[TheFoodGuy]

I’ve got a 2021 MINI Cooper SE. According to the owner’s manual, a driver profile is associated with each key fob and is automatically activated when the car is unlocked with a particular key.
That’s the theory, in practice what seems to happen is that the car “defaults” to the last driver profile used. Each time you start the car you must select the profile you want to use if it is different from the profile used last time the car was driven — regardless of which key is in use. Has anyone gotten this feature to work properly?
The car seems to have a particularly difficult time with CarPlay when switching between profiles which include different iPhones.
Is there perhaps a software update that addresses these issues?

 

[WillMW]

I’ve got a 2021 MINI Cooper SE. According to the owner’s manual, a driver profile is associated with each key fob and is automatically activated when the car is unlocked with a particular key.
That’s the theory, in practice what seems to happen is that the car “defaults” to the last driver profile used. Each time you start the car you must select the profile you want to use if it is different from the profile used last time the car was driven — regardless of which key is in use. Has anyone gotten this feature to work properly?
The car seems to have a particularly difficult time with CarPlay when switching between profiles which include different iPhones.
Is there perhaps a software update that addresses these issues?

Welcome to the forum @TheFoodGuy! This video from Mini might help you out. When you go to My Mini and click Driver Profiles you should be able to turn off "show driver profiles at start".

 

[TheFoodGuy]

Welcome to the forum @TheFoodGuy! This video from Mini might help you out. When you go to My Mini and click Driver Profiles you should be able to turn off "show driver profiles at start".

Thanks for the reply, but the point is that without the ability to change the profile when starting the car, the profile would never change. I HAVE to enter my profile to get the settings right after my wife drives the car with her key and uses her profile. And, even after selecting the correct profile, changing CarPlay to recognize my phone instead of my wife's phone is always messy. It just doesn't seem like the automatic profile switching is working properly.

 

[MichaelC]

The owner's manual says this:

If the vehicle is unlocked using the vehicle key, the assigned personal driver profile will be activated. All settings stored in the driver profile are automatically applied.

I interpret that to mean you have to use the key to unlock the car to make it automatically change to the profile assigned to that key. I assume that will work even if the car is unlocked--it just needs direct communication from the key fob since both could be in proximity at the same time.

 

[GetOffYourGas]

The owner's manual says this:



I interpret that to mean you have to use the key to unlock the car to make it automatically change to the profile assigned to that key. I assume that will work even if the car is unlocked--it just needs direct communication from the key fob since both could be in proximity at the same time.

Yes, this is the way to do it. Unfortunately, you have to press the "unlock" key on the fob itself to activate the profile. You cannot use the button on the door handle, or it will just retain the previously selected profile.

 

[TheFoodGuy]

Yes, this is the way to do it. Unfortunately, you have to press the "unlock" key on the fob itself to activate the profile. You cannot use the button on the door handle, or it will just retain the previously selected profile.

I thought I had tried unlocking the car with the appropriate key when switching between keys/profiles, but I will give it another try. Thanks very much for the tip!

Cheers!

 

[TheFoodGuy]

The owner's manual says this:



I interpret that to mean you have to use the key to unlock the car to make it automatically change to the profile assigned to that key. I assume that will work even if the car is unlocked--it just needs direct communication from the key fob since both could be in proximity at the same time.

Thanks for the tip. I'll make sure I unlock the car before trying this next time I want to switch keys/profiles.

 

[SandyUT]

I interpret that to mean you have to use the key to unlock the car to make it automatically change to the profile assigned to that key. I assume that will work even if the car is unlocked--it just needs direct communication from the key fob since both could be in proximity at the same time.

Yes, this is the way to do it. Unfortunately, you have to press the "unlock" key on the fob itself to activate the profile. You cannot use the button on the door handle, or it will just retain the previously selected profile.

YES! Many thanks, new to this forum and we have anew 2022 Mini SE. This profile deal was baffling. and now fixed with this great info!!!

Can the Mini SE associate our iPhones with our profiles? I have the same deal as @TheFoodGuy. Two drivers, two fobs, two iPhones.

 

[MichaelC]

Can the Mini SE associate our iPhones with our profiles? I have the same deal as @TheFoodGuy. Two drivers, two fobs, two iPhones.

I don't know the answer to this, as I have never tried it. I am curious to learn the answer, though!