Update Your BMW Navigation: Southern Africa NEXT 2023 Road Map Guide

Keeping your BMW navigation system updated is crucial for the best driving experience, ensuring you have the most accurate and current maps for Southern Africa. This guide provides a step-by-step walkthrough on how to manually update your BMW maps to the latest BMW Road Map SOUTHERN AFRICA NEXT 2023 version using a USB drive. This method is straightforward and allows you to update your maps at your convenience.

What You Need Before You Start

Before beginning the update process for your BMW Road Map SOUTHERN AFRICA NEXT 2023, ensure you have the following:

• Computer: A computer running Microsoft Windows 7 or higher, or macOS X El Capitan version 10.11 or later.
• Storage Space: At least 60 GB of free storage space on your computer to download and unpack the map files.
• USB Drive: A USB memory stick with a minimum capacity of 64GB is recommended (32GB may suffice for some updates, but larger is safer).
  • Formatting: For Windows, the USB drive should be formatted as NTFS or ExFat. For Mac, format it as FAT32.
  • Clean Drive: The USB drive should be empty and not contain any other files or folders to prevent conflicts during the update process.

Important Note: Always download the latest version of the BMW Download Manager software to your computer to ensure compatibility and a smooth update process for your BMW Road Map SOUTHERN AFRICA NEXT 2023.

Step-by-Step Guide to Updating Your BMW Maps

Follow these detailed instructions to update your BMW navigation maps to the BMW Road Map SOUTHERN AFRICA NEXT 2023 version:

1. Access the ConnectedDrive Portal:

   • Go to the official BMW ConnectedDrive portal for Southern Africa: https://www.bmw.co.za/en/index.html.
   • Log in using your ConnectedDrive credentials (BMW ID/email and password).

2. Navigate to Map Updates:

   • Once logged in, click on your Profile section (usually represented by a person icon at the top right).
   • Select “My Vehicles” from the dropdown menu.
   • Choose “Map Update” for your BMW.
   • You should see your specific BMW model listed. Click on “Map Update” again next to your vehicle.
   • Then, click on “Manual Map Update”.

3. Download BMW Download Manager:

   • Click on “Go to Manual Map Update”.
   • Select your computer’s operating system (Windows or macOS).
   • Download the “BMW Download Manager” software to your computer.

4. Login to BMW Download Manager:

   • Install and launch the BMW Download Manager software.
   • Log in to the Download Manager using your BMW ID (email) and ConnectedDrive password, the same credentials used for the portal.

5. Confirm Vehicle and Map Version:

   • The Download Manager will automatically detect and confirm the BMW vehicle associated with your account.
   • It will display the latest available navigation map version, which should be BMW Road Map SOUTHERN AFRICA NEXT 2023 or a more recent version if available.

6. Select Region and Start Download:

   • Ensure the region selected is “Southern Africa”.
   • Confirm your selection by clicking “OK”.

7. Choose Download Location:

   • The Download Manager will prompt you to select a folder on your computer to temporarily store the downloaded map files. Do not select your USB drive at this stage.
   • It is recommended to create a new folder on your PC named “BMW Maps” or similar for easy access.
   • Click “Continue download” to start the download process.

8. Note Activation Code (If Applicable):

   • In some cases, especially with older BMW iDrive systems (ID4++), an activation code might be displayed. Make a note of this code if it appears. You might need it later during the installation in your car, although this is becoming less common with newer systems.

9. Prepare USB Drive:

   • Once the download is complete, the Download Manager will ask you to select the USB drive where you want to transfer the BMW Road Map SOUTHERN AFRICA NEXT 2023 map data.
   • Insert your prepared USB drive into your computer.
   • Select your USB drive in the Download Manager and click “Save File” or a similar prompt.

10. Transfer Map Data to USB:

    • The BMW Download Manager will now decompress and extract the downloaded map files onto your USB drive. This process may take some time, indicated by a progress bar.
    • Do not interrupt the process and ensure your computer remains powered on.

11. Complete USB Preparation:

    • After the data transfer is successful, the Download Manager will display a confirmation message. Click “OK” to acknowledge.
    • Safely eject the USB drive from your computer.

12. Install Update in Your BMW:

    • Go to your BMW vehicle and turn it on.
    • Insert the USB drive into the central USB port in your car (usually located in the center console).
    • Your BMW’s iDrive system should automatically detect the new map update on the USB drive.
    • A notification will appear on the iDrive screen, typically saying: “There is a newer version of the maps, do you want to install it?”.
    • Select “Yes” to begin the map update installation.

13. Wait for Installation:

    • The map data will now be transferred from the USB drive to your BMW’s navigation system. This process usually takes between 15 to 20 minutes, but it can vary.
    • Do not turn off your vehicle during the update. The iDrive system will display the progress of the installation.

14. Verify Update:

    • Once the installation is complete, you can verify that your BMW Road Map SOUTHERN AFRICA NEXT 2023 is successfully installed.
    • Navigate to “Navigation” in your iDrive menu.
    • Go to “Settings” (or similar, depending on your iDrive version).
    • Select “Position and version” or “Version information”.
    • Check the displayed map version to confirm it is updated to the latest BMW Road Map SOUTHERN AFRICA NEXT 2023.

By following these steps, you can easily update your BMW navigation system to the latest BMW Road Map SOUTHERN AFRICA NEXT 2023, ensuring you benefit from the most accurate and up-to-date maps for your journeys in Southern Africa. Enjoy smoother and more confident navigation with your updated BMW system.