synching phonebook to car radio

[daveboy]

Proud new owner of a 2014 Z4. This is my first BMW, and so far I am very happy with it. I'm trying to operate my phone with the bluetooth, hands-free feature. I have the "professional" radio and an iphone 8. I can synch the phone with no problem. I can answer calls by pressing the button on the wheel. I can communicate just fine. I can call the numbers in my phone book by scrolling through my contacts as they appear, alphabetically on my radio. My problem is that when I press the button on the wheel to place a call, hands-free. I speak very clearly "Dial (name)" choosing a name in my phone book. The car then informs me "Your phone book is empty." I know it's not empty because I can choose them manually by scrolling thru them on the radio. Am I missing something?

[DavesZed]

In order to use the Phone Book with voice command you actually have to verbally load the phone book. Here's how it works:

1. Push face icon on steering wheel.
2. Say the following: "Save Name"
3. Voice prompt asks what name you want saved.
4. Say name like "Home Telephone"
5. System says "Say Number"
6. You recite number like "223-445-9678"
7. System recites the number you just said back to you and says "Continue"
8. You simply say "Save Name" and it is saved in the Phone Book

Next time you get in your car.

1. Hit the face icon on steering wheel and say...."Dial Name"
2. The system will ask what name.
3. Say "Home Telephone"
3. System asks if you want to dial (and you'll hear your own recorded voice saying "Home Telephone")
4. Say "Yes" and the system will say, "Dialing Number"

Hope this helps. I programmed all the numbers I might routinely call from voice command.

[DavesZed]

Sorry forgot to say, that's wasn't my answer as I stole it from a Googke search lol
One thing I'd recommend is going to the App Store for your phone and downloading the BMW Owners Guide, put in your VIN and it taylors the manual to your specific spec as from the factory, very handy to have while out and about with the entire owners manual to hand.

[daveboy]

DavesZed thank you so much. I will do both those things! Thanks

[Marcoose]

In my case, the car recognises the phone book, but good luck making the car recognise the name you’re saying. As soon as you deviate from simple Anglo names like Bill and Jane, it’s a lost cause. Even Ron the car thinks you said Don. Asian, Iberian, Arabic, French names, it’s practically comic. Go figure.

I may try the programming trick.

[DavesZed]

It's a system that was designed a long time ago, voice recognition wasn't that good back then unfortunately, that's where an MMI box with either Apple CarPlay or Android Auto comes in handy with Siri and Hey Google voice assistance.