Open and Close the Windows From the Key Fob

Last updated: June 10, 2026

The Audi A4 (B9, 2015–Present) can open every window — and the sunroof, where fitted — from the remote key, so you can vent a sun-baked cabin before you get in or wind everything shut from across the car park when the rain starts. Audi calls it the convenience open/close function, and the B9 is one of the better cars for it because you can switch it on and fine-tune exactly which windows respond from the MMI.

What the convenience open/close function does

Press and hold the remote’s unlock button until the windows reach the position you want and the sunroof is open; press and hold lock until the windows and sunroof are closed. The glass moves only while you hold the button, so releasing stops it instantly. In the MMI you decide whether the front windows, rear windows and roof all respond or only some of them. Audi recommends using it within about two metres so you can keep an eye on the windows.

How to open the windows from the fob

1. Stand within a couple of metres of the A4.
2. Press and hold the unlock button on the key.
3. Keep holding — the enabled windows wind down and the sunroof opens if fitted.
4. Release as soon as everything reaches the level you want.

How to close the windows from the fob

1. Stand next to the car within remote range.
2. Press and hold the lock button.
3. The windows wind up and the sunroof closes while you hold.
4. Release once everything is shut.

How to enable it in the MMI

If holding the button does nothing, turn it on in the car’s menu. The B9 path is Car → Vehicle settings (Car systems) → Central locking → Long press to open windows, where you switch on the front windows, rear windows and roof individually. Enable the ones you want and the remote will operate them.

If the “long press to open windows” option is missing, the function is coded off at module level — common on lower trims and US-market cars. A VCDS or OBDeleven coder activates the convenience open/close parameters in the central convenience module, after which the MMI option appears. Note too that the setting can be linked to a specific key fob: if you enable it with one key, a different key may not work until you set it up again or sync it.

The door-lock fallback

On A4s without keyless entry, the driver’s door has an emergency key barrel behind a cap on the handle. Pull the blade from the remote, insert it and turn and hold toward unlock to lower the windows or toward lock to raise them, provided the function is enabled in the MMI and coding.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why doesn’t holding unlock do anything on my A4 B9?

The “long press to open windows” setting is probably switched off — turn it on under Car → Vehicle settings → Central locking. If that option isn’t there at all, the feature is coded off and needs activating with VCDS or OBDeleven.

Can I open just the front windows and leave the rears up?

Yes. The B9’s MMI lets you enable front windows, rear windows and the roof separately, so you can have only the fronts drop when you hold unlock.

It works on one key but not the other — why?

The convenience setting can be tied to the key that was active when you enabled it. Re-enable it while using the other key, or sync the setting so both fobs carry it.

Does the sunroof open as well?

Yes, if your A4 has a sunroof and you have enabled the roof under the same menu. Holding unlock opens it with the windows; holding lock closes it.

How close do I need to be?

For safety Audi says use it within about two metres, so the remote stays in range and you can watch the windows. Releasing the button stops them at once.

If a window or the sunroof stops responding from both the switch and the remote, or a convenience-system warning appears, the body control module has likely logged a diagnostic trouble code. Decode it and see the likely cause at autodtcs.com.