FAQ ID. software updates

Volkswagen recommends that you perform the upcoming software updates promptly. This is the only way to benefit from the additional and improved functions. The last available ID. software version is always a prerequisite for receiving future updates. 

If an update is available in the workshop, you will be informed by your Volkswagen Partner.

As soon as an over-the-air update is planned for your vehicle, you will be informed via your E-Mail address with which you registered with We Connect. If the software update can be installed in the vehicle, you will receive a message in the infotainment system. The prerequisite for the receipt of the update is that your vehicle is in online mode, the sending and receiving of vehicle data is activated in the vehicle privacy settings and a primary user with an active We Connect contract is logged into the vehicle.

With the Over-the-Air update function, different types of updates can be performed on the vehicle. This may refer to existing in-car apps, vehicle systems, the in-car shop, software updates and more. For detailed information on your available update, take a look at the relevant release notes in the infotainment system.

To check which software version is currently installed in your vehicle, tap on “ID. Software” in your infotainment screen. If the “ID. Software” icon is not available, you can also find out which software version is installed in the system information screen. To do so, simply follow this short guide.

Yes, the updates are free of charge for you.

After a software update, the ID. software icon in the infotainment screen is updated to show the software version installed in the vehicle. Not every software update leads to a change in the displayed software version (e.g. automatic map updates for the navigation system, new apps for the in-car shop, improvements to functions in the operating system). A change to the software version number can be recognized by the change in the software update designation (e.g. Software 3.2 update, etc.).

No, the manufacturer's guarantee does not become voided.

In addition to the ID. software updates, Volkswagen also provide updates for system applications, so-called In-car apps. When your vehicle is in online mode and a primary user with an active We Connect contract is logged into the vehicle, you will be informed via the infotainment system as soon as an update is available. Detailed information about the content of the update can be found in the Release Notes which will be displayed to you with the notification in your infotainment system before the installation.

From the ID. software 3.0 update it is now possible to add additional users and switch between the primary user and other users. A login in the infotainment system as “primary user” is necessary to use the Mobile Online Services.

More about User management

• Turn on “Online mode” in the start screen
  
• Log in as the primary user via the “User” icon
  
• Please scan the code displayed in your vehicle’s infotainment system with your smartphone by pressing the “Scan Code” button in your Volkswagen App. Or you can also login using the E-Mail address associated with your We Connect account by selecting “login with E-Mail” in the infotainment system.
  

To benefit from additional online mobile services, please complete the following additional steps.

• Navigate to the In-Car Shop in your infotainment system. You can get We Connect and We Connect Plus here.
  
• Take note of the Notices and Privacy Policy and agree to the new Terms and Conditions.
  

If you do not have a valid We Connect or We Connect Plus contract, you can purchase them free of charge from the In-Car Shop in your infotainment system. Please make sure that your personal data is correct and complete.

Your personal settings (e.g. saved radio stations or seat settings) may be reset to factory settings. This may require you to log in to We Connect again as the primary user. You can find a detailed film on how to log in as the primary user of your vehicle in the user management section.

In some vehicles, it can happen that the ID. is "offline" after the over-the-air software update, even though the vehicle is displayed "online" in the infotainment system. In this case, please switch the starter button (button on the right side of the steering wheel column) off and on again so that your ID. is "online" again.

If the in-car apps downloaded from the In-Car Shop are no longer visible in the infotainment system after installing a software update, the apps can be downloaded from the In-Car Shop again.

If you are upgrading from older software to ID. software 3.0 or higher, please check whether your We Connect or We Connect Plus contract is activated. If not, please activate it manually in the In-Car Shop.

If you do not yet have a valid We Connect or We Connect Plus contract, you can purchase one free of charge in the In-Car Shop via your infotainment system.

Please complete the following additional steps:

• Navigate to the shop in your infotainment system. You can purchase We Connect and We Connect Plus here.
  
• Take note of the notices and privacy policy and agree to the new terms and conditions.

Software updates are versioned chronologically. However, some software updates do not contain any new functions, but instead eliminate bugs or optimise existing content, for example. Only updates with new functions receive an information page. Thus, it is possible that not all updates are displayed in chronological order on the website.

No, a direct update from a 3.x version to the new 5.x version is unfortunately not possible. However, we are continuing to work consistently on improving usability and the customer experience for you.
The UNECE regulations that came into force in July 2022 required changes to the hardware. As a result, no backwards compatibility is possible from ID. software 4.0 onwards.

Yes, your ID. model with a 4.x software version can be updated to ID. software 5.x with a workshop update. Please contact your Volkswagen Partner for this.

Over-the-air updates are software updates that are downloaded via your vehicle's integrated internet connection. This allows you to benefit from improvements or new functionality.

Your ID. informs you via the infotainment system as soon as an update is available for installation and guides you through the installation process.

As the registered primary user of the vehicle you are able to install an Over-the-Air update yourself.

Your ID. informs you in the main screen of the infotainment system via a pop-up notification as soon as the update is available.

The notification in the infotainment system is merely an indication about the availability of an Over-the-Air update. The installation can be started via the "Goodbye screen" after the vehicle has been switched off and the electronic parking brake is activated.

Our goal is to offer updates Over-the-Air whenever possible. If a visit to the workshop is necessary, you will be informed by the service partner.

In principle, Over-the-Air updates are available to every ID. driver. All you need is an active We Connect contract and the relevant previous version of the ID. software update that you want to install.

To find out which software version is currently installed on your ID., open the “Setup” item in the main menu of the infotainment system. Then navigate to “System Information”.

The “ID. software” icon is available in vehicles with the ID. software 3.1 or higher – this In-Car App shows you the software version currently installed in the vehicle.

To download the update, an internet connection is required. The download can only be performed if your ID. is in “online mode” and the sending and receiving of vehicle data is enabled. An active internet connection is displayed in the main screen of the infotainment system with a connection symbol.
More information about the connection status of your ID. can be found in the operating instructions under Data transmission → Privacy.

No, an internet connection is required during installation.

The Over-the-Air updates build on each other. To benefit from the latest features and improvements, please perform all updates.

Not every Over-the-Air update brings visible changes. Sometimes an Over-the-Air update refers to feature updates and quality improvements in the background. More information about the content of the update can be found in the release notes.

Over-the-Air software updates are published in campaigns. The campaigns are staggered and contain a certain number of vehicles selected according to hardware. This means that the software update is made available at different times. Your ID. informs you as soon as the update is ready for installation.

The vehicle cannot be used during the installation. You yourself can decide when the installation should take place via the infotainment system.

Your ID. can be locked and unlocked during installation of the update. Driving and charging is not possible during installation of the update.

Please remove any reading modules from the OBD interface before starting the installation of the update.

No, the vehicle cannot be charged during the installation. Please terminate the charging process and then start the installation.

The high-voltage battery of your ID. must be at least 50% charged at the start of the installation.

If the installation can be repeated, your ID. will inform you by means of a notification in the infotainment system. Otherwise, please contact your Volkswagen Partner or the service hotline.

Software updates are published in campaigns and it may be the case that an update campaign has to be stopped for various system-related reasons. If this message is displayed, please confirm with “OK” – your vehicle will then be added to one of the next campaigns to receive the update. 

If the "Display Panel" also receives an update, the current progress of the current update will not be displayed.

Please contact your Volkswagen Partner. For some ID. software updates, your Volkswagen Partner will contact you to make an appointment. Precise information on the procedure is available separately to the respective update.

Yes, your Volkswagen Partner will ensure that you stay mobile during this time. You can obtain more information on this from your Volkswagen Partner.