Page 19 of 317

At a glance
 17Reference
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Menu overview
Communication
>Telephone*
>BMW Assist* or BMW TeleServices*
Navigation or onboard information
>Navigation system*
>Onboard information, e.g. for displaying 
the average fuel consumption
Entertainment
>Radio
> CD player and CD changer
*
>External audio device
Climate
>Vent settings
> Seat heater distribution
*
>Automatic programs
> Parked-car ventilation
*
 menu
>Switching off Control Display
> Tone and display settings
> Settings for traffic information
*
>Settings for your vehicle, e.g. for the central 
locking system
> Display of maintenance intervals and dead-
lines for legally mandated inspections
> Settings for telephone
*
Operating principle
From radio readiness, refer to page 65, the fol-
lowing message is shown on the Control Dis-
play:
To hide the message:
Press the controller.
This displays the start menu.
The message is automatically hidden after 
approx. 10 seconds.
Start menu
You can call up all the fu nctions of iDrive using 
five menu items.
Opening start menu
Press the  button.
To open the start menu from the  menu:
Press the  button twice. 
         
        
        
     
        
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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
For this purpose, move the controller in the cor-
responding direction and hold it for longer than 
approx. 2 seconds.
Displays in menu
1 Each menu is divided into fields. 
The respective active field is highlighted.
2 A symbol indicates the last selected menu 
item of the start menu:
1 Menu items are usually grouped in horizon-
tal or vertical lists.
2 In these lists, arrows indicate the possibility 
of accessing other menu items that are not 
currently visible.
3 Settings are displayed graphically or 
numerically.
Communication
Navigation or onboard information
Entertainment
Climate
 menu 
         
        
        
     
        
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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 Set-
tings on Control Display, Brightness of Control 
Display, refer to page
89.
1 Selecting menu item:
>Turn the controller; the highlight moves
> Menu items shown in white can be 
selected by highlighting
2 Activating menu item:
>Press the controller
> New menu items are displayed or the 
function is carried out
3 Selecting menu  item: refer to 1 4
Changing between fields:
>Briefly move the controller left, right, for-
ward or back
> Release controller
> Active field appears lighter
5 Adjusting 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 mob ile phone, network 
search or no network
> "BMW Assist"
*:
Existing voice connec tion with a service 
from BMW Assist
2 Entertainment sound output off
3 Display for traffic information
*, TI:
Traffic information for the navigation sys-
tem can be received and transmission is 
switched on
4 Display for:
>  New entries present in "Missed calls"
*
>  Roaming active
5  Telephoning
* possible if the mobile 
phone is paired in the vehicle  Mobile phone network reception 
strength, display dependent on mobile 
phone
6 Time
Other displays:
The status information is temporarily hidden 
when there are Check Control instructions or 
inputs via the voice activation system
*.
Assistance window*
Additional information can be displayed in the 
assistance 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 th e right to change to 
the assistance window and press the con-
troller.
2. Select a menu item.
3. Press the controller. 
         
        
        
     
        
        Page 23 of 317

At a glance
 21Reference
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Switching assistance window off/on
1.Move the controller to th e 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 
buttons
You can save and run certain functions of iDrive 
on the programmable memory buttons:
> Destinations of navigation
> Telephone, phone numbers
*
>Entertainment:
>Radio station
> CD
> CD compartment of CD changer
*
>AUX
The assignment of the programmable buttons 
is stored for the remote control currently in use.
Saving function
Destinations of navigation
1. Select 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.
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. 
         
        
        
     
        
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iDrive
22
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.
The function is run imme diately. This means, 
for example, that when a phone number is 
selected, the connection is  also established, or 
when a navigation destin ation is called up, des-
tination guidance is started.
Displaying button assignment
You can display the assi gnment 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 and hold the   ...   button.
Deleting button assignments
1. Press the  button.
This opens the start menu.
2. Press the controller to open the  menu.
3. Select "Settings" an d press the controller.
4. Select "Vehicle / Tire s" 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. 
         
        
        
     
        
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At a glance
 23Reference
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Voice activation system
The concept
The voice activation 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 activation system transforms your 
oral commands into control signals for the 
selected systems and provides support in the 
form of instructions or questions.
The voice activation system uses a special 
microphone located in th e area of the interior 
rearview mirror, refer to page 14.
Precondition
Via iDrive, set the langua ge that applies for the 
voice activation system in  order to enable iden-
tification of the spoken commands. To set the 
language of iDrive, refer to page 90.
Symbols in Owner's Manual
Voice commands
Activating voice command system
1.Press the  button on the steering wheel.
 This symbol on the Control Display and 
an acoustic signal tell you that the voice 
activation 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 say a dditional commands. 
If no other commands are possible, then oper-
ate the equipment via iDrive.
Terminating or canceling voice 
command system
Press the  button on the steering wheel 
or
*
{ ...}  Say the specified  commands word for 
word. 
{{ ...}}  Indicates responses of the voice acti-
vation system.
{ Cancel } 
         
        
        
     
        
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Voice activation system
24
Commands
Having 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 system list the possible com-
mands:
For example, if you have selected "CD", the 
system will read aloud the possible commands 
for operating the CD player and the CD 
changer
*.
Opening help
Using alternative commands
There are often a number of commands to run a 
function, e.g.: 
Running functions directly with short 
commands
With short commands you can carry out certain 
functions directly, rega rdless of which menu 
item is selected, refer to page 291.
Opening start menu Example: selecting a track
1.
Switch on Entertainment sound output if 
necessary.
2. Press the  button on the steering wheel.
5. Press the  button on the steering wheel.
{
Options }
{ Help }
{ Radio on } or {Turn radio on }
{ Main menu }
3.{Entertainment } 
The system says: 
{{ Entertainment }}
4. {CD } 
The system says: 
{{ CD drive switched on }}
6. Select a track, e.g.: 
{Track 1 } 
The system says: 
{{ Track 1 }}