2021 GMC ACADIA pairing phone

GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-14608671) - 2021 - CRC - 10/26/20
138 Infotainment System
Infotainment System
Introduction
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
Steering Wheel Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140
Using the System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
Software Updates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144
Radio
AM-FM Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144
HD Radio Technology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
Radio Data System (RDS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
Satellite Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
Radio Reception . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
Multi-Band Antenna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
Audio Players
Avoiding Untrusted Media Devices . . . . . 147
USB Port . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
Bluetooth Audio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
OnStar System
OnStar System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
Navigation
Using the Navigation System . . . . . . . . . . 152
Maps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Navigation Symbols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Destination . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156
Global Positioning System (GPS) . . . . . . . 161Vehicle Positioning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
Problems with Route Guidance . . . . . . . . 162
If the System Needs Service . . . . . . . . . . . 162
Map Data Updates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
Database Coverage Explanations . . . . . . . 163
Voice Recognition
Voice Recognition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
Phone
Bluetooth (Overview) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168
Bluetooth (Pairing and Using a
Phone) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169
Apple CarPlay and Android Auto . . . . . . . 173
Settings
Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174
Teen Driver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
Trademarks and License Agreements
Trademarks and License Agreements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
Introduction
Read the following pages to become familiar
with the features.
{Warning
Taking your eyes off the road for too
long or too often while using any
infotainment feature can cause a crash.
You or others could be injured or killed.
Do not give extended attention to
infotainment tasks while driving. Limit
your glances at the vehicle displays and
focus your attention on driving. Use voice
commands whenever possible.
The infotainment system has built-in
features intended to help avoid distraction
by disabling some features when driving.
These features may gray out when they are
unavailable. Many infotainment features are
also available through the instrument cluster
and steering wheel controls.

GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-14608671) - 2021 - CRC - 10/26/20
140 Infotainment System
.USB/Bluetooth: Press to seek to
the beginning of the current or
previous track. Press and hold to
quickly reverse through a track.
Release to return to playing speed.
SeeUSB Port 0147 or
Bluetooth Audio 0150.
3.{
.Press to go to the Home Page. See
“Home Page” later in this section.
.Press to exit Android Auto or Apple
CarPlay. To enter back into Android
Auto or Apple CarPlay, press and
hold. SeeApple CarPlay and
Android Auto 0173.
4.d
.Radio: Press and release to go to
the next station or channel. Press
and hold to fast seek the next
strongest station or channel.
.USB/Bluetooth: Press to seek the
next track. Press and hold to fast
forward through a track. Release to
return to playing speed. See USB
Port 0147 or
Bluetooth Audio 0150.
5.oBACK
.Press to return to the previous
display in a menu.
6.V
.Turn to highlight a feature. Press
to activate the highlighted feature.
Home Page
The Home Page is where vehicle application
icons are accessed. Some applications are
disabled when the vehicle is moving.
The Home Page can be set up to have up to
four pages with eight icons per page.
Swipe left or right across the display to
access the pages of icons.
Managing Home Page Icons 1. Touch and hold any of the Home Page icons to enter edit mode.
2. Continue holding the icon and drag it to the desired position.
3. Release your finger to drop the icon in the desired position.
4. To move an application to another page, drag the icon to the edge of the display
toward the desired page.
5. Continue dragging and dropping application icons as desired.
Steering Wheel Controls
If equipped, some audio controls can be
adjusted at the steering wheel.
g:Press to answer an incoming call or
start voice recognition. Press and hold to
activate Bluetooth Voice Recognition/Siri
Eyes Free. See Bluetooth (Pairing and Using
a Phone) 0169 or
Bluetooth (Overview) 0168 or
Voice Recognition 0163.
i:Press to decline an incoming call or
end a current call. Press to mute or unmute
the infotainment system when not on a call.

GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-14608671) - 2021 - CRC - 10/26/20
Infotainment System 141
The favorites and volume switches are on
the back of the steering wheel.1. Favorite: When on a radio source, press to select the next or previous audio
broadcast favorite. When listening to a
media device, press to select the next or
previous track.
2. Volume: Press to increase or decrease the volume.
Using the System
Audio
Touch the Audio icon to display the active
audio source page. Examples of available
sources may include AM, FM, SXM (if
equipped), USB, and Bluetooth.
Phone
Touch the Phone icon to display the Phone
main page. See Bluetooth (Pairing and Using
a Phone) 0169 or
Bluetooth (Overview) 0168.
Nav
Touch the Nav icon (if equipped) to display
the navigation map. See Using the
Navigation System 0152.
Climate
Touch the Climate icon to display the
Climate main page. See Dual Automatic
Climate Control System 0192.
Wi-Fi Hotspot
Touch the Wi-Fi Hotspot icon to display the
Wi-Fi Hotspot information. See Settings
0 174.
Users
If equipped, touch the Users icon to sign in
or create a new user profile, and follow the
on-screen instructions.
Only four user profiles can be active at one
time in the vehicle. It may be necessary to
remove a profile from the menu before creating or signing into an existing profile.
The removed profile can be logged into at a
later time.
Settings
Touch the Settings icon to display the
Settings menu. See
Settings0174.
Apple CarPlay
Touch the Apple CarPlay icon to activate
Apple CarPlay (if equipped) after a
supported device is connected. See Apple
CarPlay and Android Auto 0173.
Android Auto
Touch the Android Auto icon to activate
Android Auto (if equipped) after a supported
device is connected. See Apple CarPlay and
Android Auto 0173.
Apps
If equipped, in-vehicle apps are available for
download. Touch the Apps icon on the
Home Page to begin.
Downloading and using in-vehicle apps
requires Internet connectivity which can be
accessed with a data plan through the
vehicle’s built-in 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot,
if equipped, or a compatible mobile device

GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-14608671) - 2021 - CRC - 10/26/20
150 Infotainment System
Storing and Recalling Media Favorites
To store media favorites, touch Browse to
display a list of media types.
Touch one of the following Browse options
to save a favorite:
Playlists :Touch
Hnext to any playlist to
store the playlist as a favorite. Touch a
saved favorite to recall a favorite playlist.
The first song in the playlist begins to play.
Artists : Touch
Hnext to any artist to
store the artist as a favorite. Touch a saved
favorite to recall a favorite artist. The first
song in the artist list begins to play.
Songs : Touch
Hnext to any song to store
the song as a favorite. Touch a saved
favorite to recall a favorite song.
Albums : Touch
Hnext to any album to
store the album as a favorite. Touch a saved
favorite to recall a favorite album. The first
song in the album list begins to play.
Genres : Touch
Hnext to any genre to
store the genre as a favorite. Touch a saved
favorite to recall a favorite genre. The first
song of the genre begins to play. Podcasts :
Touch
Hnext to any podcast to
store the podcast as a favorite. Touch a
saved favorite to recall a favorite podcast.
The podcast begins to play.
Audiobooks : Touch
Hnext to any
audiobook to store the audiobook as a
favorite. Touch a saved favorite to recall a
favorite audiobook. The first chapter in the
audiobook begins to play.
Media Playback and Mute
USB playback will be paused if the system is
muted. If the steering wheel mute control is
pressed again, playback will resume.
If the source is changed while in mute,
playback resumes and audio will unmute.
Bluetooth Audio
Music may be played from a paired
Bluetooth device. See Bluetooth (Pairing and
Using a Phone) 0169 or
Bluetooth (Overview) 0168 for help pairing
a device.
Volume and song selection may be
controlled by using the infotainment
controls or the mobile device. If Bluetooth is
selected and no volume is present, check the
volume setting on the infotainment system. Music can be launched by touching
Bluetooth from the recent sources list on
the left of the display or by touching the
More option and then touching the
Bluetooth device.
To play music via Bluetooth:
1. Power on the device, and pair to connect the device.
2. Once paired, touch Audio from the Home Page, then touch Bluetooth from the
recent sources list on the left of the
display.
Bluetooth Sound Menu
See “Infotainment System Sound Menu”
under AM-FM Radio 0144.
Manage Bluetooth Devices
From the Home Page: 1. Touch Audio.
2. Touch More.
3. Touch Bluetooth.
4. Touch Devices to add or delete devices.
When touching Bluetooth, the radio may
not be able to launch the audio player on
the connected device to start playing. When
the vehicle is not moving, use the mobile
device to begin playback.

GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
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168 Infotainment System
The name must be precisely spoken.
Nicknames or short names for the
businesses will not likely be found. Lesser
known businesses might have to be located
by category, such as fast food, hotels,
or banks.
“Navigate to Contact”:Begin a dialog to
enter a specific destination contact name.
“Cancel Route” :End route guidance.
“Take Me Home” :Create a route to a
stored home location.
Voice Recognition for the Phone
“Call ” :Initiate a call to a
stored contact. The command may include
location if the contact has location numbers
stored.
“Call At Home,” “At Work,” “On
Mobile,” or“On Other” :Initiate a call to a
stored contact and location at home, at
work, on mobile device, or on another
phone.
“Call ” :Initiate a call
to a cell phone number of seven digits, 10
digits, or three digit emergency numbers.
“Pair Phone” :Begin the Bluetooth pairing
process. Follow the instructions on the
infotainment display. “Redial”
:Initiate a call to the last dialed
number.
“Switch Phone” :Select a different
connected cell phone for outgoing calls.
“Voice Keypad” :Begin a dialog to enter
special numbers like international numbers.
The numbers can be entered in groups of
digits with each group of digits being
repeated back by the system. If the group
of digits is not correct, the command
“Delete” will remove the last group of digits
and allow them to be re-entered. Once the
entire number has been entered, the
command “Call”will start dialing the
number.
Phone Assistant Voice Recognition
Press and holdgon the steering wheel
controls to pass through and launch Google
phone assistant or Siri.
For the low radio, whether connected by
Bluetooth or phone projection, the only
available voice recognition is either Siri
(iPhone) or the Google Assistant (Android).
Phone
Bluetooth (Overview)
The Bluetooth-capable system can interact
with many mobile devices, allowing:
.Placement and receipt of calls in a
hands-free mode.
.Sharing of the device’s address book or
contact list with the vehicle.
To minimize driver distraction, before
driving, and with the vehicle parked:
.Become familiar with the features of the
mobile device. Organize the phone book
and contact lists clearly and delete
duplicate or rarely used entries.
If possible, program speed dial or other
shortcuts.
.Review the controls and operation of the
infotainment system.
.Pair mobile device(s) to the vehicle. The
system may not work with all mobile
devices. See “Pairing”later in this section.
Vehicles with a Bluetooth system can use a
Bluetooth-capable mobile device with a
Hands-Free Profile to make and receive
phone calls. The infotainment system and
voice recognition are used to control the
system. The system can be used while the

GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-14608671) - 2021 - CRC - 10/26/20
Infotainment System 169
ignition is on or in ACC/ACCESSORY. The
range of the Bluetooth system can be up to
9.1 m (30 ft). Not all mobile devices support
all functions and not all mobile devices work
with the Bluetooth system. See my.gmc.com
for more information about compatible
mobile devices.
Controls
Use the controls on the center stack and the
steering wheel to operate the Bluetooth
system.
Steering Wheel Controls
g:Press to answer incoming calls and start
voice recognition on your connected
Bluetooth mobile device.
i: Press to end a call, decline a call,
or cancel an operation. Press to mute or
unmute the infotainment system when not
on a call.
Infotainment System Controls
For information about how to navigate the
menu system using the infotainment
controls, see Using the System 0141.
Audio System
When using the Bluetooth mobile device
system, sound comes through the vehicle's
front audio system speakers and overrides
the audio system. The volume level while on
a mobile device call can be adjusted by
pressing the steering wheel controls or the
volume control on the center stack. The
adjusted volume level remains in memory
for later calls. The volume cannot be
lowered beyond a certain level.
Bluetooth (Pairing and Using a
Phone)
Pairing
A Bluetooth-enabled mobile device must be
paired to the Bluetooth system and then
connected to the vehicle before it can be
used. See the mobile device manufacturer's
user guide for Bluetooth functions before
pairing the device.
Pairing Information
.If no mobile device has been connected,
the Phone main page on the infotainment
display will show the Connect Phone
option. Touch this option to connect. Another way to connect is to touch the
Phones tab at the top right of the display
and then touch Add Phone.
.A Bluetooth smartphone with music
capability can be paired to the vehicle as
a smartphone and a music player at the
same time.
.Up to 10 devices can be paired to the
Bluetooth system.
.The pairing process is disabled when the
vehicle is moving.
.Pairing only needs to be completed once,
unless the pairing information on the cell
phone changes or the cell phone is
deleted from the system.
.If multiple paired cell phones are within
range of the system, the system connects
to the paired cell phone that is set to
First to Connect. If there is no cell phone
set to First to Connect, it will link to the
cell phone which was used last. To link to
a different paired cell phone, see
“Linking
to a Different Phone” later in this section.
Pairing a Phone 1. Make sure Bluetooth has been enabled on the cell phone before the pairing
process is started.

GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
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170 Infotainment System
2. Touch the Phone icon on the Home Pageor the phone icon on the shortcut tray
near the bottom of the display.
3. Touch Phones at the top of the infotainment display. There is also a
Connect Phones option in the middle of
the Phone display which will shortcut to
the Phone List menu.
4. Touch Add Phone.
5. Select the vehicle name shown on the infotainment display from your cell
phone’s Bluetooth Settings list.
6. Follow the instructions on the cell phone to confirm the six-digit code showing on
the infotainment display and touch Pair.
The code on the cell phone and
infotainment display will need to be
acknowledged for a successful pair.
7. Start the pairing process on the cell phone to be paired to the vehicle. See
the cell phone manufacturer's user guide
for information on this process. Once the
cell phone is paired, it will show under
Connected. 8. If the vehicle name does not appear on
your cell phone, there are a few ways to
start the pairing process over:
.Turn the cell phone off and then
back on.
.Go back to the beginning of the
Phone menus on the infotainment
display and restart the pairing
process.
.Reset the cell phone, but this step
should be done as a last effort.
9. If the cell phone prompts to accept connection or allow phone book
download, touch Always Accept and
Allow. The phone book may not be
available if not accepted.
10. Repeat Steps 1−8 to pair additional cell phones.
First to Connect Paired Phones
If multiple paired cell phones are within
range of the system, the system connects to
the paired cell phone that is set as First to
Connect. To enable a paired cell phone as
the First to Connect phone: 1. Make sure the cell phone is turned on.
2. Touch Settings, then touch System. 3. Touch Phones to access all paired and all
connected cell phones and mobile
devices.
4. Touch the information icon to the right of the cell phone to open the cell
phone’s settings menu.
5. Touch the First to Connect option, to enable the setting for that device.
Cell phones and mobile devices can be
added, removed, connected, and
disconnected. A sub-menu will display
whenever a request is made to add or
manage cell phones and mobile devices.
Secondary Phone
A cell phone can be enabled as a Secondary
Phone by touching the information icon to
the right of the paired cell phone name to
open the phone settings menu. If a cell
phone is enabled as a Secondary Phone, it
can connect simultaneously alongside
another Bluetooth mobile device. In doing
so, the Secondary Phone will be labeled as
Incoming Calls. This means the mobile
device can only receive calls. The Address
Book of a Secondary Phone will not be
available and hands-free outgoing calls
cannot be placed using this cell phone.

GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
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Infotainment System 173
Dual Tone Multi-Frequency (DTMF) Tones
The in-vehicle Bluetooth system can send
numbers during a call. This is used when
calling a menu-driven phone system. Use the
Keypad to enter the number.
Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
If equipped, Android Auto and/or Apple
CarPlay capability may be available through
a compatible smartphone. If available, the
Android Auto and Apple CarPlay icons will
change from gray to color on the Home
Page of the infotainment display.
To use Android Auto and/or Apple CarPlay:
For Wired Phone Projection1. Download the Android Auto app to your smartphone from the Google Play store.
There is no app required for Apple
CarPlay.
2. Connect your Android phone or Apple iPhone by using the factory-provided
phone USB cable and plugging into a
USB data port. For best performance, it is
highly recommended to use the device’s
factory-provided USB cable, which should
be replaced after significant wear to
maintain connection quality. Aftermarket
or third-party cables may not work. 3. When the phone is first connected to
activate Apple CarPlay or Android Auto,
accept the terms and conditions on both
the infotainment system and the phone.
4. Follow the instructions on the phone.
The Android Auto and Apple CarPlay icons
on the Home Page will illuminate depending
on the smartphone. Android Auto and/or
Apple CarPlay may automatically launch
upon USB connection. If not, touch the
Android Auto or Apple CarPlay icon on the
Home Page to launch.
Press
{on the center stack to return to the
Home Page.
For Wireless Phone Projection
Verify your phone is wireless compatible by
visiting the Google Android Auto or Apple
CarPlay support page.
1. Download the Android Auto app to your smartphone from the Google Play store.
There is no app required for Apple
CarPlay.
2. For first time connection, there are two ways to set up wireless projection:
.Connect your Android phone or Apple
iPhone by using the factory-provided
phone USB cable and plugging into a USB data port. For best performance,
it is highly recommended to use the
device’s factory-provided USB cable,
which should be replaced after
significant wear to maintain
connection quality. Aftermarket or
third-party cables may not work.
.Connecting the phone over Bluetooth.
See
Bluetooth (Pairing and Using a
Phone) 0169 or
Bluetooth (Overview) 0168.
3. Make sure wireless is turned on the phone for wireless projection to work.
4. When the phone is first connected to activate Apple CarPlay or Android Auto,
agree to the terms and conditions on
both the infotainment system and the
phone.
5. Follow the instructions on the phone.
The Android Auto and Apple CarPlay icons
on the Home Page will illuminate depending
on the smartphone. Android Auto and/or
Apple CarPlay may automatically launch
upon wireless connection. If not, touch the
Android Auto or Apple CarPlay icon on the
Home Page to launch.