Question: I let a friend connect to Bluetooth in my car, but now I can’t get my phone to connect for calls or music. I want to reset the system and delete my friend’s phone so this issue doesn’t happen again. How do you reset the Bluetooth in a BMW?
Answer: If you’re having trouble connecting your phone to your BMW’s Bluetooth system, resetting the Bluetooth may help solve your connection problems. It may take a little trial and error, but you can try a few different approaches.
How to unpair a Bluetooth connection in your BMW
Follow these steps on your infotainment center:
- From the main menu of your iDrive screen, tap “Mobile Devices.”
- Choose your phone from the list (or whichever device you want to delete).
- Choose “Delete” to erase the device from your BMW’s Bluetooth.
It may also be a good idea to tell your friend to open the Bluetooth menu on their phone, find your car and select “forget.” Repeat these steps for all devices connected to your BMW’s Bluetooth.
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Need help reconnecting your phone to iDrive?
Reset BMW iDrive system
If you still have connectivity issues with your BMW’s Bluetooth, you may need to reset your iDrive system. This will also help ensure any recent updates are installed on your iDrive.
There are a couple of ways you can do this. Start with your key in the “On” position (you don’t have to crank the car), but be sure you are safely parked.
- Option 1: Press and hold the down volume button for about 30 seconds. The screen will turn black—keep holding the button until the system starts to reboot.
- Option 2: Press and hold the “Phone” button on your steering wheel until the screen goes black and then restarts.
You may need to reconnect your phone to the vehicle’s Bluetooth after the iDrive system resets.
Note: Your BMW likely has a procedure for factory resetting the Bluetooth system. This usually involves pressing a series of buttons or going through specific menu options in iDrive, but the exact process can vary from one BMW model to the next. For instructions specific to your vehicle, check your owner’s manual or call a local BMW dealership.
Expert insurance writer and editor Amy Bobinger specializes in car repair, car maintenance, and car insurance. Amy is passionate about creating content that helps consumers navigate challenges related to car ownership and achieve financial success in areas relating to cars. Amy has over 10 years of writing and editing experience. After several years as a freelance writer, Amy spent four years as an editing fellow at WikiHow, where she co-authored over 600 articles on topics including car maintenance and home ownership. Since joining Jerry’s editorial team in 2022, Amy has edited over 2,500 articles on car insurance, state driving laws, and car repair and maintenance.
Giselle Gomez is an editor with over a decade of experience editing content across personal finance, education, travel, and sports. In editing for Jerry, Giselle’s focus is on making sure content is consumer and SEO-friendly and helping readers understand all things car ownership. In prior roles, she worked as a content strategist, syndication editor, and writer. Her work is featured in AP, NerdWallet.com, BestColleges.com, and more. Giselle holds a master’s degree from Arizona State University.
