2011 BMW 550I GT display

iDrive
The concept
The
iDrive combines the functions of a multitude
of switches. Thus, these functions can be oper‐
ated from a central location.
Using the iDrive during a trip
To avoid becoming distracted and posing
an unnecessary hazard to your vehicle's occu‐
pants and to other road users, never attempt to
use the controls or enter information unless traf‐
fic and road conditions allow this.◀
Controls at a glance
Controls 1
Control Display
2 Controller with buttons
The

buttons can be used to open the menus
directly. The controller can be used to select
menu items and create the settings.
Control Display
Notes
▷ To clean the Control Display, follow the care
instructions.
▷ Do not place objects close to the Control
Display; otherwise, the Control Display can
be damaged. Switching off
1.
Press the button.
2. "Switch off control display" Switching on
Press the controller again to switch the screen
back on.
Controller
Select menu items and create settings.
1.
Turn. 2.
Press. Seite 19
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Reference Mobility Communication Entertainment Navigation Driving tips Controls
At a glance

3.
Move in four directions. Buttons on controller
Press the button Function
MENU
Open the main menu.
RADIO Opens the Radio menu.
CD Opens the CD/Multimedia
menu.
NAV Opens the Navigation map
view.
TEL Opens the Telephone
menu.
BACK Displays the previous
panel.
OPTION Opens the Options menu. Operating concept
Opening the main menu
Press the button. The main menu is displayed. All iDrive functions can be called up via the main
menu.
Selecting menu items
Menu items shown in white can be selected.
1.
Turn the controller until the desired menu
item is highlighted. 2.
Press the controller.
Menu items in the Owner's Manual
In the Owner's Manual, menu items that can be
selected are set in quotation marks, e.g.,
"Settings".
Changing between panels
After a menu item is selected, e.g.,
"Radio", a
new panel is displayed. Panels can overlap.
▷ Move the controller to the left.
The

current panel is closed and the previous
panel is displayed.
The previous panel is opened again by
pressing the BACK button. In this case, the
current panel is not closed.
▷ Move the controller to the right.
A

new panel is opened on top of the previous
display. Seite 20
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iDrive

White arrows pointing to the left or right indicate
that additional panels can be opened.
View of an opened menu
When
a menu is opened, it generally opens with
the panel that was last selected in that menu. To
display the first panel of a menu:
▷ Move the controller to the left repeatedly
until the first panel is displayed.
▷ Press the menu button on the controller
twice.
Opening the Options menu Press the button.
The "Options" menu is displayed. Additional options: move the controller to the
right

repeatedly until the "Options" menu is dis‐
played.
Options menu
The "Options" menu consists of various areas:
▷ Screen settings, e.g., "Split screen".
This area remains unchanged.
▷ Control options for the selected main menu,
e.g., for "Radio".
▷ If applicable, further operating options for
the selected menu, e.g.,

"Store station".
Changing settings
1. Select a field. 2.
Turn the controller until the desired setting
is displayed. 3.
Press the controller.
Activating/deactivating the functions
Several menu items are preceded by a check‐
box. It indicates whether the function is acti‐
vated or deactivated. Selecting the menu item
activates or deactivates the function. The function is activated.
The function is deactivated.
Example: setting the clock
Setting the clock
1. Press the button. The main menu is
displayed.
2. Turn the controller until "Settings" is high‐
lighted, and then press the controller. 3.
If necessary, move the controller to the left
to display "Time/Date"

.
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Reference Mobility Communication Entertainment Navigation Driving tips Controls
At a glance

4.
Turn the controller until "Time/Date" is high‐
lighted, and then press the controller. 5.
Turn the controller until "Time:" is high‐
lighted, and then press the controller. 6.
Turn the controller to set the hours and
press the controller.
7. Turn the controller to set the minutes and
press the controller.
Status information
Status field
The

following information is displayed in the sta‐
tus field at the top right:
▷ Time.
▷ Current entertainment source.
▷ Sound output, on/off.
▷ Wireless network reception strength.
▷ Telephone status.
▷ Traffic bulletin reception*.
Status field symbols
The symbols are grouped as follows. Radio symbols Symbol Meaning
Traffic bulletins* are switched on.
HD Radio™* is switched on.
Satellite radio* is switched on.
Telephone symbols
Symbol Meaning
Incoming or outgoing call*.
Missed call*.
Wireless network reception
strength*
Symbol flashes: searching
for network. Wireless network is not available*.
Bluetooth* is switched on.
Roaming* is active.
Text message* was received.
Check the SIM card*.
SIM card* is blocked.
SIM card* is missing.
Enter the PIN*.
Entertainment symbols
Symbol Meaning
CD/DVD* player.
Music collection*.
Gracenote® database*.
AUX-IN port.
Rear AUX-IN port on the left*.
Rear AUX-IN port on the right*. Seite 22
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iDrive

Symbol Meaning
USB audio interface*.
Mobile phone audio interface*.
Additional symbols
Symbol Meaning
Spoken instructions* are switched
off. Request of the current vehicle posi‐
tion*. Split screen*
General information
Additional information can be displayed on the
right side of the split screen, e.g., information
from the computer.
In the divided screen view, the so-called split
screen, this information remains visible even
when you change to another menu.
Switching the split screen on and off
1.
Press the button.
2. "Split screen"
Selecting the display
1. Press the button.
2. "Split screen"
3. Move the controller until the split screen is
selected. 4.
Press the controller or select "Split screen
content".
5. Select the desired menu item. Programmable memory
buttons
General information
The iDrive functions can be stored on the pro‐
grammable memory buttons and called up di‐
rectly, e.g., radio stations, navigation destina‐
tions, phone numbers and entry points into the
menu.
The settings are stored for the remote control
currently in use.
Saving a function
1.
Highlight the function via the iDrive.
2. Press the desired button for more
than 2 seconds.
Running a function Press the button.
The function will run immediately. This
means, for example, that the number is dialed
when a phone number is selected.
Displaying the button assignment
Use a finger to touch the buttons. Do not wear
gloves or use objects.
The
key assignment is displayed at the top edge
of the screen. Seite 23
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Reference Mobility Communication Entertainment Navigation Driving tips Controls
At a glance

▷
To display short information: touch the but‐
ton.
▷ To display detailed information: touch the
button for an extended period.
Deleting the button assignments
1. Press buttons 1 and 8 simultaneously for
approx. five seconds.
2. "OK"
Entering letters and numbers
1. Turn the controller: select letters or num‐
bers.
2. Select additional letters or numbers if
needed.
3. "OK": confirm the entry. Symbol Function
Press the controller: delete the letter
or number. Press the controller for an extended
period: delete all letters or numbers. Enter a blank space.
Switching between letters and
numbers
Depending on the menu, you can switch be‐
tween entering letters and numbers:
Symbol Function
Enter the letters.
Enter the numbers. Switching between upper and lower
case letters
Depending on the menu, you can switch be‐
tween entering upper and lower case letters:
Symbol Function
Move the controller up: switch
from upper to lower case letters. Move the controller up: switch
from lower to upper case letters. Entry comparison
Entry of names and addresses: the selection is
narrowed
down every time a letter is entered and
letters may be added automatically.
The entries are continuously compared to the
data stored in the vehicle.
▷ Only those letters are offered during the en‐
try for which data is available.
▷ Destination search: town/city names can be
entered

using the spelling of language avail‐
able on the Control Display.
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iDrive

Voice activation system*
The concept
▷
The voice activation system can be used to
operate
functions by means of spoken com‐
mands.
▷ Most menu items on the Control Display can
be voiced as commands. The system
prompts you to make your entries.
▷ Functions that can only be used when the
vehicle

is stationary cannot be operated us‐
ing the voice activation system.
▷ The system uses a special microphone on
the driver's side.
▷ ›...‹ Verbal instructions in the Owner's
Manual

to use with the voice activation sys‐
tem.
Requirements
Via the Control Display, set a language that is
also supported by the voice activation system
so

that the spoken commands can be identified.
Set the language, refer to page 82.
Using voice activation
Activating the voice activation system
1. Press the button on the steering
wheel.
2. Wait for the signal.
3. Say the command.
The

command is displayed in the instrument
cluster. This symbol in the instrument cluster indi‐
cates that the voice activation system is active.
If no other commands are available, continue
operating the function via iDrive. Terminating the voice activation
system
Briefly press the button on the steering wheel
or ›Cancel‹.
Possible commands
Having possible commands read aloud
The commands available in each case depend
on the menu item selected on the Control Dis‐
play.
To have the available commands read out
loud: ›Voice commands‹
For

example, if the "Settings" menu is displayed,
the commands for the settings are read out loud.
Help dialog for the voice activation
system
Calling up help dialog: ›Help‹
Additional commands for the help dialog:
▷ ›Help with examples‹: information about the
current operating options and the most im‐
portant

commands for them are announced.
▷ ›Help with voice activation‹: information
about

the principle of operation for the voice
activation system is announced.
Executing functions using short
commands
Functions on the main menu can be performed
directly

by means of short commands, irrespec‐
tive of which menu item is currently selected,
e.g., ›Vehicle status‹.
List of short commands of the voice activation
system, refer to page 277.
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Reference Mobility Communication Entertainment Navigation Driving tips Controls
At a glance

Example: playing back a CD
1.
Switch on the Entertainment sound output
if necessary.
2. Press the button on the steering
wheel.
3. ›C D and multimedia‹
The medium last played is played back.
4. Press the button on the steering
wheel.
5. ›C D track ...‹ e.g., CD track 4.
Setting the voice dialog
You can set whether the system should use the
standard dialog or a shorter version.
In the shorter variant of the voice dialog, the an‐
nouncements from the system are issued in an
abbreviated form.
On the Control Display:
1. "Settings"
2. "Language/Units"
3. "Speech mode:"
4. Select the setting. Adjusting the volume
Turn

the volume button while giving an instruc‐
tion until the desired volume is set.
▷ The volume remains constant even if the
volume of other audio sources is changed. ▷
The volume is stored for the remote control
currently in use.
Notes on Emergency
Requests
Do
not use the voice activation system to initiate
an Emergency Request. In stressful situations,
the voice and vocal pitch can change. This can
unnecessarily delay the establishment of a tel‐
ephone connection.
Instead, use the SOS button*, refer to
page 264, in the vicinity of the interior mirror.
Environmental conditions
▷ Say the commands, numbers, and letters
smoothly and with normal volume, empha‐
sis, and speed.
▷ Always say commands in the language of
the voice activation system.
▷ When selecting a radio station, use the com‐
mon pronunciation of the station name.
▷ Keep the doors, windows, and glass sun‐
roof* closed to prevent noise interference.
▷ Avoid making other noise in the vehicle
while speaking.
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Voice activation system