Page 20 of 264

iDrive
18
Opening menu items of start menu
From the start menu, you can call up the four 
menu items Communication, Navigation, Enter-
tainment, and Climate by moving the controller 
left, right, forward, or back.
You can open the   menu by pressing the con-
troller.
Comfort opening of menu items
Comfort opening offers you the option of:
>Opening a menu item of the start menu in 
the view last selected
>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 cur-
rently selected field appears brighter.
2A symbol indicates the last selected menu 
item of the start menu: 
1Menu items are usually grouped in horizon-
tal or vertical lists.
2Arrows indicate the possibility of accessing 
other menu items that are not currently vis-
ible.
3Settings are displayed graphically or 
numerically.
Communication
Navigation or onboard info
Entertainment
Climate
 menu 
     
        
        Page 21 of 264
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 page82.
1Selecting menu item:
>Turn controller; marking moves
>Menu items shown in white can be 
selected by marking
2Activating a menu item:
>Press controller
>New menu items are displayed or 
function is carried out
3Selecting a menu item: refer to 14Changing between fields:
>Briefly move 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 
     
        
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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": 
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 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:
When Check Control information appears or 
entries are made via the voice command sys-
tem
*, the status information is temporarily hid-
den.
Assistance window*
Additional information appears in the assis-
tance window:
>the computer or the trip computer
>the arrow or map view with 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. 
     
        
        Page 23 of 264

At a glance
 21Reference
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Switching assistance window on/off
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 
on/off
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. 
     
        
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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.<
Running 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". 
     
        
        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 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 
spoken commands into control signals for the 
selected systems and provides support in the 
form of instructions or questions.
The voice command system includes a special 
microphone.
The microphone is located:
>Near the interior rearview mirror in the 
Coupe, refer to page14
>On the steering column in the Convertible
Prerequisite
In order to enable identification of the com-
mands to be spoken, use iDrive to set the lan-
guage for the voice command system. Setting 
iDrive language, 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 the responses of the voice 
command system. 
     
        
        Page 27 of 264
At a glance
 25Reference
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Notes
The mobile phone can also be operated 
with voice commands, refer to 
page195.<
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 
usual 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 convertible top closed to prevent 
interference from ambient noise.
>Avoid background noises in the vehicle 
while speaking. 
     
        
        Page 31 of 264

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 
page33
>Programming buttons on steering wheel, 
refer to page55
>Displays on Control Display:
>12h/24h clock mode, refer to page83
>Date format, refer to page83
>Brightness of the Control Display, refer 
to page83
>Units of measure for consumption, 
route/distances, temperature and pres-
sure, refer to page84
>Language on the Control Display, refer 
to page84>Lighting settings:
>Triple turn signal activation, refer to 
page64
>Welcome lamps, refer to page102
>Pathway lighting, refer to page103
>Daytime running lamps
*, refer to 
page103
>High-beam assistant
*, refer to page104
>PDC Park Distance Control
*: optical warn-
ing, refer to page86
>Head-Up Display
*: selection and bright-
ness of display, refer to page97
>BMW Night Vision
*: display settings, refer 
to page100
>Automatic climate control: for AUTO pro-
gram and intensity, cooling function, and 
automatic recirculated air control/recircu-
lated air mode, temperature, air distribution, 
temperature in the upper body region, refer 
to page109
>Navigation system
*: voice instructions for 
destination guidance, refer to page132
The most recent settings for the following are 
also called up during unlocking:
>Programmable memory/direct selection 
buttons: selecting stored functions, refer to 
page44
>Driver's seat, exterior-mirror and steering-
wheel position, refer to page49
>Audio sources: volume and tone settings, 
refer to page159
>Radio: display of stored stations, refer to 
page162
>Phone: adjusting volume, refer to page190