NBT Evo CarPlay activation

NBT Evo CarPlay activation: your BMW has a large screen and iDrive, but no Apple CarPlay? On many models produced from 2016 onwards, the NBT Evo multimedia system can display it full-screen: it needs activating. Before booking an appointment, a few checks avoid unwelcome surprises. Here they are, in the order our Ostwald workshop makes them.

1. NBT Evo CarPlay activation: identify the system

BMW has developed several generations of multimedia systems, often referred to by their technical names: CIC, NBT, NBT Evo, Entrynav, then MGU on more recent models. The CarPlay activation we offer covers three of them:

• NBT Evo, fitted to most BMW models from mid-2016;
• Entrynav, the entry-level navigation system;
• MGU, on more recent models.

The older CIC and first-generation NBT systems are not included in this list. The year alone is not always enough to decide: two cars of the same model built a few months apart can have different systems. The safest approach is to send us your number plate and your vehicle’s navigation version.

2. Check the model and production date

Compatibility is checked model by model, using the chassis code and production date. For the main ranges:

• 1 Series (F20, F21), 2 Series (F22, F23), 3 Series (F30, F31, F34, F80) and 4 Series (F32, F33, F36): from July 2016;
• 5 Series (G30, G31, G38): from October 2016;
• X3, X4, X5 and X6 of the relevant generations: from July 2016;
• MINI (F54, F55, F56, F60): from March 2016.

The complete list of compatible models is on our CarPlay page, including the 6 and 7 Series, M models, i3 and i8, and Z4. If your model is not listed, or you do not know its chassis code, the number plate is sufficient: we carry out the check.

3. iDrive 4 or iDrive 6: the interface question

NBT Evo has not always had the same interface. Early versions run iDrive 4, later ones more recent versions, generally recognisable by their tiled home screen.

On an NBT Evo with iDrive 4, the workshop can upgrade to iDrive 6 alongside CarPlay activation: you get the latest interface, with full compatibility. This upgrade covers the 1 Series (F20, F21), 2 Series (F22, F23), 3 Series (F30, F31) and 4 Series (F32, F33, F36), as well as the M2 (F87), M3 (F80) and M4 (F82, F83).

4. Your phone and everyday use

CarPlay is compatible from iPhone 5 onwards. Once activated, it uses the car’s original screen and controls:

• calls and messaging: calls, iMessage and WhatsApp from the screen and steering wheel;
• navigation: Waze, Coyote or Google Maps in real time on the car’s screen;
• music and podcasts: Spotify, Deezer and your audio apps;
• voice control: the steering wheel button activates Siri.

On NBT Evo, the iPhone generally connects wirelessly: simply check that the phone’s Bluetooth and Wi-Fi are enabled during initial pairing.

CarPlay and BMW menus

CarPlay does not replace iDrive: it is added to its menus. You generally switch between them using the usual console buttons, and the car’s own functions (settings, vehicle information, original navigation) remain accessible as before. If several drivers use the car, each can pair their own iPhone.

5. Use the appointment to update

The iPhone’s navigation apps do not completely replace the car’s built-in maps, which remain useful without network coverage. Two updates can be carried out alongside activation:

• the navigation update, with 2024-2025 maps, on CIC, Entrynav, NBT Evo and MGU systems;
• the software update, covering the vehicle’s entire system.

In the workshop or remotely

Depending on the vehicle, activation takes place at the Ostwald workshop on the outskirts of Strasbourg or remotely: on some cars, there is no need to come, wherever you are in France. Activation, navigation update and software update prices are displayed incl. VAT on the Apple CarPlay BMW page.

To check your car’s compatibility, send your number plate and navigation version using the contact form.