BMW 7 SERIES LONG 2015 G12 Owner's Guide

iDriveVehicle features and options
This chapter describes all standard, country-
specific and optional features offered with the
series. It also describes features that are not
necessarily available in your car, e. g., due to
the selected options or country versions. This
also applies to safety-related functions and
systems. The respectively applicable country
provisions must be observed when using the
respective features and systems.
The concept
The iDrive combines the functions of many
switches. These functions can be operated via
controller or touchscreen.
Information WARNING
Operating the integrated information
system and communication devices while driv‐
ing can distract from traffic. It is possible to
lose control of the vehicle. There is risk of an
accident. Only use the systems or devices
when the traffic situation allows. If necessary
stop and use the systems and devices while
the vehicle is stationary.◀Control elements
Overview1Control Display with touchscreen2Controller with buttons and touchpad
Control Display
Information
▷To clean the Control Display, follow the
care instructions, refer to page 294.▷Do not place objects close to the Control
Display; otherwise, the Control Display can
be damaged.▷In the case of very high temperatures on
the Control Display, e.g. due to intense so‐
lar radiation, the brightness may be re‐
duced down to complete deactivation.
Once the temperature is reduced, e.g.
through shadow or climate control system,
the normal functions are re-established.
Switching on
1.Turn on operations.2.Press the controller.
Switch off
1. Press button.
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2."Turn off control display"
Controller
General information
The buttons can be used to open the menus
directly. The controller can be used to select
menu items and enter the settings.
Some iDrive functions can be operated using
the touchpad on the controller, refer to
page 26.
▷Turn.▷Press.▷Move in four directions.
Buttons on controller
Press buttonFunctionPress once: call up main menu.Press twice: open recently
used menus.Open the Communication
menu.Open the Media/Radio menu.Open destination input menu
for navigation.Open navigation map.Open previous panel.Open Options menu.
Operating with the controller
Opening the main menu Press button.
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The main menu is displayed.
All iDrive functions can be called up via the
main menu.
Selecting menu items
Highlighted menu items 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.
"System settings".
Changing between panels
After a menu item is selected, e.g., "System
settings", a new panel is displayed.
▷Move the controller to the left.
Closes current display and shows previous
display.▷ Press button.
The previous display opens.▷Move the controller to the right.
New display is opened.
White arrows pointing to the left or right indi‐
cate that additional panels can be opened.
Opening recently used menus
The recently used menus can be displayed.
Press button twice.
Opening Options menu Press button.
The Options menu is displayed.
The Options menu consists of different areas:
▷Screen settings, e.g., "Split screen".▷Control options for the selected main
menu, e.g., for "Media/Radio".▷If applicable, further operating options for
the selected menu, e.g., "Save station".
Changing settings
1.Select a field.Seite 23iDriveAt a glance23
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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. The checkbox indicates whether the func‐
tion is activated or deactivated. Selecting the
menu item activates or deactivates the func‐
tion.
Function is activated.
Function is deactivated.
Entering letters and numbers
General information
Letters and numbers can be entered using the
controller or the touchscreen.
The keyboard's display changes automatically.
Entry
1.Turn the controller: select letters or num‐
bers.2. : confirm entry.SymbolFunction Press the controller: delete the let‐
ter or number. Hold controller down: delete all let‐
ters and numbers.Switching between cases, letters and
numbers
Depending on the menu, you can switch be‐
tween entering upper and lower case, letters
and numbers.SymbolFunction Enter the letters. Enter the numbers. or

Change between capital and
lower-case letters.
Entry comparison
When entering names and addresses, the
choice is narrowed down with every letter en‐
tered and letters may be added automatically.
Entries are continuously compared with data
stored in the vehicle.
▷Only those letters are offered during input
for which data is available.▷Destination search: names of locations
may be entered in languages available
through iDrive.
Using alphabetical lists
For alphabetical lists with more than 30 en‐
tries, the letters for which there is an entry are
displayed at the left edge.
1.Turn the controller to the left or right
quickly.
All letters for which there are entries are
displayed on the left side.2.Select the first letter of the desired entry.
The cursor jumps to the first entry of the
selected letter.Seite 24At a glanceiDrive24
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Operating via touchscreenGeneral information
The Control Display is equipped with a touch‐
screen.
Touch touchscreen with your fingers. Do not
use any objects.
Opening the main menu
Tap symbol.
All iDrive functions can be called up via the
main menu.
Selecting menu items
Tap desired menu item.
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.
"System settings".
Changing between panels
After a menu item is selected, a new panel is
displayed.
The white arrow indicates that additional pan‐
els can be called up.
▷Swipe to the left.▷Tap symbol.
New display is opened.
Opening recently used menus
Tap symbol twice.
Changing settings
Settings such as volumes can be changed via
the touchscreen.
▷Slide in the selected field to the right or
left, until the desired setting is displayed.▷ , Tap symbol.
Activating/deactivating the functions
Several menu items are preceded by a check‐
box. The checkbox indicates whether the func‐
tion is activated or deactivated. Selecting the
menu item activates or deactivates the func‐
tion.
Function is activated.
Function is deactivated.
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Entering letters and numbers
General information
Letters and numbers can be entered using the
controller or the touchscreen.
The keyboard's display changes automatically.SymbolFunction Tapping the symbol: delete the let‐
ter or number. Tapping the symbol for an extended
period: delete all letters or numbers.
Switching between cases, letters and
numbers
SymbolFunction Enter the letters. Enter the numbers. or

Change between capital and
lower-case letters.
Operating navigation map
The navigation map can be moved with the
touchscreen.
FunctionControlsEnlarge/shrink
map.Drag in or out with the fin‐
gers.Rotate map.Move fingers in a circle.
Touchpad
General information
Some iDrive functions can be operated using
the touchpad on the controller.
Selecting functions1."My Vehicle"2."System settings"3."Touchpad"4.Select desired setting.▷"Speller": enter letters and numbers.▷"Interactive map": viewing the interac‐
tive map.▷"Browser": enter Internet addresses.▷"Search fields": write letters without
selecting the list field.▷"Audio feedback": pronounces entered
letters and numbers.▷"Two-finger scrolling": operate lists.
Entering letters and numbers
Entering letters requires some practice at the
beginning. When entering, pay attention to the
following:
▷The system recognizes capital and lower
case letters. For the input of upper/lower
case letters and numbers, it may be neces‐
sary to switch to the corresponding input
mode, e.g. when upper and lower case let‐
ters are written the same way. Switching
between cases, numbers and letters, refer
to page 24.▷Enter characters as they are displayed on
the Control Display.▷Always enter associated characters, such
as accents or periods so that the letter can
be clearly recognized. Possible input de‐
pends on the set language. Where neces‐
sary, enter special characters via the con‐
troller.▷To delete a character, swipe to the left on
the touchpad.▷To enter a blank space, slide to the right in
the center of the touchpad.▷To enter a hyphen, slide to the right in the
upper area of the touchpad.Seite 26At a glanceiDrive26
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▷To enter an underscore, swipe to the right
in the lower area of the touchpad.
Using interactive map and Internet
Via touch-pad move the interactive map in the
navigation system and Internet sites.
FunctionControlsMove interactive map or
Internet sites.Swipe in the ap‐
propriate direc‐
tion.Enlarge/shrink interactive
map or Internet sites.Drag in or out on
the touchpad with
fingers.Display the menu or
open a link in the Inter‐
net.Tap once.
Changing settings
You may change control display settings via
touchpad. Slide left or right accordingly.
Split screen
General information Additional information can be displayed on the
right side of the split screen, e.g., information
from the on-board comupter.
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 button.2."Split screen"
Selecting the display
1. Press button.2.Move the controller to the right until the
split screen is selected.3.Press the controller.4.Select desired setting.
Specifying the number of displays
It is possible to specify the number of displays.
1.Move the controller to the right until the
split screen is selected.2.Press the controller.3."Personalize menu"4.Select desired setting.5.Move the controller to the left.
Status information
Status field The following information is displayed in the
status field:
▷Messages.▷Wireless network reception strength.▷Current entertainment source.▷Time.
Status field symbols
The symbols are grouped as follows.
Radio symbols
SymbolMeaning HD Radio station is being received.Seite 27iDriveAt a glance27
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Telephone symbolsSymbolMeaning Incoming or outgoing call. Missed call. Wireless network reception
strength.
Symbol flashes: network search. Wireless network is not available. Roaming is active. Text message was received. Message received. Reminder. Sending not possible. Contacts are imported.
Entertainment symbols
SymbolMeaning CD/DVD player. Music collection. AUX-IN port.
AUX-IN port in the front or in the
rear. Bluetooth audio. USB audio interface. Mobile phone audio interface. Online Entertainment. WLAN. iPod.Additional symbolsSymbolMeaning Check Control message. Spoken instructions are turned off. Request of the current vehicle posi‐
tion.
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 menu entries.
Settings are stored for the profile currently
used.
Saving a function
1.Select function via iDrive.2. Press and hold the desired button
until a signal sounds.
Running a function
Press button.
The function will work immediately. This
means, e.g., that the number is dialed when a
phone number is selected.
Displaying the button assignment Touch buttons with bare fingers. Do not wear
gloves or use objects.
The key assignment is displayed at top edge of
screen.
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Deleting the button assignments
1.Press buttons 1 and 7 simultaneously for
approx. five seconds.2."OK"Seite 29iDriveAt a glance29
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BMW gesture controlVehicle features and optionsThis chapter describes all standard, country-
specific and optional features offered with the
series. It also describes features that are not
necessarily available in your car, e. g., due to
the selected options or country versions. This
also applies to safety-related functions and
systems. The respectively applicable country
provisions must be observed when using the
respective features and systems.
The concept
Several iDrive functions can be operated using
BMW gesture control.
OverviewThe gestures are captured by a camera in the
roofliner.
Perform gestures underneath the interior mir‐
ror.
Activation/deactivation
About iDrive:1."My Vehicle"2."System settings"3."Gestures"4."Gesture control"
Adjusting
▷"Display tips": the possible gesture is
shown on the Control Display.▷"Audio feedback": an acoustic signal is
outputted once the gesture is recognized.Seite 30At a glanceBMW gesture control30
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