Did you know that you can operate your Volvo’s windows from outside your car using your key fob? And that’s not all. Let’s investigate all the best tricks to unlocking your Volvo key fob’s full ability!

Car technology keeps changing and improving, and while we don’t talk about the trusty key fob very often, it has also seen major developments over recent years. Car manufacturers have packed them full of little features that would otherwise remain secret if no one told you about them!

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How to find the hidden key in your Volvo key fob

Ever gotten locked out of your Volvo because your key fob buttons won’t unlock it? Your fob probably had a dead battery. But even without its battery, you may or may not know that your Volvo’s fob has a hidden key blade that you can use to manually unlock your car!

To unlock your Volvo key fob’s hidden key blade, hold the key fob with the “Volvo Cars” logo right-side up. From this perspective, you should see a small black button on the bottom left of the key fob. Slide it down and to the right. The cover should come loose and slide off, revealing the secret key blade in the compartment underneath the cover!

You can pull this key out of the fob and use its blade to unlock your Volvo from the driver’s side door, allowing you to get inside. Now you can still drive the vehicle, hopefully to the store to buy yourself a fresh battery for your fob!

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How to start a Volvo when your key fob battery is dead

Now that you’re inside the car, you’re going to need to figure out how to start it with your mechanical key. The most difficult piece to this will be locating the key slot, since your Volvo most likely has a push-start button that becomes active when the vehicle senses your fob. That button won’t work with a dead fob unless you use the fob to push the START button. This works because there is a secret backup chip in the key fob that triggers the activation of the button.

Your car may also have a standard manual start key slot located on the steering column. You can insert your fob’s hidden key here to start the car!

If this all sounds like a bit of a hassle, be sure to get yourself a new CR 2032 3V battery so you don’t have to deal with this again until that one dies. The circle of life!

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Volvo key fob functions and tricks

But helping you procure a secret key isn’t all that your Volvo key fob can do! For starters, a new Volvo key fob will have three basic functions:

Lock

Unlock

Unlock tailgate

The fob also features a panic button, which will signal an alarm by sounding the horn and flashing the turning signal lights. You can turn off the alarm by pressing the button again.

The yellow button on a Volvo key fob turns on the “follow me home” interior lights and headlights to help you find your parked car in a crowded parking lot.

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How to lower all your Volvo’s windows from outside

Now that we’ve got the basics down pat, we’re ready to look at some of the more advanced features of your Volvo’s key fob. First off, you can use the key fob to close or open your windows from outside of the vehicle.

To open the windows using your fob, just press and hold the unlock button for 4 seconds.

To close them, press and hold the lock button for two seconds. This will also operate the moonroof and sunshade if you have them.

MORE: What is Volvo's best midsize SUV?

How to unlock all the doors of your Volvo

Pressing the unlock button once will only unlock the driver’s door, but if you press it two times quickly, you can unlock all of the doors—including the tailgate—at once.

How to open rear glass and tailgate using the key fob

To open the tailgate with your Volvo key fob, simply press the tailgate button. Press it again to close it!

You can also hit this button to turn off the car’s panic alarm.

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How to protect your car key fob from theft or damage

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Your Volvo key fob’s secret compartment with a hidden key might feel like something 007 would have, and it sure does make things a lot easier in the event that your fob’s battery dies. Here at

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