
Voice command system
22
Voice command system
The concept
The voice command system allows you to con-
trol operation of various vehicle systems with-
out ever removing your hands from the steering 
wheel.
Individual menu items on the Control Display 
can be spoken as commands. This frees you of 
having to use the controller.
The voice command system transforms your 
oral commands into control signals for the 
selected systems and provides support in the 
form of instructions or questions.
The voice command system uses a special 
microphone located in the area of the interior 
rearview mirror, refer to page14.
Precondition
Via iDrive, set the language that applies for the 
voice command system in order to enable iden-
tification of the spoken commands. To set the 
language of iDrive, refer to page84.
Symbols in Owner's Manual
Voice commands
Activating voice command system
1.Press the   button.
 This symbol on the Control Display and 
an acoustic signal tell you that the voice 
command system can respond to com-
mands.
2.Say the command. 
The command is displayed on the Control 
Display.
 This symbol is shown on the Control Display 
when you can input additional commands. 
*
{...} Say the specified commands word for 
word. 
{{...}} Indicates responses of the voice 
command system. 

Voice command system
24
Notes
The mobile phone can also be operated 
with voice commands, refer to 
page183.<
For voice commands, bear the following in 
mind:
>Say the commands and numbers smoothly 
and at normal volume, avoiding excessive 
emphasis and pauses. This also applies to 
spelling when entering the destination.
>Always issue commands in the language of 
the voice command system.
>When selecting a radio station, use the 
common pronunciation of the station name.
>For entries in the voice-activated phone 
book, only use names in the language of the 
voice command system and no abbrevia-
tions.
>Keep the doors, windows and glass sun-
roof
* or panorama glass sunroof* closed to 
avoid interfering outside noise.
>Avoid making other noise in the vehicle 
while speaking. 

Controls
 29Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Remove the adapter from the holder in the 
glove compartment and slide the spare key into 
the adapter before use.
Personal Profile
The concept
You can set a number of functions of your BMW 
individually according to your preferences. Per-
sonal Profile ensures that most of these set-
tings are stored for the remote control currently 
in use without you having to do anything. When 
the vehicle is unlocked, the corresponding 
remote control is detected and the settings 
stored for it are called up and carried out.
This means that you will always find your BMW 
set to your own personal settings even if 
another person with his/her own remote control 
and settings has used the vehicle since the last 
time you drove it. The individual settings are 
stored for a maximum of four remote controls.
Personal Profile settings
Details on the settings are provided on the 
specified pages.
>When unlocking with the remote control, 
either unlock only the driver's door or the 
entire vehicle, refer to page30
>Locking the vehicle after a short time or 
after starting off, refer to page32
>Assigning the programmable buttons
* on 
the steering wheel, refer to page53>Settings for the display on the Control Dis-
play:
>Brightness of the Control Display, refer 
to page83
>Measuring units for consumption, route/
distances, temperature, and pressure, 
refer to page84
>Language on Control Display, refer to 
page84
>12h/24h mode of the clock, refer to 
page83
>Date format, refer to page83
>Showing optical warning for PDC Park Dis-
tance Control
*, refer to page85
>Selection and brightness of display in 
Head-Up Display
*, refer to page97
>Display settings of BMW Night Vision
*, 
refer to page99
>Air distribution, temperature in the upper 
body area and intensity of the automatic air 
conditioning system, refer to page106
>Setting voice instructions for destination 
guidance in the navigation system
*, refer to 
page147
In addition, the following, most recently 
selected settings are recalled during unlocking:
>Positions of driver's seat, outside mirrors, 
and steering wheel
*, refer to page47
>Audio sources, volume and tone settings, 
refer to page153
>Radio, displaying stored stations, refer to 
page156
>Telephone, setting volume, refer to 
pages178,184
Central locking system
The concept
The central locking system is ready for opera-
tion whenever the driver's door is closed.
The system simultaneously engages and 
releases the locks on the following:
>Doors 

Everything under control
84 2.If necessary, move the controller to the right 
to select "Display".
3.Turn the controller until the desired setting 
is selected.
The setting is stored for the remote control cur-
rently in use.
Units of measure
You can change the units of measure for con-
sumption, distances, temperature and pres-
sure.
1.Select "Units" and press the controller.
2.Select the menu item to be set and press 
the controller.
3.Select the desired unit of measure and 
press the controller.
The settings are stored for the remote key cur-
rently in use.
Language on Control Display
1.Select "Languages" and press the control-
ler.
2.Select "Text language" and press the con-
troller. You can change the language of the 
text displays.3.Select and activate the desired language by 
pressing the controller.
The setting is stored for the remote control cur-
rently in use. 

Navigation
Driving tips
 137Reference
At a glance
Controls
Communications
Entertainment
Mobility
Selecting country
Say the name of the destination country in the 
language of the voice input system.
Entering destination
To enter the destination, spell it using the 
orthography of the country of destination. 
Say the letters smoothly and at normal volume, 
avoiding excessive emphasis and pauses.
The system can suggest up to 20 desti-
nations that match your entries. Up to 
6 entries are displayed at once on the Con-
trol Display.
The town/city can also be selected from the list 
via iDrive:
Turn the controller until the destination is 
selected and press the controller.
Entering street and house number
The street is entered in the same way as the 
destination.
To enter the house number:
Up to 4-digit house numbers can be entered.
Starting destination guidance
Destination guidance starts immediately.
Saving destination
The destination is added to the destination list 
or can be saved in the address book.
Map-guided destination 
selection
If you only know the location of the town or 
street of the destination, then you can input the 
destination by using a map. You can use the 
cursor to select the destination on the map and 
then adopt it into the destination guidance.
1.Select "Navigation" and press the control-
ler.
"New destination" is selected.
2.Press the controller. Say country of destination.
1.Spell town/city name:
Say at least the first three letters of the 
destination. The more letters you say, 
the more exactly the system recognizes 
the town/city.
A destination is suggested by the system.
2.Select location:
Select {Yes} 
or
Select other town/city:
{No}
Select entry, e.g. {Entry 3}
The following options are available:
{Next page}: additional entries of the 
list are displayed.
{Repeat}: the town/city can be 
respelled.
Say the house number.
{Start guidance}
{Add to destination list} or
{Add to address book} 

Navigation
Driving tips
 147Reference
At a glance
Controls
Communications
Entertainment
Mobility
1.Select "Navigation" and press the control-
ler.
2.Change into the third field from the top. 
Turn the controller until "Route list" is 
selected and press the controller.
To exit the menu:
 Select the arrow and press the controller.
Destination guidance 
through voice instructions
Switching voice instructions on/off
Voice instructions can be switched on or off 
during the destination guidance in the arrow or 
map view:
Select the   symbol and press the controller.
To switch the voice instructions on and off at 
any time:
1.Open the start menu.
2.Press the controller to open the   menu.
3.Turn the controller until "Display settings" 
is selected and press the controller.4.Change to upper field if necessary. Turn the 
controller until "Languages" is selected and 
press the controller.
5.Select "Navigation voice instructions on" 
and press the controller.
 The voice instructions are switched on.
The setting is stored for the remote control cur-
rently in use
*.
Repeating and canceling voice 
instructions
With the programmable buttons on the steering 
wheel you can also make the following settings, 
refer to page53:
>Repeat the voice instruction:
Press button.
>Switch voice instructions on/off:
Hold the button down.
Setting volume of voice instructions
The volume can only be adjusted while a voice 
instruction is being output. 

 185
Entertainment
Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips Communications
Navigation
Mobility
Creating and editing voice phone 
book*
Save entry:
An entry always consists of a name and phone 
number.
Delete entry:
You can delete any entry from the voice phone 
book. 
Delete all entries:
{Delete phone book} deletes all entries in the 
phone book. 
Have entries read aloud and select:
You can have all the entries of your voice phone 
book read aloud in the order of input and select 
a certain entry to establish a connection: 
Selecting an entry
The connection to the phone number of the 
selected entry is established. 
Redialing
The {Redial} command calls "Redial".
Notes
The commands in English were available 
as of this printing. Other languages are 
currently not available. To operate the mobile 
phone via the voice command system, refer to 
page22.<
Important for voice commands
For voice commands, keep the following in 
mind:
>Issue the commands smoothly and at nor-
mal volume, avoiding excessive emphasis 
and pauses.
>Keep the doors, windows and glass sunroof 
closed to prevent interference from ambi-
ent noise.
>Avoid making other noise in the vehicle 
while speaking. 1.{Save name}.
The dialog for storing a name is 
opened.
2.Speak name and repeat entry upon 
request.
The spoken length of the names in the 
phone book must not exceed approx. 
2seconds.
3.Say the phone number when prompted.
4.To store the phone number:
{Save}.
1.{Delete name}.
The dialog for deleting an entry is 
opened.
2.Say the name when prompted.
3.Confirm the prompt with {Yes}.
1.{Delete phone book}.
The dialog for deleting phone book is 
opened.
2.Confirm the prompt with {Yes}.
3.Confirm the repeated prompt with 
{Yes}.
1.{Read phone book}.
The dialog for reading phone book is 
opened.
2.{Dial number} when the desired entry is 
read aloud.
1.{Dial name}.
The dialog for selecting an entry is 
opened.
2.Say the name when prompted.
3.Confirm the prompt with {Yes}. 

Short commands of voice command system
234
Climate
 menu
FunctionCommand
To adjust temperature distribution for front seat 
heating50{Seat heater distribution}
To open "Vent settings"107{Vent settings}
To open "Automatic programs"106{Automatic programs}
To open "Parked car ventilation"109{Parked car operation}
To open "Automatic ventilation"109{Automatic ventilation}
To display activation times109{Activation time}
FunctionCommand
To open "Door locks"30, 32{Door locks}
To open "Steering wheel buttons"53{Steering wheel buttons}
To open "Lighting"64{Lighting}
To open "Communication settings"187{Communication settings}
To open "BMW Service settings"187{BMW Service settings}
To open "BMW Service"189{BMW service}
To open "Service requirements"77, 188{Service requirements}
To open "Service"77, 188{Service}
To display "Check Control messages"80{Check Control messages}
To open "Display settings"82{Display settings}
To open "Head-Up Display"97{Head-up display}
To activate speed limit81{Limit on}
To deactivate speed limit81{Limit off}
To set brightness of Control Display83{Brightness}
To open "Units"84{Units}
To open "Languages"84, 147{Language}
To open "Time"82{Time}
To open "Date"83{Date}
To open "PDC"85{
PDC}
To open "FTM"90{FTM}
To open "TPM"92{TPM}
To open "HDC"88{HDC}
To open "Entertainment settings"153{Entertainment settings}