BMW Android Auto: Everything you need to know

Google launched Android Auto seven years ago but was off to a slow start. The car infotainment system platform picked up speed once again after a major overhaul in 2019. The list of car manufacturers that support Android Auto continues to grow, with one of the final holdouts, BMW, joining the fray in 2020. Here’s everything you need to know about Android Auto in your BMW!

See also: The state of Android Auto

Which BMW models support Android Auto?

To use Android Auto in your BMW, you will need a car that runs BMW Operating System 7 or 8.

If you have an older car, you might get an OTA update using BMW’s Remote Software Upgrade functionality. The requirement to get the remote upgrade is to have the iDrive OS 7 which comes with the Live Cockpit Professional (SA6U3) and Connected Package Professional (6C3/4). If you have a 5 series, 6 series, X3, or X4, you can get the Android Auto update for your BMW via a software update at the dealership. You will have to contact your dealership to find out more.

You should get an update notification on the car’s display or on your phone. You can also check for updates by going to Car–>Preferences–>General preferences–>Remote software upgrade–>Search for upgrades.

Does my phone support Android Auto?

You can download the Android Auto app on most smartphones. However, BMW only supports Android Auto Wireless, so that restricts the list of compatible devices quite a bit. These are the requirements you’ll need to be aware of.

• Any with Android 11 will support Android Auto Wireless.
• If you have a Google or Samsung smartphone, you’ll also be able to connect to Android Auto in your BMW even if it’s running Android 10.
• A Samsung Galaxy S8, Galaxy S8 Plus, and Galaxy Note 8 with Android 9.0 are also supported.
• Your phone should be able to connect to 5GHz Wi-Fi.
• You will need an active data plan on your phone.
• Make sure that you’ve downloaded the latest version of the Android Auto app.

See also: 15 best Android Auto apps to get the most out of it

Can I use Google Assistant to control Android Auto in a BMW?

According to BMW, you can use Google’s voice assistant to control Android Auto in the following countries as of December 2020:

• Australia
• Canada (English)
• Denmark
• France
• Germany
• India (English)
• Norway
• South Korea
• Sweden
• United Kingdom
• United States

See more: Everything you need to know about Google Assistant

How do I connect my device to Android Auto?

Once you receive the update that enables Android Auto in your car, the process is really simple. Make sure that you have upgraded to the latest software version.

• Select Android Auto in the Drive 7 apps menu (click on Apps in the left-hand menu).
• Make sure that Bluetooth is activated on your phone, and remember to set it to visible.
• You can then follow the steps that pop up on the display and your smartphone to complete the connection process.