
Navigation
Entertainment
Driving tips
 165Reference
At a glance
Controls
Communications
Mobility
7.Press the controller.
The station is stored.
The stations of the last selection criterion are 
displayed once again after a short time.
From radio readiness, the stations are saved for 
the remote control used at the moment.
With programmable memory/
direct selection buttons
You can also store a station on the programma-
ble memory/direct selection buttons, also refer 
to page21.
1.Select a station.
2. ...   Press and hold desired but-
ton.
Changing a memory position
1.Select "Presets" and press the controller.
2.Select the desired station.
"Set" is selected.
3.Press the controller.
Other menu items are displayed.
4.Select "Store" and press the controller.5.Turn the controller until the desired mem-
ory position is selected.
The number of the memory position 
appears beside the name or frequency of 
the station.
6.Press the controller.
The station is stored.
RDS Radio Data System
In the FM frequency range, additional informa-
tion is transmitted via RDS. If the reception con-
ditions are good, the station names are shown 
on the Control Display. If the reception is weak 
or disrupted, it can take some time before the 
station names are displayed.
Switching RDS on/off*
1.Select "FM" and press the controller.
"Set" is selected.
2.Press the controller.
Other menu items are displayed.
3.Select "RDS" and press the controller.
 RDS is activated.
The setting is stored for the remote control cur-
rently in use.
Automatically sorting 
stations*
For the "All stations" selection criterion, you 
can set whether the most frequently used sta-
tions are displayed at the beginning.
1.Select "All stations" and press the control-
ler.
"Set" is selected. 

Navigation
Entertainment
Driving tips
 167Reference
At a glance
Controls
Communications
Mobility
playback switches between analog and digital 
reception. This can result in repetitions or inter-
ruptions. In this case it may be advisable to 
deactivate digital radio reception.
Selecting programs of a digital station*
Some stations transmit several programs. 
To select one of these programs:
1.Select "FM" or "AM" and press the control-
ler.
2.Select "Manual" and press the controller.
3.Select a station that is received digitally.
 This symbol is displayed when a station 
is being received digitally.
4. Switch to the next program of the dig-
ital station with the buttons on the radio or 
the steering wheel.
You can store a station, refer to page164.
Updating stations offering digital 
reception
If you are on a longer journey and leave the 
transmission range of the stations originally set, 
you can update the list of stations with the best 
reception signal.
1.Select "FM" or "AM" and press the control-
ler.2.Change into the second field from the top.
3.Select "Autostore" and press the controller.
4.Press the controller.
Other menu items are displayed.
5.Select "Autostore  " and press the con-
troller.
The display of the stations offering digital 
reception is updated. This can take up to 
2minutes.
Displaying additional information
With the digital stations, additional information 
on the current track is displayed, e.g. the name 
of the artist.
1.Select a station and press the controller.
2.Select "Details" and press the controller. 

CD player and CD changer
172
CD player and CD changer
Listening to CDs
Compressed audio files*
CDs with compressed audio files, i.e. MP3, 
can be played by the CD player, but not by the 
CD changer.
CD player: starting CD
With two drives:
The upper drive is for audio CDs.
Insert the CD into the drive with the labeled side 
up. The CD is automatically pulled in.
Playback starts automatically if the sound out-
put is on. For CDs with compressed audio files, 
it can take up to approx. 1 minute to read in the 
data depending on the directory structure.
To start playback when there is already a CD in 
the drive:
1.Press the   button.
This opens the start menu.
2.Move the controller backwards to open 
"Entertainment".3.Change to upper field if necessary. Turn the 
controller until "CD" is selected and press 
the controller.
4.With a CD changer, change to the second 
field from the top and turn the controller 
until "CD" is selected and press the control-
ler.
The CD player is started.
Playback starts automatically if the sound out-
put is switched on.
With programmable memory/
direct selection buttons
You can store the function CD player on the 
programmable memory/direct selection but-
tons to start the CD player, refer to page21.
Press the   button next to CD player.
The CD emerges slightly from the drive.
* 

Navigation
Entertainment
Driving tips
 173Reference
At a glance
Controls
Communications
Mobility
CD changer: starting CD
Fill the CD magazine and insert, refer to 
page176.
1.Press the   button.
This opens the start menu.
2.Move the controller backwards to open 
"Entertainment".
3.Change to upper field if necessary. Turn the 
controller until "CD" is selected and press 
the controller.
4.Change to the second field from the top if 
necessary. Turn the controller until the 
desired CD, CD 1 - 6, is selected and press 
the controller.
At the end of the last track, the next CD will be 
selected.
If the CD magazine has been newly filled, play-
back begins with the lowest CD, e.g. CD 1, 
track 1.
The CD magazine's load status is indicated on 
the Control Display.
With programmable memory/
direct selection buttons
You can store a CD compartment of the CD 
changer on the programmable memory/direct 
selection buttons to start the CD changer, refer 
to page21.
Selecting a track
Buttons next to CD player
Press the  button for the corresponding 
direction repeatedly until you reach the desired 
track.
The CD will start to play at the start of the track. 
The track is displayed on the Control Display.
You can also change the track with buttons on 
the steering wheel, refer to page11.
Via iDrive
Select a track by turning the controller.
Compressed audio files*
1.Select the directory if necessary and press 
the controller.
2.Select the track and press the controller. 

CD player and CD changer
174 To change the directory:
Select the directory and press the controller.
To exit from the menu:
Select the   arrow and press the controller.
You can store a certain track on the program-
mable memory/direct selection buttons, refer to 
page21.
Displaying information on track*
With compressed audio files, you can display 
possibly included information about the current 
track, e.g. the name of the artist.
1.Press the controller.
2.Select "Details" and press the controller.
The information about the current track is dis-
played.
From radio readiness, the setting for the remote 
control used at the moment is saved.
Sampling tracks, scan
The system automatically plays a brief sample 
from each of the tracks on the current CD.
1.Select "Set" and press the controller.
Other menu items are displayed.
2.Select "Scan" and press the controller.
To end sampling:
1.Press the controller.
2.Select "Scan" and press the controller.
This cancels sampling of the tracks, and the 
player remains on the current track.
Compressed audio files*
1.Select the current track and press the con-
troller.
2.Select the desired menu item:
>To sample all tracks of the current direc-
tory, select "Scan directory" and press 
the controller.
>To sample all tracks of the CD, select 
"Scan all" and press the controller. 

AUX-In connection
178
AUX-In connection
You can connect an external audio device, e.g. 
an MP3 player, and play the sound via the vehi-
cle loudspeakers. The sound can be adjusted 
via iDrive.
Connecting
For audio playback via the vehicle loudspeak-
ers, connect the headphones or the line-out 
connection of the device to the socket1 with a 
1/8 in/3,5 mm jack plug.
Starting audio playback
The audio device must be switched on.
1.Press the   button.
This opens the start menu.
2.Move the controller backwards to open 
"Entertainment".
3.Change to upper field if necessary. Turn the 
controller until "AUX" is selected and press 
the controller.
4.Select "AUX" and press the controller.
5.Adjust volume and sound if necessary.
With programmable memory/
direct selection buttons
You can save the function audio AUX on the 
programmable memory/direct selection but-
tons to start audio playback, refer to page21. 

USB/audio interface
180
Starting audio playback
Via iDrive
If the audio device has a device name, this will 
be displayed if possible.
1.Press the   button.
This opens the start menu.
2.Move the controller backwards to open 
"Entertainment".
3.Change to upper field if necessary. Turn the 
controller until "AUX" is selected and press 
the controller.
4.Select "USB" or the name of the audio 
device and press the controller.
5.The playback starts with the first track.
With programmable memory/
direct selection buttons
You can save the function "USB" on the pro-
grammable memory/direct selection buttons to 
start audio playback, refer to page21.
Selecting a track
You can call up the tracks via the playback lists 
and information. With USB devices you can also 
call up the tracks via the file directory.
1.Make your selection, e.g. "Playlists" or "Art-
ists", and press the controller.
2.Select the track and press the controller.
Displaying information on track
You can display any information stored on the 
current track, e.g. the name of the artist.
1.Press the controller during playback.
2.Select "Details" and press the controller.
The information about the current track is dis-
played. 

Telephoning
184
Telephoning
The concept
Your BMW is equipped with a full mobile phone 
preparation package. After a suitable mobile 
phone has been paired in the vehicle once, you 
can operate the mobile phone via iDrive, with 
the buttons on the steering wheel and by voice.
A mobile phone that has been paired once is 
automatically detected again as soon as it is 
brought back inside the vehicle, provided that 
the engine is running or the ignition is switched 
on. The pairing data of up to four mobile phones 
can be stored simultaneously. If several mobile 
phones are detected simultaneously, the most 
recently paired mobile phone can be operated 
via the vehicle.
Using a phone in your vehicle
Using snap-in adapter*
The so-called snap-in adapter, a mobile phone 
cradle, enables the battery to be charged and 
the mobile phone to be connected to the exter-
nal antenna of your vehicle. This ensures 
improved network reception and a consistent 
voice reproduction quality. Ask your BMW cen-
ter which mobile phones snap-in adapters are 
offered for.
For your safety
A car phone makes life more convenient in 
many ways, and can even save lives in an emer-
gency. While you should consult your mobile 
phone's separate operating instructions for a 
detailed description of safety precautions and 
information, we request that you direct your 
particular attention to the following:
Only make entries when traffic conditions 
allow you to do so. Do not hold the mobile 
phone in your hand while you are driving; use 
the hands-free system instead. If you do not 
observe this precaution, your being distracted can endanger vehicle occupants and other road 
users.<
Suitable mobile phones
Ask your BMW center which mobile phones 
with a Bluetooth interface are supported by the 
mobile phone preparation package or which 
mobile phones will fit in the snap-in adapters 
they offer. These mobile phones support the 
functions described in this Owner's Manual, 
provided they are running a certain software 
version. Malfunctions can occur with other 
mobile phones.
Care instructions
You can find what you need to know about car-
ing for your mobile phone in the separate Caring 
for your vehicle brochure and in the mobile 
phone operating instructions.
Operating options
You can operate the mobile phone* using:
>Buttons on steering wheel, refer to page11
>iDrive, refer to page16
>Voice commands, refer to page195
>Programmable memory/direct selection 
buttons, refer to page21
Avoid operating a mobile phone detected by 
the vehicle with the keypad of the mobile 
phone, otherwise malfunctions can occur.
Placing phone calls with BMW Assist 
system*: BMW Assist calls
You can use the BMW Assist system via the 
hands-free unit for BMW Assist calls.
When the status information "BMW Assist" or 
"BMW Service" is displayed in "Communica-
tion", only BMW Assist calls are possible.
*