diff --git a/changelogs/fragments/70492-replace-filename-with-file-in-apt_key.yml b/changelogs/fragments/70492-replace-filename-with-file-in-apt_key.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..a638dd2edcb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelogs/fragments/70492-replace-filename-with-file-in-apt_key.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+bugfixes:
+  - apt_key - Specifying ``file`` as mutually exclusive with ``data``, ``keyserver``, ``url`` (https://github.com/ansible/ansible/pull/70492).
diff --git a/docs/docsite/rst/porting_guides/porting_guide_2.11.rst b/docs/docsite/rst/porting_guides/porting_guide_2.11.rst
index d6e1968b493..7768dfc8d8d 100644
--- a/docs/docsite/rst/porting_guides/porting_guide_2.11.rst
+++ b/docs/docsite/rst/porting_guides/porting_guide_2.11.rst
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ No notable changes
 Modules
 =======
 
-No notable changes
+* The ``apt_key`` module has explicitly defined ``file`` as mutually exclusive with ``data``, ``keyserver`` and ``url``. They cannot be used together anymore.
 
 
 Modules removed
diff --git a/lib/ansible/modules/apt_key.py b/lib/ansible/modules/apt_key.py
index d8bb6e15435..40341a5c8bf 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/modules/apt_key.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/modules/apt_key.py
@@ -274,7 +274,7 @@ def main():
             state=dict(type='str', default='present', choices=['absent', 'present']),
         ),
         supports_check_mode=True,
-        mutually_exclusive=(('data', 'filename', 'keyserver', 'url'),),
+        mutually_exclusive=(('data', 'file', 'keyserver', 'url'),),
     )
 
     key_id = module.params['id']
diff --git a/test/integration/targets/apt_key/tasks/file.yml b/test/integration/targets/apt_key/tasks/file.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..db66d22617e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/integration/targets/apt_key/tasks/file.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+- name: Get Fedora GPG Key
+  get_url:
+    url: https://getfedora.org/static/fedora.gpg
+    dest: /tmp/fedora.gpg
+
+- name: Run apt_key with both file and keyserver
+  apt_key:
+    file: /tmp/fedora.gpg
+    keyserver: keys.gnupg.net
+    id: 97A1AE57C3A2372CCA3A4ABA6C13026D12C944D0
+  register: both_file_keyserver
+  ignore_errors: true
+
+- name: Run apt_key with file only
+  apt_key:
+    file: /tmp/fedora.gpg
+  register: only_file
+
+- name: Run apt_key with keyserver only
+  apt_key:
+    keyserver: keys.gnupg.net
+    id: 97A1AE57C3A2372CCA3A4ABA6C13026D12C944D0
+  register: only_keyserver
+
+- name: validate results
+  assert:
+    that:
+      - 'both_file_keyserver is failed'
+      - 'only_file.changed'
+      - 'not only_keyserver.changed'
diff --git a/test/integration/targets/apt_key/tasks/main.yml b/test/integration/targets/apt_key/tasks/main.yml
index a268b2b978d..2a6e19e486d 100644
--- a/test/integration/targets/apt_key/tasks/main.yml
+++ b/test/integration/targets/apt_key/tasks/main.yml
@@ -26,3 +26,6 @@
 
 - include: 'apt_key.yml'
   when: ansible_distribution in ('Ubuntu', 'Debian')
+  
+- include: 'file.yml'
+  when: ansible_distribution in ('Ubuntu', 'Debian')
diff --git a/test/sanity/ignore.txt b/test/sanity/ignore.txt
index 9952f2c351f..18cf80e6bd1 100644
--- a/test/sanity/ignore.txt
+++ b/test/sanity/ignore.txt
@@ -107,7 +107,6 @@ lib/ansible/modules/apt.py validate-modules:doc-default-does-not-match-spec
 lib/ansible/modules/apt.py validate-modules:parameter-invalid
 lib/ansible/modules/apt.py validate-modules:parameter-type-not-in-doc
 lib/ansible/modules/apt.py validate-modules:undocumented-parameter
-lib/ansible/modules/apt_key.py validate-modules:mutually_exclusive-unknown
 lib/ansible/modules/apt_key.py validate-modules:parameter-type-not-in-doc
 lib/ansible/modules/apt_key.py validate-modules:undocumented-parameter
 lib/ansible/modules/apt_repository.py validate-modules:doc-default-does-not-match-spec