[mandomedic122]

Originally Posted by nZtiZia

if you're asking about the Digital Key on the Apple iPhone, that already works on compatible devices. vehicles built on or after June 2020 are compatible. if you don't meet both of these criteria, even updated i-Step software won't make it work. (I mention this because people have asked in light of recent OTA updates.)

Amazon Alexa in-car integration isn't supported in the U.S. yet. rumor is it's coming in July. currently, U.S. owners can use Alexa to operate the BMW Connected skill through an in-home Echo device.

Alexa works in my X5, it's a My201903 build. I love it, cause my entire house is automated with Alexa.

[nZtiZia]

Originally Posted by mandomedic122

Alexa works in my X5, it's a My201903 build. I love it, cause my entire house is automated with Alexa.

can u explain? i know it's already working in the EU. i've read US Android users are able to do some sort of hack into using the EU-spec app. does your iDrive menu show something like the below photo (video screenshot from Jan 2019 demo)?

it was officially stated in Feb '21 that US vehicles do not have in-car Alexa support yet. (are you referring to the BMW Connected skill in the Amazon Alexa app? if so, that's not the same thing.)

[mandomedic122]

Originally Posted by nZtiZia

can u explain? Android user hacked into using EU-spec app?

I downloaded the app on my iPhone and then signed in using my connected drive app. It linked immediately to my vehicle. After that I selected the profile icon on the bottom of the MyBMW app and linked Amazon Alexa to my connected drive account.

There's a video on the app that shows you exactly how to do it.

My vehicle is on iStep 03/2021.57

[nZtiZia]

Originally Posted by mandomedic122

I downloaded the app on my iPhone and then signed in using my connected drive app. It linked immediately to my vehicle. After that I selected the profile icon on the bottom of the MyBMW app and linked Amazon Alexa to my connected drive account.

There's a video on the app that shows you exactly how to do it.

My vehicle is on i-Step 03/2021.57

ah ha! that's the reason: you have a very updated i-Step version, which i know you had to go a roundabout way to get it (see below). as i mentioned above, i know EU vehicles already have in-car Alexa support (even on 11/2020). still, you're being a little bit cryptic if you're in the US or not despite what your profile shows.

i-Step 03/2021 is not readily available as an OTA or otherwise. it's mentioned in the following thread how users can download this version and flash/program it using ISTA, which is a skill not all of us have. you posted once in this thread asking if coding is one way to get it, so you sound like someone who knows his way around software, but at this moment for us non-software engineer-types with i-Step 11/2020 in the US, we do not have in-car Alexa support yet.
New i-step: 03/2021.525 https://g05.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1804640

if you are in the US and this is the way you did it, please don't mislead because you make it sound all simple but initially left out that critical detail about how you had to download, flash, code, and program 03/2021. if it were as simple as you make it sound, many of us would have already done it, but AFAIK, you're the only US vehicle owner on this forum with this feature...and on an older G05, making your "easy" procurement all the more suspicious.

my wife's G30 is 2020 and my G05 is 2021, both US models. Below is a screenshot from the MyBMW app showing how both our vehicles (that are newer than yours) aren't supported. Even though I'm connected, in-car Alexa doesn't work because we're on i-Step 11/2020 in the US.

please feel free to clarify any details. i don't claim to be an expert on ISTA programming.

[mandomedic122]

Originally Posted by nZtiZia

ah ha! that's the reason: you have a very updated i-Step version, which i know you had to go a roundabout way to get it (see below). as i mentioned above, i know EU vehicles already have in-car Alexa support (even on 11/2020). still, you're being a little bit cryptic if you're in the US or not despite what your profile shows.

i-Step 03/2021 is not readily available as an OTA or otherwise. it's mentioned in the following thread how users can download this version and flash/program it using ISTA, which is a skill not all of us have. you posted once in this thread asking if coding is one way to get it, so you sound like someone who knows his way around software, but at this moment for us non-software engineer-types with i-Step 11/2020 in the US, we do not have in-car Alexa support yet.
New i-step: 03/2021.525 https://g05.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1804640

if you are in the US and this is the way you did it, please don't mislead because you make it sound all simple but initially left out that critical detail about how you had to download, flash, code, and program 03/2021. if it were as simple as you make it sound, many of us would have already done it, but AFAIK, you're the only US vehicle owner on this forum with this feature...and on an older G05, making your "easy" procurement all the more suspicious.

my wife's G30 is 2020 and my G05 is 2021, both US models. Below is a screenshot from the MyBMW app showing how both our vehicles (that are newer than yours) aren't supported. Even though I'm connected, in-car Alexa doesn't work because we're on i-Step 11/2020 in the US.

please feel free to clarify any details. i don't claim to be an expert on ISTA programming.

I didn't flash/load my vehicle to the latest i-step. my X5's DKombi died on me and I took it in as part of the warranty. They replaced it, and found that there were more problems than they thought (Kafas camera was inop, and the windshield was replaced because the warming elements for the Kafas camera were shorted out). I in no way was being cryptic.

But because I was upgraded to the new i-step, alexa was made available on the BMW Connected app.

[nZtiZia]

Originally Posted by mandomedic122

I didn't flash/load my vehicle to the latest i-step. my X5's DKombi died on me and I took it in as part of the warranty. They replaced it, and found that there were more problems than they thought (Kafas camera was inop, and the windshield was replaced because the warming elements for the Kafas camera were shorted out). I in no way was being cryptic.

But because I was upgraded to the new i-step, alexa was made available on the BMW Connected app.

gotcha, I apologize for insinuating such. that experience must've been frustrating, but I'm still not clear on some things. did a U.S. dealership flash i-Step 03/2021 or a shop like bimmer-tech? when was the flash done? U.S. vehicle with U.S. BMW Connected app? iPhone or Android? (I've read Androids have a special ability to get software not officially released for the U.S.) it's these little differentiations that can mean a big difference overall especially when the full context isn't understood.

I was just in for service a few weeks ago with 11/2020.38 and the dealership only updated me to 11/2020.64, nowhere near 03/2021 from them.

Just understand that getting version 03/2021 isn't something that'll come easy peasy to most of us, and that your initial comment can kinda mislead others to thinking that getting in-car Alexa support is as simple as following a YT video. there's more to it than that for the U.S. market.

[mandomedic122]

Originally Posted by nZtiZia

gotcha, I apologize for insinuating such. that experience must've been frustrating, but I'm still not clear on some things. did a U.S. dealership flash i-Step 03/2021 or a shop like bimmer-tech? when was the flash done? U.S. vehicle with U.S. BMW Connected app? iPhone or Android? (I've read Androids have a special ability to get software not officially released for the U.S.) it's these little differentiations that can mean a big difference overall especially when the full context isn't understood.

I was just in for service a few weeks ago with 11/2020.38 and the dealership only updated me to 11/2020.64, nowhere near 03/2021 from them.

Just understand that getting version 03/2021 isn't something that'll come easy peasy to most of us, and that your initial comment can kinda mislead others to thinking that getting in-car Alexa support is as simple as following a YT video. there's more to it than that for the U.S. market.

BMW of El Paso performed all the work including the i-step software update. It was all done under warranty.

This was done in late march, and they kept my vehicle for almost 6 weeks cause they couldn't fix the driver assistance error. BMW Engineers from Germany were in finding the problem. At the end, it turned out to be the Short and Long Range Sensors were not programmed correctly when the update was done.

To me, getting Alexa set up was really simple, followed the guide on the MyConnected app, linked my account to Alexa, configured the idrive system, and it worked. I guess I was lucky.

Armando

[FbondeM]

Originally Posted by jc.bmw

I’ve been using the digital key through my apple watch. Super convenient so I don’t have to carry a physical key, specially when going out for outdoor activities.

Whenever I use the digital key though, the driver profile resets to Guest. I need to go into the menu to change it every time. BMW confirms everything to make the manual switch even more annoying. The digital key is associated with the driver profile but it doesn’t make the switch automatically, and it changes back to Guest when I lock the car.

Anyone else seen this happen? Any suggestions?

I have the exact same issue on a brand new 2022 X5MC. Did you find a solution that solved this? My dealer is useless when it comes to iPhones, keys, anything digital

[nZtiZia]

Originally Posted by X5MC_BC

I have the exact same issue on a brand new 2022 X5MC. Did you find a solution that solved this? My dealer is useless when it comes to iPhones, keys, anything digital

what have you tried to remedy? i found simply restarting the iPhone and/or iDrive does the trick

if those don't work, try removing and reconnecting your iPhone. after that, try removing and re-adding the Digital Key. i used the Digital Key a couple weeks ago while on vacation. went for a morning Starbucks run and realized i forgot my key fob as i walked out of the resort to my car but remembered the Digital Key. it worked as intended, and my driver profile was loaded, not Guest.

[FbondeM]

Originally Posted by nZtiZia

what have you tried to remedy? i found simply restarting the iPhone and/or iDrive does the trick

if those don't work, try removing and reconnecting your iPhone. after that, try removing and re-adding the Digital Key. i used the Digital Key a couple weeks ago while on vacation. went for a morning Starbucks run and realized i forgot my key fob as i walked out of the resort to my car but remembered the Digital Key. it worked as intended, and my driver profile was loaded, not Guest.

Thanks for the hint. I will try that and let you know.

[FbondeM]

Originally Posted by X5MC_BC

Thanks for the hint. I will try that and let you know.

Nope did not work, still the guest profile when i use the phone.

[FbondeM]

Originally Posted by X5MC_BC

Nope did not work, still the guest profile when i use the phone.

Finally, a solution.

So BMW did a new firmware update. And now, I can use the digital key that store my driver profile. However, I can only use one non-key solution. Either i go with the digital key on the phone to the key card. I can still use both to open and look at the car, but only one will have my driver's profile.

[chrisado]

I have a 2024 x5 50e - the digital key on my iphone works with my profile but does not with the watch. I added the watch as an option when I added the iphone. Tried removing and adding it a couple times but same problem - watch ends up as guest profile. I then have to punch a pin in to swap to my driver profile. It doesn’t make sense since the watch is paired to the phone and was added as part of the iPhone digital key.

[stephenatx]

I've been having trouble using the key card with my new 2024 50e. I activated it but it would only work to lock/unlock and drive the car. It didn't load my profile and only showed Guest. When I look at the BMW ID settings it shows no card active so it doesn't show an option to link the ID/card. I had my appointment this morning with a factory rep to provide feedback so had him look at it during our video call. He couldn't figure it out either and suggested talking to the service dept. I found this thread and went to the car to double check settings that was suggested here. What's weird is that the settings still show no card activated. But when I started the car it now prompts me to either use Guest or my personal profile. I logged in with my 4 digit code and all of my settings seemed to be ok. Not sure why it shows no card active though.

[luffs-via]

Originally Posted by chrisado

I have a 2024 x5 50e - the digital key on my iphone works with my profile but does not with the watch. I added the watch as an option when I added the iphone. Tried removing and adding it a couple times but same problem - watch ends up as guest profile. I then have to punch a pin in to swap to my driver profile. It doesn’t make sense since the watch is paired to the phone and was added as part of the iPhone digital key.

I am running into the same issue. Digital Key on iPhone loads my profile but the Watch ends up with guest profile, so annoying. Anyone found a fix for this this?

[aka Hootie]

I can setup my iPhone or Watch to work but don't see a way to have them both work on the same profile. I decided go with the iPhone since its a pain putting the watch on the pad to start the car.

[chrisado]

I don’t need to put my watch on the pad - I just need either to be with me (watch on wrist) for everything to work - including starting the car. The update to 8.5 is supposed to now allow two keys be associated with one profile but I’m not sure if that includes digital keys.

[nZtiZia]

Originally Posted by chrisado

I don’t need to put my watch on the pad - I just need either to be with me (watch on wrist) for everything to work - including starting the car. The update to 8.5 is supposed to now allow two keys be associated with one profile but I’m not sure if that includes digital keys.

we have folks chiming in from both pre-LCI and LCI experiences due to the timeline of this thread. pre-LCI owners have Digital Key that uses NFC so close proximity to the receiver is required. LCI owners have Digital Key Plus that uses UWB where proximity to a NFC receiver isn’t required

pre-LCI have iDrive 7 while LCI have either 8 or 8.5, so digital profiles per key are different

[mscot]

I have an LCI and both watch and phone work separately

[chrisado]

Hi - My 2024 50e was just updated from 8 to 8.5 and now both my apple watch and phone sync to the same profile! I didnt change any settings. Before, both worked fully but only the phone would associate to my profile whereas the watch would associate to the guest profile.