. A phone that is another driver's primary device can't be your primary device. And your partner's main phone can't be deleted either. That's why the delete button won't work on your partner's old phone.

To pick which phone makes the call: with two phones connected, open the phone screen, tap Devices, and pick the phone you want to call from. Calls to the other phone still ring through the RAV4's speakers.

And Toyota lists two catches with two phones. While you're on a call with one phone, you can't place a call from the other phone. And if you answer a call on the second phone during a call on the first phone, the first call hangs up.

Two phones in a 2026 RAV4

So the 2026 RAV4 Hybrid and Plug-in Hybrid use the same numbers. The 2026 remembers up to 5 devices, and two phones can be used for calls once the RAV4 knows which driver is in the seat. With a driver identified, the 2026 only connects phones from that driver's own list: the main phone, other phones that driver added, and phones that driver used before.

To set your main phone on a 2026: tap Settings, then Profile, tap your profile name, then Profile recognition, then Bluetooth devices.

And on a 2026, wireless CarPlay drops the car's Wi-Fi hotspot to the slower 2.4 GHz band, which I explain in my CarPlay guide.

Only one phone can run CarPlay or Android Auto at a time

So on every RAV4 year, only one phone can run CarPlay or Android Auto at once. On a 2023 to 2025, the phone running CarPlay can't use the car's own Bluetooth phone features at all. And the phone running Android Auto can only use the car's Bluetooth for hands-free calls.

Now the simple setup is CarPlay or Android Auto on the driver's phone, and plain Bluetooth on the passenger's phone. This is how to set that up on a 2023 to 2026 RAV4:

1. Tap the gear icon to open Settings, then tap Bluetooth & Devices.
2. Tap the passenger's phone.
3. Turn off Use for Apple CarPlay or Use for Android Auto for that phone, and leave phone and media on.

Then both phones can take calls. To call from the phone without CarPlay, give the talk button on the steering wheel a short press, then say "call" and the person's name. And to call from the CarPlay phone, hold the talk button for about 3 seconds to bring up Siri.

Also, when one phone runs CarPlay and the other is a plain Bluetooth phone, the RAV4's phone button opens whichever of the two phones you used last. If you haven't used either phone yet, the phone button opens the driver's main phone.

When the RAV4 grabs your partner's phone for CarPlay

So the settings above let you choose which phone gets CarPlay, and this is what to do on each year.

• On a 2023 to 2026 RAV4, go to Settings, then Bluetooth & Devices, tap your partner's phone, and turn off "Use for Apple CarPlay" or "Use for Android Auto." Then set each person's own phone as the main phone in their own profile, so the RAV4 loads the right phone first.
• On a 2019 to 2022 RAV4, CarPlay and Android Auto only work with a cable, so whoever plugs in gets CarPlay. For calls, turn on automatic connection priority and move the regular driver's phone to the top of Preferred Phones, as shown above.
• On the iPhone that shouldn't take over CarPlay, go to Settings, then General, then CarPlay, pick the RAV4, and tap Forget This Car. Forget This Car removes wireless CarPlay from that iPhone, and the iPhone can still pair for calls.

How to add a second driver's profile on a 2023 to 2025 RAV4

So the first driver's profile usually gets made when the RAV4 is linked to the Toyota app. I walk through that first setup in my Toyota app guide. And my first things to set up guide shows where the driver profile and seat fit in your first week. These are the steps for the second driver.

1. The second driver gets the free Toyota app on the App Store or Google Play. Then they create their own Toyota account, with an email, a phone number, or an Apple, Google or Facebook sign-in. They don't add the RAV4 to their account, because the RAV4 can only belong to one account.
2. The second driver sets a 6-digit PIN in the Toyota app while making the account. Basically, this PIN is what the RAV4's screen asks for later. If they forget the PIN, they can reset the PIN in the Toyota app under Account, then Security Settings, then Reset PIN.
3. Put the RAV4 in Park. The second driver sits in the RAV4 with their phone, with Bluetooth on and the Toyota app open and signed in.
4. Tap the gear icon, then tap the current driver's name, or Guest if no one is loaded. Then tap Add profile.
5. Look for the second driver's name under "Detected profiles." If the name isn't there, tap Refresh.
6. Tap the second driver's name and enter their 6-digit PIN. Then tap Continue to save the profile on this RAV4. Save the profile as a secondary driver, unless you want to hand over ownership of the RAV4, which I explain further down. If you skip saving, the profile only works temporarily.
7. Link the second driver's phone, so the RAV4 knows them without a PIN. Tap the gear icon, then Personal info, then Link devices, and pick their phone. Their phone becomes the main phone for their profile. Toyota's manual says no PIN is needed when a Bluetooth phone is linked to the driver.

Now there are a few Toyota limits to know about on the 2023 to 2025:

• Switch profiles in Park. The 2025 RAV4 manual says profile settings can't be used while the RAV4 is moving.
• Only the owner's profile can delete the other profiles. The second driver can't remove the owner's profile. And removing the owner's profile removes everyone's profile.
• Removing a profile from the RAV4 doesn't delete the profile from Toyota's cloud. And one profile can't be used in two cars at the same time. So a couple with two Toyotas each needs a profile in each car, and one person's profile can't be live in both cars at once.
• Loading a profile in another car may not work outside the lower 48 states, according to the manual.

And Toyota says that if you sign out to Guest for a valet, you get your profile back with your PIN or your linked phone.

What's different for two drivers on a 2026 RAV4

So I cover 2026 profile setup in my 2026 touchscreen guide, and the 2026 seat in my memory seat guide. These are the parts that matter most when two people share a 2026 RAV4.

• The 2026 saves each driver's seat by itself. When you shift into Park after driving, the 2026 records your driving position to your profile. So neither of you has to press SET, as long as each of you has your key registered.
• Each driver should register their own key fob. The 2026 manual says that when the RAV4 finds a registered key, the RAV4 doesn't check for a Bluetooth phone. So carry only your own fob, not your partner's, or the RAV4 loads your partner's profile.
• Phones alone can mix you up. Toyota's 2026 multimedia manual says only the phone tied to the most recent driver gets recognized. That's why Toyota recommends registering a key fob as well as a phone.
• Adding the second driver on a 2026 works almost the same as the 2023 to 2025. Tap the gear icon, then Add a profile. Make sure the second driver's phone has Bluetooth on and the Toyota app signed in, then tap Continue. Pick their name under Detected profiles, tap Add, enter their PIN, and tap Save.
• A shared Digital Key can go on your partner's profile. On 2026 trims with Digital Key, your partner can register the Digital Key you shared with them to their own profile. But a Digital Key registered to one driver can't be registered to another driver. And Toyota recommends registering the key fob too, because the RAV4 detects the fob first.
• Deleting one key registration on a 2026 deletes all the key registrations, and removing the primary profile removes the others. Key registration also can't be used on fleet vehicles like rental cars.
• Both of you can see each other's dash cam clips. Toyota Canada says anyone logged in with a registered profile can view and download any Drive Recorder video stored on the RAV4. A Guest can turn the Drive Recorder off but not back on. And a Guest can't see the clips.

Primary and secondary drivers, and switching who's the owner

So the primary driver is the person signed up for the RAV4's Connected Services in the Toyota app, and there's only one primary driver per RAV4. Secondary drivers get their own personal settings. But Toyota says secondary profiles don't get remote access to the RAV4 in the Toyota app. And only the primary driver gets vehicle health reports and can manage services.

Now when you save a driver's profile on the RAV4, you can save the profile as the primary driver or as a secondary driver. And the Andre Drives video further down shows how to make a secondary driver the new primary driver on a 2026 RAV4. In the video, they load the other person's profile from the profile screen and tick the box to replace the primary driver. Then they scan the QR code in that person's Toyota app and choose Activate on the trials screen.

Can both of you use the Toyota app for remote start?

So the honest answer is yes, but not with two separate accounts at the same time. Toyota says Remote Connect "may only be registered using a single account for each vehicle." And Toyota Canada answers "No" when asked whether the same vehicle can be added to more than one account. So a couple has three ways to handle remote start.

And all three need an active Remote Connect trial or paid plan. I cover the plans and how long the trial lasts in my Toyota app guide, and you can see Toyota's plans on toyota.com's Connected Services page.

Option A: both phones sign in to the same Toyota account

So Toyota says you can use the Toyota app on more than one phone, as long as there's one account per RAV4. And that means both of you can remote start, lock, unlock and find the RAV4. But there are a few trade-offs.

• Both of you see everything the Toyota app shows. The shared login shows where the RAV4 is parked and the last 10 trips. So only share a login with someone you fully trust. And it's worth making a separate shared email just for the Toyota account.
• The RAV4 only sees one profile. Because you're both signed in to the same account, the second person just pairs their phone over Bluetooth. So the second person loses their own radio presets, and on a 2026, their own profile settings. But fortunately, on a 2026 the second person can still save their seat to door button 2.
• One owner got signed out. Toyota's FAQ says more than one phone is fine. In one 4Runner owner thread, two owners said two phones on one login work fine. But one owner said a new login signed the other person out.

Option B: separate accounts, and the owner shares remote access

So Toyota says the primary driver can let another driver use Remote Connect. But only one person has Remote Connect at any given time, and only the primary driver can share or change remote access. So while your partner has remote access, you don't.

1. In the owner's Toyota app, find the sharing screen. In the current Toyota app, tap Guest Drivers, then Share Remote, then Remote Access. Older versions of the Toyota app used My Garage, then Authorized Remote Drivers, then Change Remote Driver.
2. Enter the other person's name and email, or search for them by email.
3. The other person gets an email invite, signs in to their own Toyota app and follows the steps. On 2022 and newer Toyota screens, that includes scanning a QR code from the RAV4's screen, or using Connect by code. They can also go to Settings, then Link Vehicle, in their own Toyota app.
4. To take remote access back, Toyota's FAQ says to go to My Garage, then Authorized Remote Drivers, and tap Assign to myself.

Basically, Option B makes the most sense when only one of you ever remote starts. And Option B also works well when you lend the RAV4 to an adult child for a week.

Option C, 2026 only: share the Digital Key instead

So on a 2026 RAV4 with Digital Key, you can share a phone key from your Apple Wallet, Google Wallet or Samsung Wallet with up to 5 people. And you don't have to share a login. Digital Key is on every 2026 trim except the Hybrid LE, Hybrid SE, Plug-in Hybrid SE and Plug-in Hybrid GR SPORT. The shared key lets your partner walk up, unlock and drive. But the shared key doesn't give them remote start from the Toyota app. I show the sharing steps in my Digital Key guide.

For a teen or occasional driver: Guest Driver Monitor

So the Toyota app also has a feature called Guest Driver Monitor, which needs Remote Connect. Basically, Guest Driver Monitor sends the primary driver alerts when a guest driver goes past limits you set. These are the alerts Toyota lists:

• Speed limit, a top speed for each drive.
• Curfew, start and end times by day.
• Maximum miles driven per day.
• Distance limit from a location you pick.
• Maximum time the RAV4 has been driven.
• Vehicle on, an alert when the RAV4 is turned on.

You can make 5 Guest Driver Monitor profiles, but only one can be active at a time. You have to turn the RAV4 off to switch, and the RAV4 can take up to 30 seconds after restarting to see the new Guest Driver Monitor profile. Keep in mind these are only alerts sent to the primary driver.

When driver profiles or the second phone misbehave

So these are common problems with profiles and second phones, and the fix for each one.

• Your profile won't load. Toyota's 2025 and 2026 manuals say to turn on Bluetooth and make sure your phone is paired and set as your profile's main phone. And the Toyota app has to be running on your phone.
• The RAV4 asks for your PIN even though your profile is loaded. Toyota Canada says that if the RAV4 can't reach Toyota's cloud to sync, the RAV4 may ask for your 6-digit PIN once the RAV4 is back online. Three wrong tries lock the PIN for one minute, and then the screen asks for your email and password. And if you keep cancelling, you lose Toyota's Intelligent Assistant voice feature and your profile settings until you enter the PIN. I cover the forgotten PIN in my Toyota app guide.
• The RAV4 opens in your partner's profile when you drive alone. Toyota Canada says some cars with newer software load the last profile used when no linked phone or key is found. To stop that, sign out to Guest before turning the RAV4 off. On the 2023 to 2024 RAV4, this behavior came with the 1668 software update.
• The delete button won't remove your partner's old phone on a 2023 to 2025. That phone is still the main phone on your partner's profile. So delete your partner's profile first.
• The seat moves to the wrong driver's spot. That's usually a linked key fob. I explain the fix for 2019 to 2025 in my memory seat guide, and for the 2026 in the 2026 section.
• The screen freezes or needs an update. I cover restarting and updating the screen in my screen reset guide.

The 2023 to 2024 software update that fixes profile problems

So Toyota's bulletin T-SB-0029-26, from April 24, 2026, updates the 2023 to 2024 RAV4, RAV4 Hybrid and RAV4 Prime screen to version 1861. Version 1861 includes the earlier 1564, 1668 and 1733 fixes too. These are the two-driver items the bulletin lists:

• The secondary User Profile is hard to delete.
• The secondary User Profile won't load with the PIN.
• The User Profile doesn't fully switch from Guest to the primary driver, and just shows as loading.
• The Guest profile doesn't keep its screen settings.
• One profile's picture copies to other profiles that don't have a picture.
• The PIN prompt appears when you don't expect it.
• The primary iPhone becomes the secondary device after the RAV4 is turned off and on.
• A deleted secondary device's name still shows on the screen.
• A Bluetooth device can't be deleted from the screen's device list.
• A User Profile can't be registered.
• The RAV4 loads the last User Profile.

Now if your 2023 or 2024 RAV4 has any of these problems, ask the dealer: "Is my screen on version 1861? If not, can you do T-SB-0029-26?" I explain that bulletin more in my CarPlay guide. And Toyota hasn't posted a profile bulletin for the 2025 RAV4 on NHTSA's site as of October 15, 2026. For the 2026, bulletin T-SB-0050-26 fixes "Add a device" not working, which is in my CarPlay guide.

When one of you stops driving the RAV4

So if a secondary driver stops driving the RAV4, the owner can delete that driver's profile and phone.

• Delete the profile on a 2023 to 2025: tap the gear icon, then Edit on Saved profiles. Or go to Personal info, then Delete driver. On a 2026, the profile options are in my 2026 touchscreen guide.
• Delete the phone: go to Bluetooth & Devices and forget the phone. On a 2023 to 2025, the phone can't be deleted while it's still the main phone on that driver's profile, so delete the profile first.
• On a 2026 with Digital Key, stop sharing the key in your wallet app too. Toyota Canada says shared keys "remain active even if the owner deletes or transfers their key." The steps are in my Digital Key guide.

And if you're selling the RAV4, or you bought a used RAV4 with the old owner's profile still on the screen, I cover that in my Toyota app guide.

An extra key fob for the second driver

So each driver having their own key fob makes sharing a RAV4 a lot smoother. On a 2019 to 2025, each fob links to its own memory seat button. And on a 2026, each fob tells the RAV4 which profile to load.

Now if one of you only has a key card, or you share one fob, you can buy a second fob. A genuine Toyota smart key for the 2024 RAV4 is $140.01 to $159.11 at ToyotaPartsDeal (checked October 15, 2026). Which part number fits depends on your VIN, and programming is extra. A genuine smart key for the 2024 RAV4 Prime is $143.96 to $157.00 on a separate ToyotaPartsDeal page for 2024 RAV4 Prime smart keys (checked October 15, 2026). I cover what owners pay for programming in my key fob guide.

Videos about sharing a Toyota between two drivers