Let’s face it: infotainment gadgets like BMW Apple CarPlay are what make urban SUVs practical with a capital “P” and truly enjoyable to cruise in. It’s fantastic when your urban SUV can boast an economical fuel consumption, quiet engine, or spacious luggage capacity. Addicts of Google Maps will understand exactly what we’re talking about.
The best thing is that the BMW X3 doesn’t just come with Apple CarPlay on the newest G01 variant. Even your 2010 F25 BMW X3 can get this roomy system for iPhone apps without sacrificing any of its OEM iDrive capabilities.
We’re going to show that installing Apple CarPlay shouldn’t be difficult no matter what car type you drive in the sections below.
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Attach your iPhone.
The process of connecting your iPhone to your BMW infotainment system is simple and only needs a few steps.
- Select Communication to launch Apple CarPlay on your BMW X3.
- Select Manage mobile devices after that.
- Select Connect new device after that.
- After that, tap Apple CarPlay, then connect it, and finally, confirm.
- Make sure your Wi-fi is turned on on your iPhone now.
- Then tap on the BMW item under discovery under Bluetooth on your iPhone.
- On your BMW, a confirmation window will occur; click OK. Afterward, verify the same on your iPhone.
- You should be connected within a short while, at which point the Apple CarPlay home screen will show on the BMW infotainment system. To access Apple CarPlay, tap it.
During this process, it is advised that you grant access to your contacts. This guarantees that the hands-free system performs at its best.
Activating Apple CarPlay in my BMW
You can watch this video to discover how to set up and connect Apple CarPlay on your iPhone in a BMW. The BMW X3 utilized in this demonstration has iDrive 7, therefore if you have an older or newer iDrive system, the process may be different. In order to use the advanced phone integration features of CarPlay, an Apple Lightning connector is no longer necessary, setting BMW ahead of the competition in 2916. On the touchscreen of your BMW, the Apple CarPlay interface replicates the appearance and functionality of your phone. The pages in the CarPlay user interface are identical to those on your iPhone’s display. However, there is one restriction: BMW Apps and Apple CarPlay cannot function simultaneously. Additionally, only one device may support both Apple CarPlay and the Wi-Fi hotspot offered by BMW.
BMW Navigation system and iDrive 5 or newer are required for Apple CarPlay. Additionally, an iPhone 5 or later running iOS 9.3 or higher is required. In addition, your iPhone must have Siri, WiFi, and Bluetooth turned on, as well as an active data plan. CarPlay integrates phone, navigation, entertainment, and vehicle control and information capabilities onto the central touchscreen of the BMW iDrive infotainment system.
The following are the general steps for setting up Apple CarPlay in your BMW:
- 1. Your iPhone must have Bluetooth switched ON.
- 2. Press or select COM – Mobile Devices – New Device – Phone calls and audio from the iDrive 7 menu.
- 3. Choose the BMW entry from the Bluetooth menu on your iPhone. Soon the pairing will start, and it can take a few seconds.
- 4. Verify that the PINs displayed on the iPhone and iDrive 7 are identical, then choose YES.
BMW owners can now use Apple CarPlay without paying a fee.
- For all vehicles with navigation, BMW is making Apple CarPlay the default feature without any additional fees, after charging a monthly charge for 2019 and subsequent models.
- BMW wanted to be more respectful of its tech-obsessed customers after hearing complaints.
- BMW is one of the few automakers to offer wireless CarPlay, albeit Android Auto is still not available, so owners already enjoy an added benefit.
BMW doesn’t frequently offer freebies, but following negative news and a large number of dissatisfied consumers, the carmaker is eliminating all payments for Apple CarPlay. It is currently working.
BMW introduced CarPlay some years ago with a straightforward but crucial feature that no other manufacturers could match: the ability to wirelessly connect an iPhone without a USB cable. For the 2019 model year, BMW changed CarPlay from a $300 stand-alone option to a subscription through its ConnectedDrive suite of app services, costing $80 per year or $300 for 20 years. For the first year, CarPlay was offered without charge to owners; however, after that, it was remotely disabled unless a subscription fee was paid.
When Apple released software updates, BMW informed C/D that it would have to charge customers for CarPlay in order to prevent compatibility difficulties with other factory-installed features. The payment was intended to cover BMW’s effort spent creating new iDrive system updates. BMW has now determined that continuing CarPlay’s free operation is a better idea.
It’s a pleasant victory for customers, especially coming from BMW, which offers a number of extras that other manufacturers provide as standard, such as proximity entry, garage-door openers, and lumbar support. Maybe this will signal the start of a new strategy.
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Does the 2017 BMW X3 support Apple CarPlay?
A few days after the i-step was upgraded, the CarPlay preparation became available in the ConnectedDrive store, and I was able to purchase it. I experienced this with a 2017 X3 and was successful in getting CarPlay to function.
Does the 2016 BMW x3 support Apple CarPlay?
BMW CarPlay is a relatively new invention. Since it’s only compatible with 2017 and newer models, many BMW owners are unable to use it in their vehicles.
According to Apple, the full list of BMW vehicles that support Apple CarPlay as of August 2022 is as follows:
- F20 and F21 models of the 2017–2022 BMW 1 Series
- 2017–2022, BMW 2 Series, e.g., F22, F23, F45
- 2017–2022, BMW 3 Series models such the F30, F31, F34, F80, and G20
- BMW 4 Series models F32, F33, F36, F82, and F83 from 2017 to 2022
- BMW 5 Series models from 2017 through 2022, such as the G30, G31, and F90
- BMW 6 Series models F06, F12, F13, and G32 from 2017 to 2022
- 2017-2022 BMW 7 Series, for example, G11 and G12
- 2021-2022 BMW 8 Series models such the G14, G15, and G16
- 2018-2022 BMW X1, for instance, F48
- 2018–2022 BMW X2, such as the F39
- BMW X3 models G01 through 2022
- 2017-2022 BMW X4 models F26 and G02
- 2017-2022 BMW X5 (e.g., F15, G05)
- BMW X6 models like the F16 from 2017 to 2022
- 2021 – 2022 X5 M
- 2021 – 2022 X6 M
- 2018-2021 BMW i3
- 2019-2020 BMW i8
- 2019-2022 BMW Z4 G29
- 2022 i4
- 2022 iX
Apple CarPlay can be added to vehicles without factory support with the appropriate hardware retrofit, even though it is only officially supported by cars made after 2017. Read on for a few potential solutions if you’re interested in installing BMW CarPlay (including the aftermarket alternative) in your older vehicle.
Visit our guide to F30 upgrades to learn more about retrofits for the BMW 3-Series.
Will the BMW X3 have Apple CarPlay?
Although having CarPlay in the X3 is already advantageous, I believe that in order to fully utilize it, it is best to use the apps at full screen width. The BMW X3 comes standard with split-screen CarPlay, which can display up to eight apps per screen. Therefore, turn on BMW Apple CarPlay full-screen if you already have it and would like to offer your apps more room to shine so that you can see all the crucial information at once. You can have up to ten apps on a page and display your running app across the entire width of the screen.
Again, if applicable for your vehicle, our BMW Apple CarPlay activation will enable the full screen mode by default if Apple CarPlay is not yet installed in your X3.
Will the BMW X3 in 2022 have Apple CarPlay?
The new BMW X3 is given digital life by BMW’s Intelligent Personal Assistant, cloud-based navigation, remote software updates, and complete Apple CarPlayTM and Android AutoTM compatibility.
Has the 2018 BMW x3 CarPlay?
Accessed through the attached drive store, the answer is yes. Additionally, you can have it remotely programmed for the car. You would not be able to add the feature if your vehicle had the smaller screen system.
My BMW X3 won’t start Apple CarPlay; what should I do?
Choose your BMW from the Bluetooth menu on your iPhone. Your iDrive 7 screen will validate the pairing request as the two start to pair. Verify the PIN is the same on your iPhone and iDrive 7 screens, then select Yes. On your iDrive 7 screen, select the option to connect to Apple CarPlay.
BMW started providing Apple CarPlay when?
Due to the carmaker switching its chip supplier, BMW is temporarily shipping new vehicles without Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capability.
Apple CarPlay and Android Auto require updated software to function on the new CPUs found in many BMWs produced this year. Dealerships are advising BMW customers who purchase a new vehicle without CarPlay to wait for an over-the-air upgrade that will add the feature “by the end of June at the latest.”
It’s unclear how many BMW models are impacted, but a lot of consumers in the UK, France, Italy, and the US have complained online about receiving new cars without CarPlay. Models that are affected have the specification code “6P1” in them.
While some BMW owners may have to temporarily do without CarPlay capability, BMW is moving chip suppliers to enhance its supply chain over the long run, which could help to alleviate component shortages in the second half of the year.
With support for Digital Key, Ultra Wideband Digital Key Plus, and a feature-rich dual-screen wireless CarPlay experience, BMW provides one of the most integrated experiences with Apple’s ecosystem. BMW only began providing CarPlay in 2016 and faced criticism for charging a $80 yearly subscription charge before canceling the subscription in response to the backlash.