How To Save Tesla Sentry Video

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How to Save Tesla Sentry Video: A Comprehensive Guide

Have you ever worried about what happens to your Tesla when you're not around? Or perhaps you've seen a peculiar incident captured by your car's cameras and want to preserve the evidence? Tesla's Sentry Mode is an incredible feature, acting as your vehicle's personal bodyguard. But knowing how to effectively save and manage its video recordings is crucial. Let's dive deep into the world of Tesla Sentry Mode video saving, ensuring you get the most out of this powerful security feature!

Step 1: Getting Started – The Essential USB Drive

Before you can save any Sentry Mode footage, your Tesla needs a designated place to store it. Think of it as providing your car with a digital memory stick!

1.1: Understanding USB Drive Requirements

Not just any USB drive will do. To ensure reliable performance and avoid issues, your USB drive must meet specific criteria:

Minimum Storage Capacity: A minimum of 64 GB is required. However, considering video footage takes up significant space, a larger capacity (e.g., 128 GB or more) is highly recommended.
Sustained Write Speed: This is crucial! The drive needs a sustained write speed of at least 4 MB/s. Note that "sustained" is different from "peak" write speed, so check the product specifications carefully. Many standard USB thumb drives may not have sufficient sustained write speeds.
USB Version: The drive should be USB 2.0 compatible. While Tesla vehicles support USB 3.0 for faster transfer, the drive must also be backward compatible with USB 2.0.
USB Type: For optimal compatibility with all features, USB-A drives are generally recommended. While some newer Teslas have USB-C ports, not all USB-C ports in the vehicle support video recording functions (e.g., rear USB-C ports are often for charging only). The glove box USB-A port is typically the most reliable for Sentry Mode and Dashcam.
Formatting: The USB drive must be properly formatted as exFAT, MS-DOS FAT (for Mac), ext3, or ext4. NTFS is currently not supported.

1.2: Formatting Your USB Drive

You have two primary ways to format your USB drive for your Tesla:

Automatic Formatting (In-Car):
1. Insert the USB drive into a front USB port that supports video recording (preferably the glove box port).
2. On your Tesla's touchscreen, navigate to Controls > Safety > Format USB Drive.
3. Confirm the action. This will automatically format the drive as exFAT and create the necessary TeslaCam folder.
- Important Note: This option is only available if the USB drive has one or fewer partitions. Formatting will erase all existing content on the drive, so back up any important data beforehand!
Manual Formatting (On a Computer):
1. Plug the USB drive into your computer.
2. Format the drive to exFAT, MS-DOS FAT (for Mac), ext3, or ext4.
3. Create a base-level folder on the formatted drive named TeslaCam.
4. Safely eject the USB drive from your computer.
5. Insert the formatted USB drive into your Tesla's glove box USB port (or a suitable front USB port). It may take a few seconds for the vehicle to recognize it.
6. Once recognized, ensure the Dashcam and Sentry Mode icons are visible under "Controls" on your Tesla's touchscreen.

Step 2: Activating Sentry Mode ️

With your properly formatted USB drive in place, it's time to activate Sentry Mode.

2.1: Enabling Sentry Mode

Sentry Mode is disabled by default. To enable it:

Ensure your Tesla is in Park.
Navigate to Controls > Safety > Dashcam. Ensure Dashcam is enabled, as Sentry Mode relies on it.
Then, touch Controls > Sentry Mode > On.
- Visual Cue: The Sentry Mode icon in Controls will turn red when active.
- Battery Consideration: Sentry Mode requires at least a 20% battery charge to operate. If your battery drops below this, Sentry Mode will automatically disengage and send an alert to your mobile app.

2.2: Customizing Sentry Mode Settings

You can fine-tune Sentry Mode to suit your preferences:

Exclude Specific Locations: To prevent Sentry Mode from activating in familiar, safe locations (like your home or work), navigate to Controls > Safety > Sentry Mode. You can select "Exclude Home," "Exclude Work," or "Exclude Favorites." Your Tesla needs to be parked within approximately 500 meters of the saved location to recognize it.
Camera-Based Detection: In Controls > Safety > Sentry Mode, you can enable or disable "Camera-Based Detection." When enabled, Sentry Mode uses the vehicle's external cameras in addition to vehicle sensors to detect security events. If disabled, it only saves clips if a physical threat is detected.
Sentry Mode Clip Length: Some models allow you to customize the recording length of Sentry Mode clips (e.g., 10 minutes). Check Controls > Safety > Sentry Mode > Sentry Mode Clip Length.

Step 3: Understanding Sentry Mode Event Saving

When Sentry Mode detects a "threat" or significant movement, it automatically saves footage.

3.1: How Sentry Mode Saves Clips

If a threat is detected (e.g., someone leaning on the car, a forceful impact, or even sustained jerky movement like towing), Sentry Mode will:

Pulse the headlights.
Sound the alarm (if configured).
Display a message on the touchscreen indicating that cameras may be recording.
Alert you via the Tesla mobile app.
Save footage of the event to your USB drive.

3.2: Manual Saving (Dashcam Icon)

While Sentry Mode saves events automatically, you can also manually save the most recent Dashcam footage:

While in your car, locate the Dashcam icon in the status bar on your touchscreen.
To save the last 10 minutes of continuous recording: Tap the Dashcam icon.
To safely eject the USB drive before removal: Press and hold the Dashcam icon until it turns gray. This ensures all buffered data is written to the drive and helps prevent file corruption.

3.3: Storage and Overwriting

SentryClips: Footage from Sentry Mode security events is saved in the SentryClips subfolder within TeslaCam. These clips are generally not overwritten by continuous recording.
RecentClips: This folder contains up to 60 minutes of continuously recorded footage, which is constantly overwritten unless you manually save it.
SavedClips: Manually saved Dashcam footage is stored here.

It's crucial to regularly move saved videos to another device and delete them from the USB drive to prevent it from getting full. When the drive is full, new footage cannot be saved.

Step 4: Accessing and Viewing Your Saved Videos ️

Once you have Sentry Mode clips saved, you'll want to view them.

4.1: Viewing on Your Tesla Touchscreen

Tesla provides a convenient in-car viewer for your footage:

Ensure your vehicle is in Park.
Tap the Dashcam icon in the status bar (a red dot with white lines).
Select "Launch Viewer."
The viewer will open, displaying a list of recorded events. You can scroll through the timeline, switch between different camera angles (front, rear, left, right), and play back clips.

4.2: Viewing on a Computer

This method gives you more control and a larger screen:

Open your Tesla's glove box and safely remove the USB drive (remember to press and hold the Dashcam icon on the touchscreen first to eject it).
Connect the USB drive to your computer.
Open File Explorer (Windows) or Finder (Mac) and locate the USB drive.
Navigate to the TeslaCam folder. Inside, you'll find SentryClips, SavedClips, and RecentClips.
Open the desired subfolder and select the video files (.mp4) you wish to view. You can then play them using your computer's media player.

4.3: Viewing via the Tesla Mobile App (Premium Connectivity Required)

If you have Tesla Premium Connectivity, you can view Sentry Mode events remotely:

Launch the Tesla app on your smartphone.
Scroll down to the "Security and Drivers" section.
Look for and select "Dashcam Viewer" or "View saved clips."
The app will connect to your Tesla and allow you to browse and view recorded events. Some limitations may apply (e.g., live stream duration).

Step 5: Managing Your Sentry Mode Footage

To keep your Sentry Mode system running smoothly, regular maintenance of your USB drive is essential.

5.1: Clearing Space

Manually Delete: Periodically connect your USB drive to a computer and delete older or unneeded Sentry Mode and Dashcam clips to free up space.
Transfer to Another Device: If you want to archive footage, transfer it from the USB drive to a computer, external hard drive, or cloud storage before deleting it from the USB.

5.2: Recognizing a Full Drive

Your Tesla will typically warn you when the USB drive is getting full and unable to save more footage. Pay attention to these alerts to avoid missing critical recordings.

Step 10: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) ❓

How to format a USB drive for Tesla Sentry Mode?

You can format it automatically in your Tesla by going to Controls > Safety > Format USB Drive, or manually on a computer to exFAT, MS-DOS FAT, ext3, or ext4 and creating a TeslaCam folder.

How to enable Sentry Mode in my Tesla?

Go to Controls > Safety > Dashcam (enable if not already) then Controls > Sentry Mode > On.

How to manually save a Sentry Mode or Dashcam clip?

While in your Tesla, tap the Dashcam icon in the status bar to save the last 10 minutes of footage.

How to view Sentry Mode videos on the Tesla touchscreen?

Put your Tesla in Park, tap the Dashcam icon, and select Launch Viewer.

How to view Sentry Mode videos on a computer?

Safely eject the USB drive from your Tesla (press and hold Dashcam icon), plug it into your computer, and navigate to the TeslaCam folder.

How to access Sentry Mode footage remotely?

With Tesla Premium Connectivity, you can view clips via the Tesla mobile app under "Dashcam Viewer."

How to troubleshoot if Sentry Mode isn't recording?

Check if a properly formatted USB drive is inserted, if Sentry Mode is enabled, if your battery is above 20%, and if the drive is full.

How to tell if my USB drive meets the speed requirements?

Look for a sustained write speed of at least 4 MB/s in the product specifications of the USB drive.

How to clean up old Sentry Mode clips?

Connect your USB drive to a computer and manually delete unwanted clips from the SentryClips folder.

How to make Sentry Mode not activate at home?

Go to Controls > Safety > Sentry Mode and select Exclude Home (ensure your home location is set in your navigation favorites).

Watch this video to learn more about everything you need to know about Tesla Sentry Mode: Tesla 101 | Everything You Need To Know About Sentry Mode.

Tesla 101 | Everything You Need To Know About Sentry Mode - YouTube

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