Page 19 of 264

At a glance
17Reference
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Menu overview
Communication
>Telephone*
>BMW Assist* or BMW TeleServices*
Navigation
>Navigation system
>Onboard information, e.g. for displaying the
average fuel consumption
Entertainment
>Radio
>CD player and CD changer
*
>AUX-In port, USB-audio interface* for
external audio device
Climate
>Vent settings
>Automatic programs
>Parked car operation
menu
>Closing the screen
>Tone and display settings
>Traffic information settings
>Settings for your vehicle, e.g. for the central
locking system
>Display of service requirements and dates
for statutory inspections
>Settings for telephone
Operating principle
As of radio readiness, the following message
appears on the Control Display:
To hide the message:
Press the controller.
The start menu is displayed.
The message is automatically hidden after
approx. 10 seconds.
Start menu
All iDrive functions can be called up via five
menu items.
Opening start menu
Press the button.
To open the start menu from the menu:
Press the button twice.
Page 20 of 264

iDrive
18
Calling up menu items in the start menu
As of radio readiness, refer to page58:
Via the start menu you can call up the four menu
items of Communication, Navigation, Entertain-
ment and Climate by moving the controller for-
wards, backwards, to the left or to the right.
You can call up the menu by pressing the con-
troller.
Convenient call-up of menu items
The convenient call-up function enables you to:
>Call up a menu item from the start menu in
the view last displayed.
>Switch directly between Communication,
Navigation, Entertainment and Climate
without having to press the button.
To do so, move the controller in the corre-
sponding direction and hold it for more than
approx. 2 seconds.
Displays in menu
1Each menu is subdivided into fields. The
active field is highlighted.
2A symbol indicates the start menu item last
selected.
1Menu items are usually grouped in horizon-
tal or vertical lists.
2In these lists, arrows indicate the possibility
of accessing other menu items that are not
currently visible.
3Settings are represented graphically or as
numerical values.
Communication
Navigation or onboard information
Entertainment
Climate
menu
Page 21 of 264
At a glance
19Reference
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Operating principle at a glance
The following is a general description of opera-
tions using iDrive. For an exemplary step-by-
step application, refer to page75.
1Selecting a menu item:
>Turn the controller; the highlight marker
moves
>Menu items in white can be selected by
highlighting them
2Activating a menu item:
>Press the controller
>New menu items are displayed or the
function is executed
3Selecting a menu item: refer to14Switching between fields:
>Briefly move the controller to the left,
right, forward, or backward
>Release the controller
>The active field is brighter in color
5Adjusting settings:
>Turn the controller
>Graphic display, numerical value or text
displays can be changed
>Confirm by changing the field
Page 22 of 264

iDrive
20
Status information
1Display for:
>Entertainment:
Radio, CD or
>Telephone
* in "Communication":
Name of the connected mobile phone,
network search or no network
>"BMW Assist"
*:
Active voice connection with a
BMW Assist service
2Entertainment audio output off
3Display for traffic information
*:
"TI":
Traffic information for the navigation sys-
tem can be received and transmission is
switched on
4Display for:
> New entries present in "Missed calls"
*
> Roaming active
5 It is possible to make calls
* if the mobile
phone is paired with the vehicle
Reception strength of mobile phone
network, display depending on mobile
phone
6Time
Other displays:
Status information is temporarily hidden during
Check Control message displays or entries via
the voice command system
*.
Closing/opening the screen
Do not place objects in the vicinity of the
open screen, otherwise the screen may
be damaged.<
Closing the screen
1.Press the button.
This opens the start menu.
2.Press the controller to open the menu.
3.Select "Close display" and press the con-
troller.
You can also close the screen manually.<
Opening the screen
Press the controller.
Setting the conditions for opening the
screen automatically
You can select the events that cause the screen
to open automatically.
1.Open the start menu.
2.Press the controller to open the menu.
3.Select "Settings" and press the controller.
4.Select "Display settings" and press the
controller.
5.Select "Display" and press the controller.
Page 23 of 264

At a glance
21Reference
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
The various conditions are shown on the
Control Display.
6.Select the desired conditions and press the
controller:
>When there is an incoming call:
"Call"
>When an important Check Control mes-
sage is displayed:
"Check Control message"
>When there is a navigation system mes-
sage:
"Navigation info"
>When the voice command system is
started:
"Speech input"
>When the ignition is switched on:
"Ignition on"
>When the Park Distance Control is dis-
played:
"PDC Display on"
The condition is selected.
The setting is stored for the remote control cur-
rently in use.
Programmable memory keys
Using the programmable memory keys, you can
store and execute certain iDrive functions:
>Navigation
* destinations
>Entertainment:
>Radio stations
>CD
>CD compartment of CD changer
>AUX
>Telephone: phone numbers
The assignment of the programmable memory
keys is stored for the remote control currently in
use.
Storing functions
Navigation* destinations
1.Select the navigation destination, e.g. in the
destination list or address book.
2. ... Press the key longer than
2seconds.
Special features of the Professional navigation
system:
>If destination guidance and the map view
have been started, the current destination is
stored.
>If the destination is entered via map, the
coordinates in the cross-hairs are stored,
not the current destination.
Telephone, phone numbers
1.Enter the phone number or select the num-
ber from a list of stored phone numbers, e.g.
the A-Z list.
2. ... Press the key longer than
2seconds.
If the phone number is associated with a name,
the name is also stored.
Entertainment
The item stored in the Entertainment menu is
the source that is playing at the time of storage,
Page 24 of 264

iDrive
22 e.g. a radio station, irrespective of what was
selected on the Control Display.
1.Select the desired function, e.g. radio sta-
tion or CD.
2. ... Press the key longer than
2seconds.
If the car is equipped with two drives and a
CD with compressed audio files is played,
the current track is stored.<
Executing a function
... Press the key.
The function is executed immediately. This
means that, for example, if a phone number is
selected, the connection is established, or if a
navigation destination is called up, destination
guidance is started.
Displaying memory key assignments
You can have the assignment of a memory key
displayed by touching the key with your finger.
Please do not wear gloves when doing so.
Touching the keys with an object such as a pen
will not work.
Displaying brief information
... Touch the key.
The key assignment is displayed.
Navigation destination
Entertainment source
Telephone, phone number
Not assigned
Displaying detailed information
... Touch the key for a longer
period.
Clearing key assignments
1.Press the button.
This opens the start menu.
2.Press the controller to open the menu.
3.Select "Settings" and press the controller.
4.Select "Vehicle / Tires" and press the con-
troller.
5.Select "Programmable Memory Keys" and
press the controller.
6.Select "Delete assignment of all memory
keys" and press the controller.
7.Select "Yes" and press the controller.
Page 25 of 264

At a glance
23Reference
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Voice command system
The concept
The voice command system allows you to con-
trol operation of various vehicle systems with-
out removing your hands from the steering
wheel.
Individual menu items on the Control Display
can be spoken as commands. It is not neces-
sary 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, select the language in which the
voice command system is operating, so that the
spoken commands can be identified. Selecting
the language for iDrive, refer to page80.
Symbols in the Owner's Manual
Saying commands
Activating voice command system
1.Press the button on the steering wheel.
This symbol on the Control Display and a sig-
nal indicate that the voice command system is
ready to receive spoken commands.
2.Say the command.
Text or digits that are understood by the
voice command system are displayed on
the Control Display.
This symbol appears on the Control Display
when you can enter additional commands.
*
{...} Say the specified commands word for
word.
{{...}} Indicates responses of the voice
command system.
Page 26 of 264

Voice command system
24 If no further commands are possible, continue
by operating the item of equipment via iDrive.
Terminating or canceling voice
command system
Press the button on the steering wheel
or
Commands
Having the possible commands read
aloud
You can have the system read aloud the possi-
ble commands related to the selected menu
item on the Control Display.
To have the possible commands read out to
you:
For instance, if you have selected "CD", the
commands available for operating the CD
player and CD changer
* are read out.
Opening help
Using alternative commands
There are often a number of commands to run a
function, e.g.:
Calling up functions immediately via
short commands
Short commands enable you to perform certain
functions immediately, irrespective of which
menu item is selected, refer to page240.
Opening the start menu
Example: selecting a track
1.If necessary, switch on entertainment audio
output.
2.Press the button on the steering wheel.
{Cancel}
{Options}
{Help}
{Radio on} or {Turn radio on}
{Main menu}
3.{Entertainment}.
The system says:
{{Entertainment}}.
4.{CD}.
The system says:
{{CD on}}.