BMW G11 sat nav update

Which sat nav does the 7 Series G11 have?

The G11 and its long-wheelbase sister, the G12, were built from about 2015 to 2022, and the 7 Series bridges two generations of BMW navigation in that time. It launched with NBT EVO and moved to the MGU unit running iDrive 7 from about the 2019 facelift. UK cars typically came with Navigation Professional as standard, so for most owners it is simply a matter of which unit was fitted when the car was built:

The years in the table are approximate. The change to iDrive 7 followed the facelift on the production line, so a G11 or G12 that was built or registered around 2019 could have either unit, and the date on the logbook is not a reliable guide. The 740e plug-in hybrid follows the same pattern.

NBT EVO to iDrive 7: two systems in one 7 Series

On earlier cars, NBT EVO runs the EVO maps. The G11 had the ID5 version at launch and ID6 later on, and on both the update is unlocked by an FSC file loaded from the USB stick. The EVO maps cover Europe in one package.

From about the 2019 facelift, the MGU unit with iDrive 7 uses the LIVE maps instead. The big difference for owners is how updates arrive: an iDrive 7 car receives its maps over the air while the map update subscription or free period is active, and only needs a USB update once that has ended. Both units share the price, file type and USB format, but each has its own map family, so the order has to match the unit. Neither the model badge nor the registration year settles it; the VIN check does.

• Launch to about mid-2019: NBT EVO, EVO maps
• From about the 2019 facelift: iDrive 7, LIVE maps
• Both units: FSC file, exFAT USB, £59.99
• iDrive 7 with active subscription: over the air

Navigation Professional as standard: what it means for you

Because UK 7 Series cars typically had Navigation Professional as standard, you can usually skip the question owners of smaller BMWs face about which grade of sat nav they have. Your G11 or G12 will normally have one of the two units above, and the job narrows to choosing EVO or LIVE maps. It also helps with CarPlay: on an NBT EVO car, the Professional requirement for USB activation is normally met already. A car that was imported or specified unusually is the exception, and the VIN check will show what it actually has.

How to update the maps in your 7 Series G11

There is no East or West Europe choice on either unit. If your car has iDrive 7, first check whether it is still receiving over-the-air map updates: while it does, a USB update is not needed yet. On both units, leave the FSC file with exactly the name we supply. For how FSC files tie a map to your VIN, read BMW FSC code explained.

Apple CarPlay in the G11 and G12

Our compatible list covers 2015 to 2019 7 Series G11 and G12 cars with NBT EVO ID5/ID6 and Navigation Professional. On those, CarPlay can be activated by USB from £49.99, with FullScreen and Video in Motion as optional extras at £10 each. Cars with iDrive 7 normally have CarPlay built in, so there is usually nothing to activate. As 2019 is also the facelift year, a 2019 car could fall on either side, and the VIN check shows which. For other models, see does my BMW have Apple CarPlay?

The 7 Series before and after the G11

The previous 7 Series, the F01, used CIC and then NBT, with maps activated by a typed code rather than a file. The 5 Series of the period made the identical switch from NBT EVO to iDrive 7, and the BMW G30 sat nav update guide covers it from that side. The G70 that replaced the G11 uses BMW’s newest iDrive, which is outside the scope of this guide.