
iDrive
18
Opening menu items of start menu
With the start menu you can open the menu 
items Communication, Navigation, Entertain-
ment and Climate by moving the controller to 
the left, right, front or rear.
You can open the   menu by pressing the con-
troller.
Comfort opening of menu items
Comfort opening offers you:
>Opening of a menu item of the start menu in 
the last display shown
>Direct changing between Communication, 
Navigation, Entertainment and Climate 
without pressing the   button
To do so, move the controller in the corre-
sponding direction and hold it for approx. 2 sec-
onds.
Displays in menu
1Each menu is divided into fields. 
The respective active field is highlighted.
2A symbol indicates the last selected menu 
item of the start menu:
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 displayed graphically or 
numerically.
Communication
Navigation or onboard information
Entertainment
Climate
 menu 

At a glance
 19Reference
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Operating principle at a glance
Basic operation via iDrive is described in this 
view.You can view the individual steps under 
Settings on Control Display, Setting time, 
refer to page86.
1Selecting menu item:
>Turn the controller; the highlight moves
>Menu items shown in white can be 
selected by highlighting
2Activating menu item:
>Press the controller
>New menu items are displayed or the 
function is carried out
3Selecting menu item: refer to 14Changing between fields:
>Briefly move the controller left, right, 
forward or back
>Release controller
>Active field appears lighter
5Adjusting settings:
>Turn controller
>Graphic display, numerical value or text 
displays can be changed
>Confirmation by changing field 

iDrive
20
Status information
1Display for:
>Entertainment: 
Radio, CD
>Telephone
* in "Communication": 
Name of linked mobile phone, network 
search or no network
>"BMW Assist"
*:
Existing voice connection with a service 
from BMW Assist
2Entertainment sound output off
3Station that transmits traffic information is 
received
*:
"TI": 
Reception of traffic information for the nav-
igation system
 is possible and activated
4Display for:
> New entries present in "Missed calls"
*
> Roaming active
5 Telephoning
* is possible if the mobile 
phone is paired in the vehicle
 Reception strength of mobile phone 
network, dependent on mobile phone
6Time
Other displays:
The status information is temporarily hidden 
when there are Check Control instructions or 
inputs via the voice command system
*.
Assistance window*
Additional information appears in the assis-
tance window:
>The computer or the trip computer
*
>The arrow or map view with a navigation 
system
*
>The current position
Selecting display
1.Move the controller to the right to change to 
the assistance window and press the con-
troller.
2.Select a menu item.
3.Press the controller. 

At a glance
 21Reference
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Switching assistance window off/on
1.Move the controller to the right to change to 
the assistance window and press the con-
troller.
2.Select "Assist. window off" and press the 
controller.
To switch on, change to the assistance window 
and press the controller.
Switching Control Display 
off/on
1.Press the   button.
This opens the start menu.
2.Press the controller to open the   menu.
3.Select "Display off" and press the control-
ler.
To switch on, press the controller.
Programmable memory/
direct selection buttons
You can save and run certain functions of iDrive 
on the programmable memory/direct selection 
buttons:
>Destinations of navigation
>Telephone, phone numbers
>Entertainment:
>radio station
>CD
>CD compartment of CD changer
*
>AUX
The assignment of the programmable memory/
direct selection buttons is stored for the remote 
control currently in use.
Saving function
Destinations of navigation
1.Select navigation destination, e.g. in the 
destination list or the address book.
2.Press the   ...   button longer 
than 2 seconds.
Special features:
>With the destination guidance system and 
the map view started, the current destina-
tion is stored.
>During destination entry via a map, the 
coordinates at the cursor are stored, not the 
current destination.
Telephone, phone numbers
1.Enter the phone number or select it in a list 
of the stored phone numbers, e.g. of the 
A-Z list.
2.Press the   ...   button longer 
than 2 seconds.
If a name is assigned to the phone number, the 
name will also be stored. 

iDrive
22
Entertainment
In the Entertainment menu, the sound source 
currently heard, e.g. a radio station, is stored, 
regardless of the selection on the Control Dis-
play.
1.Select the desired function, e.g. radio sta-
tion or CD.
2.Press the   ...   button longer 
than 2 seconds.
If the vehicle is equipped with two drives, 
the current track is stored for CDs with 
compressed audio files.<
Run function
Press the   ...   button.
When selecting a phone number, the connec-
tion is also established, or the destination guid-
ance is started when a navigation destination is 
selected.
Displaying button assignment
You can display the assignment of the buttons 
by touching them with your finger. Please do 
not wear gloves when doing so. Touching with 
an object, e.g. a pen, does not function.
Displaying short info
Touch the   ...   button.
The assignment of the buttons is displayed.
 Destination of navigation system
 Entertainment source
 Telephone, phone number
 Not assigned
Displaying detailed information
Touch the   ...   button longer.
Deleting button 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.Acknowledge with "Yes". 

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 taking your hands off 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 page88.
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. 

At a glance
 25Reference
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Notes
The mobile phone can also be operated 
with voice commands, refer to 
page205.<
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 do not use 
abbreviations.
>Keep the doors, windows and glass sun-
roof
* or panorama glass sunroof* closed to 
prevent interference from ambient noise.
>Avoid making other noise in the vehicle 
while speaking. 

Controls
 29Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Personal Profile
The concept
You can set a number of functions of your BMW 
individually according to your preferences. 
Personal 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.
>Behavior of the central locking system 
when unlocking vehicle, refer to page30
>Automatic locking of the vehicle, refer to 
page32
>Programming buttons
* on steering wheel, 
refer to page54
>Displays on Control Display:
>Brightness of the Control Display, refer 
to page88
>Measuring units for consumption, route/
distances, temperature, and pressure, 
refer to page88
>12h/24h clock format, refer to page87
>Date format, refer to page87
>Language on Control Display, refer to 
page88
>Lighting settings:
>Triple turn signal activation, refer to 
page67
>Welcome lamps, refer to page108
>Pathway lighting, refer to page109
>Daytime running lamps
*, refer to 
page109>High-beam assistant
*, refer to page110
>PDC Park Distance Control
*: optical warn-
ing, refer to page90
>Head-Up Display
*: selection and bright-
ness of display, refer to page102
>BMW Night Vision
*: display settings, refer 
to page105
>Automatic climate control: AUTO program 
and intensity, cooling function, and auto-
matic recirculated air control/recirculated 
air mode, temperature, air distribution, tem-
perature in the upper body region, refer to 
text starting on page115
>Navigation system
*: voice instructions for 
destination guidance, refer to page142
In addition, the following, most recently 
selected settings are recalled during unlocking:
>Programmable memory/direct selection 
buttons: selecting stored functions, refer to 
page21
>Positions of driver's seat, outside mirrors, 
and steering wheel
*, refer to page47
>Audio sources: volume and tone settings, 
refer to page169
>Radio:
>Display of stored stations, refer to 
page172
>Switching RDS Radio Data System on/
off
*, refer to page175
>Phone: volume setting, refer to 
pages200,206
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
>Luggage compartment lid or tailgate and 
rear window
>Fuel filler door