How Do I Update My BMW Navigation Maps For Free?

BMW suggests conducting a map update every six months, or at the very least once a year, and typically releases up to three new versions of its products each year.

The head unit and the nation have a significant impact on how frequently new releases occur. For instance, more recent iDrives like the NBT Evo ID5/ID6 can receive two or three updates a year, whereas ENTRYNAV may have to wait up to a year for a new BMW navigation update. Even the more recent navigation systems might have to wait in some areas where new map updates aren’t even issued annually.

By entering your VIN on the BMW map update page, you can quickly verify the most recent update for your BMW sat nav. You will then get a list of regions that are compatible with your iDrive, along with years and numbers that represent the quarter in which the update was released.

How can I verify the version of my BMW map? Navigate to the navigation view on your iDrive, select Settings, and then scroll down to Navigation system version. The region, version, and year of your current map are displayed. It’s time to update if it’s older than a year.

HOW TO USE A USB DRIVE TO TRANSFER AND INSTALL THE MAP UPDATE TO YOUR VEHICLE.

You are prepared to get inside the car once you have downloaded the map update or purchased the dealer’s USB disc with the update. Put the USB disk containing the most recent map data into your car’s USB port. The navigation update mode is automatically switched on by the Control Display. Choose “OK” to launch the update. The entire upgrade process could take anything from 30 to 90 minutes. You are not required to wait for the update to be finished. During the upgrade procedure, you can continue use your car and navigation system. Go to your map and press OPTION on the iDrive controller to restart the updating process. Next, choose “Navigation data update.” Please keep the USB disk in place until the update is complete. The navigation system will restart itself after the update has been installed successfully. This ends the updating process. Please navigate to “Navigation,” choose “Settings,” “Position and version,” and then pick “Version information” to view the currently installed map version.

Where can I get the latest maps for my BMW?

Several times a year, changes to the maps are released. They are offered in the BMW Shop as a one- or two-year subscription. If you have a current subscription, you can use the BMW Update Manager to obtain the most recent refresh from the BMW Connected Drive portal and update your map data. You’ll need a 64GB FAT-32 formatted USB drive and the methods below to accomplish this.

  • First, use the icon in the site top to connect into your My BMW Account. Go to “My Vehicles” by navigating.
  • Choose the vehicle for which a map update is desired.
  • Go to the “Map update” section. If a new map version is available, a notification will appear.

Is it possible to upgrade BMW navigation?

Map updates are available from BMW using either a USB stick that has been certified by BMW or the ConnectedDrive Store. It’s crucial to get the most recent information for the best route for you and your BMW because maps are updated frequently.

How can I upgrade the navigation system in my car?

Most onboard navigation systems are concerned with this procedure. You have the choice to upgrade your smartphone by downloading the fresh maps, in accordance with the automaker. The update must then be installed by plugging in your SD card or USB key and connecting it to your dashboard. Typically, the maps are obtained through HERE Navigation’s website, which serves as the exclusive retailer for the main automakers. Every supplier offers an online store with model-specific product categories. This gives you access to a sizable selection from which you can pick the update that best meets your requirements. You could also order a DVD or CD, depending on your model, and install the update that way.

What is the BMW iDrive’s Google Maps interface like?

Visit Google Maps in any web browser, log in using your Google userid, and then search for and select the “gear” icon. You may register your BMW with Google there by entering your BMW Assist user name and password.

How often do BMW’s maps get updated?

You’ll always have access to the most recent navigation map data, which is an advantage. Up to four over-the-air updates per year. When the most recent map data is available, updates happen automatically.

How much will a map update cost me from BMW?

Theoretically, the dealer offers one free national map update, but you must insist on getting one because not all BMW dealers are aware of this arrangement. When the three years are up (or earlier if you want a second national map upgrade), updates from the dealer cost about $200.

Which maps is BMW using?

Pre-installed navigation systems in new automobiles are now practically irrelevant due to the explosive growth of smartphone navigation apps like Google Maps and Waze over the past several years.

However, this does not necessarily imply that the auto industry has given up the fight. In no way. Many of them have actually adopted plan B, and as a result, they are currently collaborating with navigation experts to develop new features that would update their mapping solutions with contemporary capabilities.

BMW, for instance, has partnered with HERE Technologies, a pioneer in the field of navigational software and the creator of a number of cutting-edge mobile applications.

This time, the goal is as straightforward as it can be. As part of the collaboration, HERE Predictive Routing is being upgraded for BMW Maps, a component of the BMW Operating System 8.

Predictive Routing’s intended use is something you may infer from its name, to put it briefly. Your routes and destinations are learned by the system, which then tries to identify patterns that could be used to anticipate future journeys.

But because it can monitor things like traffic conditions, the location you’re about to utilize, the usual departure time, and more, the whole thing is considerably more complicated. Additionally, depending on all of these variables, it makes an educated guess as to where you want to go, after which it offers the best route there as well as a more precise departure time.

For instance, if you use your BMW for your daily commute, the predictive routing feature should be able to quickly figure out what time you usually leave for work and should then provide you the fastest route to take before you leave the garage.

BMW is the first user of the cloud-based predictive routing, according to HERE, who also noted that multiple OEMs’ mobile devices and automobiles can also use the same capabilities.

Is there a fee for software updates at BMW?

It costs nothing to update the software on your BMW through BMW ConnectedDrive. The iDrive software update from BimmerTech starts at $249.

There are three ways to update the software on your BMW iDrive:

  • With the iDrive software upgrade from BimmerTech
  • through the webpage for BMW ConnectedDrive
  • by means of the BMW ConnectedDrive App

By 2022, BMW will have updated its software to version 21-07. The most recent BMW software updates will always appear on your BMW control panel and My BMW App if you wish to stay informed.

How can I tell if the software in my BMW is current?

How will I be informed when an upgrade is ready? Similar to when other new software is made available to your phone, any newly available update packages will be instantly announced as a notification on your BMW control display or on your smartphone via the BMW app.

What version of BMW iDrive do I have, and how do I know?

The iDrive system’s navigation is a crucial component that makes getting from A to B simple. But since roads and sites of interest constantly change, it’s critical to maintain your BMW’s GPS maps updated if you want to get the most out of your iDrive.

Many of the most recent BMW models include over-the-air (OTA) map updates, which use the vehicle’s integrated SIM card to automatically download the most recent map data. The procedure in these automobiles is comparable to updating your smartphone to the most recent iOS or Android version; all you have to do is restart your car after your iDrive has downloaded the data.

For vehicles that do not allow OTA updates, a manual upgrade is necessary. Previously, updating BMW navigation maps required changing a DVD holding the map data. More newer vehicles include built-in hard drives that hold the data, allowing you to update your map by overwriting the hard drive’s contents. You can accomplish this with BMW by connecting a USB stick with the updated map data to the USB port in your vehicle.

It’s a good idea to determine which map version you need, which relies on your iDrive system, before purchasing a new BMW map. Use the settings menu when your iDrive navigation is open to navigate to “Navigation system version,” where you can see the region, version, and year of your current GPS data.

If my BMW has Android Auto, how do I know?

Beginning in July 2020, BMW will begin incorporating Android Auto into its vehicles, the carmaker announced on Wednesday. Additionally, Android Auto will be wireless, making BMW one of the few vehicle companies to provide Google’s smartphone-powered in-car infotainment option without requiring users to plug in.

The company’s “Live Cockpit Professional” hardware (a fancy name for “the biggest touchscreens”), which is available on all 2019/2020 3 Series, 5 Series, 7 Series, and 8 Series sedans, as well as the most recent X3, X5, and X7 SUVs, will support Android Auto. Android Auto will also be available on all BMW vehicles equipped with the 7.0 version of the company’s in-car software (iDrive). (It will be offered on the 2020 X6 SUV as well.) Owners must use Pixel, Nexus, or Samsung devices as this is Android Auto’s wireless variant.

One of the last big manufacturers to resist implementing Android Auto is BMW, especially in light of Toyota’s earlier this year revealed plans to include the feature (together with Apple CarPlay) in some of its own 2020 vehicles. Since a few years ago, BMW has made Apple’s CarPlay available, but up until last week, the carmaker actually paid owners more to use it.

When asked why it took so long to accept Android Auto, a BMW representative responded that over the previous few years, “Apple CarPlay was our main emphasis” due to the “majority of our customers utilizing iOS mobile devices.” The BMW customer spokesman does, however, note that “BMW customers have made it clear that they would like to have Android Auto connectivity accessible moving forward, which is what leads us to today’s statement.”

What version of BMW iDrive is currently in use?

In 2021, BMW announced the BMW Curved Display and the 8th iteration of iDrive. BMW offers iDrive 8.0 on the following models: Active Tourer BMW 2 Series

How did the BMW Connected app fare?

Customers in the United States will be able to download the My BMW App on April 12, 2021, for use on iOS and Android-compatible mobile devices; the My BMW App will completely replace the BMW Connected app by the end of June 2021. Since 1975, BMW of North America, LLC has operated in the United States.