Do you want to regain full control of your Tesla and ensure your privacy after lending it to a friend or family member? Disabling Guest Mode (or managing additional drivers) is a straightforward process, but it's important to understand the different ways Tesla handles access to ensure your vehicle is exactly as you left it.
Step 1: Understand Tesla's "Guest Mode" vs. "Adding a Driver"
Before we dive into the steps, let's clarify a common point of confusion. Tesla generally offers two main ways to grant someone temporary or ongoing access to your vehicle, which can sometimes be referred to loosely as "guest mode":
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| How To Disable Guest Mode On Tesla |
A. Dedicated "Guest Mode" for Fleet Accounts
This is a specific feature designed for fleet and rental managers. If you've rented a Tesla or are part of a fleet, this mode simplifies vehicle access and allows for easy data erasure. It's often set up using a key card and QR code, providing limited app access to the guest. This is less likely to be the "guest mode" a typical individual owner is concerned with.
B. "Adding a Driver" through the Tesla App
For most individual Tesla owners, when you lend your car to someone, you're likely adding them as an additional driver through your Tesla mobile app. This creates a separate driver profile for them in the car, and they get their own limited access to the Tesla app features for your vehicle. This is the most common scenario for individual owners wanting to "disable guest mode."
Which scenario applies to you? If you're a private owner lending your car to a friend, you're almost certainly dealing with "adding a driver." If you're managing a rental fleet, then the dedicated "Guest Mode" for fleets would be more relevant. This guide will focus primarily on managing additional drivers, as that's the most common need for individual owners.
Step 2: Removing an Additional Driver (Most Common Scenario)
This is the most common way to revoke "guest" access for a friend or family member.
Tip: Bookmark this post to revisit later.
A. Accessing Driver Management via the Tesla App
Open the Tesla App: On your smartphone, launch the Tesla mobile application. Ensure you're logged in with your owner's account.
Select Your Vehicle: If you have multiple Teslas, make sure you've selected the correct vehicle that you want to manage drivers for.
Navigate to Security & Drivers: Tap on the "Security & Drivers" option within the app.
Manage Drivers: You'll see an option for "Manage Drivers." Tap on this.
B. Removing the Driver
Identify the Driver: A list of all drivers you've granted access to will appear.
Tap "Remove": Next to the name of the driver you wish to remove, you'll see a "Remove" option. Tap it.
Confirm Removal: The app will prompt you to confirm your decision. Tap "Yes" to finalize the removal.
Once you've done this, their access to your Tesla via their mobile app will be revoked. Any driver profile they created in the car should also be removed when their app access is revoked.
Step 3: Deleting a Driver Profile Directly from the Touchscreen
While removing app access usually handles the driver profile, sometimes you might want to explicitly delete a profile from the car's touchscreen itself. This is particularly useful if someone created a profile without being added via the app, or if you simply want to ensure all their settings are gone.
A. Accessing Driver Profile Settings
Get into your Tesla: Be inside your vehicle and ensure it's in Park.
Tap the Driver Profile Icon: On the top of your Tesla's touchscreen, you'll see a small icon that represents the current driver profile (often a silhouette of a person). Tap this icon.
Go to Driver Profile Settings: From the dropdown menu that appears, select "Driver Profile Settings."
B. Deleting the Profile
Select the Profile to Delete: A list of all saved driver profiles will be displayed. Tap on the profile you want to remove.
Tap "Delete Driver Profile": You should see an option to "Delete Driver Profile." Tap this button.
Confirm Deletion: The system will ask you to confirm. Tap "Delete" to proceed.
This action will erase all saved settings associated with that specific profile, including seat position, mirror settings, climate preferences, and potentially linked media accounts (though media accounts are typically linked to the Tesla account, not just the profile).
Step 4: Important Considerations and Additional Tips
Tip: Skim once, study twice.
A. Valet Mode vs. Guest Mode
It's important to differentiate "Guest Mode" (or additional drivers) from Valet Mode. Valet Mode is a built-in feature designed to limit vehicle speed and restrict access to certain features and personal data when you hand your car over to a valet or another temporary driver. To disable Valet Mode:
On your Tesla's touchscreen, select the "Valet Mode" driver profile icon.
Enter your 4-digit PIN (if you set one).
This will restore all settings associated with your most recently used driver profile.
B. PIN to Drive
If you have PIN to Drive enabled, remember that any driver (including a guest or valet) will need to enter this PIN before the car can be driven. This adds an extra layer of security. If you want to disable PIN to Drive:
Go to "Controls" > "Safety & Security" on your Tesla's touchscreen.
Tap "PIN to Drive" and follow the prompts to enter your Tesla login credentials to disable it.
C. Cloud-Synced Driver Profiles
Tesla offers Tesla Profiles, which are synced to every supported vehicle under your Tesla Account. If a guest was added and set up their own Tesla Profile, removing their access to the vehicle from the mobile app should also remove their Tesla Profile from your car. If you want to remove your own Tesla Profile from a vehicle, you'd do so via the Tesla mobile app by touching the profile icon, then "Add/Remove Products," then "Remove," and finally selecting the vehicle.
Frequently Asked Questions
How to remove a driver from my Tesla?
To remove a driver, open the Tesla app, select your vehicle, go to "Security & Drivers," then "Manage Drivers," and tap "Remove" next to the driver's name.
Tip: Don’t just glance — focus.
How to delete a driver profile in a Tesla?
On your Tesla's touchscreen, tap the driver profile icon at the top, select "Driver Profile Settings," choose the profile you want to delete, and then tap "Delete Driver Profile."
How to turn off Valet Mode on Tesla?
To turn off Valet Mode, tap the Valet Mode driver profile icon on your Tesla's touchscreen, and enter your 4-digit PIN (if applicable).
How to unlink a phone key from a Tesla profile?
While you generally link a key to a profile for automatic selection, removing the driver through the app (as described in Step 2) is the primary way to revoke their phone's access as a key.
How to manage multiple driver profiles in Tesla?
You can manage multiple driver profiles by tapping the driver profile icon on the touchscreen. From there, you can switch between profiles, create new ones, or delete existing ones.
How to stop a Tesla from defaulting to another driver's profile?
QuickTip: Break reading into digestible chunks.
Ensure your preferred driver profile is active, then go to Driver Profile Settings > Keys. Make sure your key (phone or key card) is linked to your profile. You can also prioritize your phone in Bluetooth settings.
How to prevent guests from changing my Tesla settings?
The best way is to remove them as an additional driver through the Tesla app or delete their specific driver profile from the touchscreen. Alternatively, using Valet Mode limits access to many settings.
How to secure my Tesla when lending it to someone?
The most secure method is to remove them as an additional driver when they no longer need access. For temporary lending, consider using Valet Mode and enabling PIN to Drive.
How to check who has access to my Tesla?
Open your Tesla mobile app, go to "Security & Drivers," and then "Manage Drivers." This will show you a list of all individuals currently granted access to your vehicle.
How to reset all data and profiles on a Tesla?
For fleet accounts, there's an "Erase Data" option in the fleet dashboard which removes all profiles and user data. For individual owners, removing all additional drivers and deleting all custom driver profiles from the touchscreen will effectively clear most user data. Cloud-synced profiles may restore, so a full factory reset (if available and desired) is a more extreme measure.
For a visual guide on Tesla's driver profiles, you might find this video helpful:
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