How To View Tesla Sentry Videos

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Ever wondered what happens around your Tesla when you're not there? Sentry Mode is Tesla's intelligent guardian, constantly monitoring your vehicle's surroundings. But knowing it's recording is one thing; accessing and viewing those crucial Sentry videos is another. Let's dive into a comprehensive guide on how to do just that, ensuring you're always in the loop about your Tesla's security! ️

Step 1: Ensure Sentry Mode is Set Up and Ready

Before you can view Sentry videos, you need to make sure Sentry Mode is properly enabled and configured to save recordings. This is the foundation of accessing any footage.

How To View Tesla Sentry Videos
How To View Tesla Sentry Videos

What You'll Need:

  • A compatible USB drive: Tesla vehicles manufactured around 2020 and later typically come with a pre-formatted USB drive in the glovebox. If yours didn't, you'll need one.

    • Minimum requirements: A USB 2.0 compatible drive with at least 64 GB of storage. However, a high-endurance USB 3.0 drive with more storage (e.g., 256 GB or 512 GB SSD) is highly recommended due to the constant writing and overwriting of data.

    • Formatting: The drive needs to be formatted as exFAT, MS-DOS FAT (for Mac), ext3, or ext4. NTFS is generally not supported. Your Tesla can usually format it for you, or you can do it on a computer. When formatted, it will create a folder named TeslaCam.

  • Your Tesla vehicle: Obviously!

  • A good internet connection (for live viewing via app): Essential for accessing live camera feeds remotely.

Sub-step 1.1: Formatting Your USB Drive

  • In-Car Formatting (Recommended):

    1. Insert the USB drive into a front USB port, preferably the one in the glovebox if your Tesla has one. This port is often designed for Sentry Mode and Dashcam.

    2. On your Tesla's touchscreen, navigate to Controls > Safety > Format USB Drive.

    3. Confirm the action. Your Tesla will automatically format the drive and create the necessary TeslaCam folder.

  • Computer Formatting:

    1. Insert the USB drive into your computer.

    2. Format the drive to exFAT (or MS-DOS FAT for Mac, ext3/ext4 for Linux).

    3. Create a new folder at the root of the drive named TeslaCam. Case sensitivity matters!

Sub-step 1.2: Enabling Sentry Mode and Dashcam

  • Dashcam: Dashcam functionality must be enabled for Sentry Mode to record.

    1. On your Tesla's touchscreen, go to Controls > Safety > Dashcam.

    2. Ensure it's set to "Auto" or "On Honk" (or both). "Auto" will save recordings of safety-critical events. "On Honk" saves footage when you honk the horn.

  • Sentry Mode:

    1. With your vehicle in Park, go to Controls > Safety & Security > Sentry Mode.

    2. Toggle it On. The Sentry Mode icon (often a red eye) will turn red when active.

    3. Optional but recommended: In the Sentry Mode settings, you can choose to "Exclude Home," "Exclude Work," or "Exclude Favorites" to prevent Sentry Mode from activating in trusted locations, saving battery life.

    4. Consider "Camera-Based Detection": When enabled, Sentry Mode uses external cameras in addition to vehicle sensors for event detection. If disabled, it only saves clips for physical threats.

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Step 2: Viewing Sentry Videos Directly in Your Tesla

This is the most convenient way to quickly review Sentry events after they happen.

Step 2.1: Accessing the Dashcam Viewer

QuickTip: Scan quickly, then go deeper where needed.Help reference icon

  1. Ensure your Tesla is in Park. You cannot view recordings while driving.

  2. On your Tesla's touchscreen, touch the Dashcam icon. It's usually found in the app launcher (the small car icon on the bottom bar, or by swiping up from the bottom).

  3. The Dashcam Viewer will open. You'll see two main tabs: Dashcam and Sentry. Tap on the Sentry tab.

Step 2.2: Navigating and Playing Clips

  1. In the Sentry tab, you'll see a list of recorded events, organized by timestamp and location. Events detected by Sentry Mode often have a red dot next to them, making them easy to identify.

  2. Tap on a specific clip to play it.

  3. The viewer displays footage from multiple cameras simultaneously (front, rear, left, and right side repeaters). You can tap on an individual camera view to enlarge it for a closer look.

  4. Playback controls: You'll have standard video playback controls like play/pause, rewind, and fast-forward. A slider bar allows you to quickly scrub through the video.

  5. Deleting clips:

    • To delete a single clip, swipe right on it or press and hold it until a delete option appears.

    • To delete all Dashcam and Sentry Mode footage, navigate to Controls > Safety > Delete Dashcam Clips. Be careful with this option, as it's irreversible!

Step 3: Viewing Sentry Videos on a Computer

For a more robust viewing experience, or if you need to save clips permanently or share them, removing the USB drive and viewing them on a computer is the way to go.

Step 3.1: Safely Remove the USB Drive

  1. Before removing the USB drive, ensure the Dashcam is paused or not actively recording. You can usually do this by pressing and holding the Dashcam icon on the touchscreen until it shows "PAUSED." This prevents data corruption.

  2. Locate the USB port where your drive is inserted (typically in the glovebox).

  3. Gently remove the USB drive.

Step 3.2: Connecting to Your Computer

  1. Insert the USB drive into a compatible USB port on your computer (PC or Mac). If your computer doesn't have a full-size USB-A port, you may need a USB adapter (e.g., USB-C to USB-A).

Step 3.3: Locating and Playing Video Files

  1. Open your computer's file explorer (Windows) or Finder (Mac).

  2. Navigate to the USB drive. You should see a main folder named TeslaCam.

  3. Inside the TeslaCam folder, you'll find several sub-folders:

    • RecentClips: Contains the most recent hour of continuous recording. These clips are constantly overwritten unless saved.

    • SavedClips: Contains recordings that you manually saved from the in-car viewer or by pressing the Dashcam icon while driving.

    • SentryClips: This is where all your Sentry Mode event recordings are stored.

  4. Open the SentryClips folder. You'll see individual folders, each representing a Sentry event, usually named with a timestamp (e.g., 2025-07-20_10-05-30).

  5. Inside each event folder, you'll find four .mp4 video files, one for each camera:

    • front.mp4

      How To View Tesla Sentry Videos Image 2

    • rear.mp4

    • left_repeater.mp4

    • right_repeater.mp4

  6. You can play these .mp4 files using any standard video player (e.g., VLC Media Player, Windows Media Player, QuickTime). For the best viewing experience, especially if you want to see all camera angles simultaneously, consider using a dedicated TeslaCam viewer application available for various operating systems (a quick search for "TeslaCam viewer" will reveal options). Some online web-based viewers also exist where you upload the files (locally, without sending them to a server) to view them.

Step 4: Viewing Live Camera Footage via the Tesla App (Premium Connectivity Required)

For those with Premium Connectivity, you can get real-time views of your car's surroundings. This is not for viewing recorded Sentry events, but for live monitoring.

Tip: Reread sections you didn’t fully grasp.Help reference icon

Step 4.1: Enable Live Camera Access in Your Tesla

  1. On your Tesla's touchscreen, go to Controls > Safety & Security.

  2. Look for and enable "View Live Camera via Mobile App." (The exact location might vary slightly by model year; for Model S/X 2021+, it's under Controls > Safety; for Model 3/Y, it's Controls > Safety & Security.)

Step 4.2: Accessing Live Camera in the Tesla App

  1. Open the Tesla mobile app on your smartphone.

  2. On the main screen of your car, you might see a "Live Camera" button. Tap it.

  3. Alternatively, navigate to the Security & Drivers section (or similar, depending on app version) and look for "View live camera."

  4. You'll be able to see a live feed from your car's cameras. The vehicle's lights may flash periodically to alert nearby individuals that cameras are active.

  5. Important Note: Live camera viewing sessions are typically limited (e.g., 1 hour cumulative per day or 15-minute intervals, depending on your region and app version) to conserve battery. You can also interact with your vehicle through the app while viewing live footage, such as honking the horn or flashing the lights.

Step 5: Managing USB Drive Storage

Sentry Mode and Dashcam footage can quickly fill up your USB drive. It's crucial to manage this storage to ensure continuous recording.

Step 5.1: Understanding Storage Management

  • TeslaCam footage is recorded in a looping buffer. This means older, unsaved footage in RecentClips gets overwritten.

  • SavedClips and SentryClips are not automatically overwritten unless the drive runs completely out of space.

  • When the USB drive becomes full, Sentry Mode may stop recording new events, or old SentryClips might be deleted to make space. Your car will usually warn you if the drive is nearly full.

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Step 5.2: Regularly Back Up and Delete

  • Periodically remove the USB drive and transfer important SentryClips or SavedClips to a computer or cloud storage.

  • Delete unnecessary clips from the USB drive to free up space. You can do this:

    • In-car: Using the Dashcam Viewer, swipe right or long-press to delete individual clips. You can also delete all Dashcam/Sentry clips from the Controls > Safety menu.

    • On a computer: Simply delete the unwanted video files or entire event folders from the TeslaCam directory.

Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Tip: Focus on one point at a time.Help reference icon

How to Check if Sentry Mode is Enabled?

You can check on your Tesla's touchscreen by going to Controls > Safety & Security. The Sentry Mode icon will be red if it's active. You'll also see a red "eye" icon at the top of your touchscreen.

How to Format a USB Drive for Tesla Sentry Mode?

Insert the USB drive into your Tesla's front USB port (preferably the glovebox port), then go to Controls > Safety > Format USB Drive on the touchscreen. Alternatively, format it as exFAT on a computer and create a folder named TeslaCam.

How to Know if Sentry Mode Recorded an Event?

If an alarm-triggering event occurs, you'll typically receive a notification on your Tesla mobile app. You can then check the Sentry tab in the in-car Dashcam Viewer or access the SentryClips folder on your USB drive.

How to Access Live Sentry Camera Feed?

You need Tesla Premium Connectivity. Once subscribed and "View Live Camera via Mobile App" is enabled in your car's settings, open the Tesla app and look for the "Live Camera" button or navigate to the security section.

How to Maximize Sentry Mode Recording Time?

Use a larger capacity, high-endurance USB drive. Regularly delete old, unnecessary clips from the drive to free up space.

QuickTip: Pause when something feels important.Help reference icon

How to Prevent Sentry Mode from Recording at Home?

On your Tesla's touchscreen, go to Controls > Safety > Sentry Mode and select "Exclude Home" (and/or "Exclude Work" / "Exclude Favorites"). Your car will then not enable Sentry Mode automatically when parked at those saved locations.

How to Safely Remove the USB Drive?

Before removal, pause the Dashcam recording by pressing and holding the Dashcam icon on your touchscreen. This prevents data corruption. Then, simply pull out the USB drive from its port (glovebox is preferred).

How to Play All Four Camera Views Simultaneously on a Computer?

Standard video players usually can't do this. You'll need a dedicated TeslaCam viewer application or a web-based player (search online for "TeslaCam viewer"). These tools are designed to stitch and play all four synchronized videos.

How to Share Sentry Mode Videos?

Once you've retrieved the .mp4 files from the USB drive onto your computer, you can share them like any other video file – via email, cloud storage, messaging apps, or by uploading to video platforms.

How to Troubleshoot Sentry Mode Recording Issues?

  1. Check USB drive: Ensure it's properly formatted, inserted in the correct port (glovebox), and has enough free space.

  2. Dashcam enabled: Verify Dashcam is set to "Auto."

  3. Battery level: Sentry Mode deactivates if your battery drops below 20%.

  4. Software update: Ensure your Tesla's software is up to date.

  5. Reboot: A soft reboot of the touchscreen might resolve minor glitches.

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How To View Tesla Sentry Videos

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