The Tesla app is an essential tool for any Tesla owner, providing remote access and control over various vehicle functions. While the core functionality is robust, many users wonder about personalizing the app's appearance, specifically adding or changing icons. It's important to clarify that directly changing the Tesla app's main icon on your phone's home screen is generally not a native feature within the Tesla app itself. However, you can customize the quick access icons within the Tesla app's interface on your car's touchscreen and, more recently for iOS users, adjust the app icon's appearance through iOS 18 features.
Let's dive into how you can personalize your Tesla app experience!
Step 1: Understand What You Can and Cannot Customize
Before we begin, let's set clear expectations. Have you ever wished you could easily access your most used car controls right from your Tesla's screen or even change the look of the app icon on your phone? While the latter has been a long-requested feature, recent updates, particularly for iPhone users with iOS 18, offer new avenues for customization.
What you can customize:
Quick access icons on your Tesla's touchscreen: These are the icons that appear on the bottom bar of your Tesla's main display, allowing for quick actions like opening the trunk, enabling Sentry Mode, or accessing specific media.
Tesla app icon appearance (iOS 18 only): With iOS 18, Apple introduced features that allow users to customize app icons, including the Tesla app, with different colors and sizes.
What you cannot currently customize (natively):
The actual Tesla app icon image: You cannot upload a custom image (like a picture of your specific Tesla model) to replace the default Tesla "T" logo for the app on your phone's home screen, unless you're using a third-party launcher or shortcut app (which isn't officially supported and can be complex).
Step 2: Customizing Quick Access Icons on Your Tesla's Touchscreen
This is where you have the most direct control over the "icons" you interact with most frequently. Personalizing these can significantly improve your daily driving convenience.
Sub-heading: Accessing the Customization Menu
Open the App Launcher: On your Tesla's main touchscreen, locate the app launcher. This is typically the icon that looks like three dots or a grid of squares. Tap on it.
Enter Customization Mode: Once the app launcher opens, you should see an option to "Customize" or a similar prompt. Tap this to enter the editing mode. You'll notice the existing icons start to wiggle or show an "X" in the corner, indicating they can be moved or removed.
Sub-heading: Adding, Removing, and Rearranging Icons
Long-Press an Icon: To rearrange or remove an existing quick access icon, long-press (press and hold) on the icon you want to adjust.
Drag and Drop:
To Rearrange: While holding the icon, drag it to your desired position on the quick access bar.
To Remove: Drag the icon off the quick access bar and into the main app drawer. It will disappear from your quick access bar.
To Add: From the main app drawer, drag the desired app icon down to the quick access bar. You can typically have up to five quick access icons. If you try to add a sixth, it might replace an existing one or simply not allow it.
Confirm Changes: Once you're happy with your arrangement, tap "Done" or outside the customization area to save your changes. Your personalized quick access icons will now be readily available!
Step 3: Personalizing the Tesla App Icon on iOS 18 ✨ (For iPhone Users)
For those running iOS 18 or later, Apple has introduced new features that allow for some level of app icon customization directly from your iPhone's home screen. This isn't a feature within the Tesla app itself, but rather an operating system capability.
Sub-heading: Utilizing iOS 18's Customization Options
Long-Press the Tesla App Icon: On your iPhone's home screen, long-press on the Tesla app icon until the context menu appears.
Select "Edit Home Screen": From the menu, tap on "Edit Home Screen." All your app icons will start to jiggle.
Tap the Icon to Customize: Now, tap on the Tesla app icon itself. This should bring up the icon customization options.
Choose Your Style: You'll likely see options to:
Adjust Size: Make the icon larger or smaller.
Change Color: Select from a palette of colors to tint the icon, or choose a "dark" or "light" design. This can help the icon blend in better with your chosen home screen aesthetic.
Enable Dark/Light Mode Adaption: The icon might automatically adjust its appearance based on your phone's dark or light mode settings.
Confirm and Save: Once you've made your selections, tap "Done" in the top right corner to save your changes.
Keep in mind that this customization applies to the appearance of the existing Tesla app icon, not replacing it with an entirely different image.
Step 4: Advanced Customization (Third-Party Launchers/Shortcuts - Android & iOS) ️
While not officially supported by Tesla, some users explore third-party options to achieve a truly custom app icon. This often involves using launcher apps on Android or Shortcuts on iOS.
Sub-heading: Using Shortcut Apps (iOS Example)
For iOS users who want to go beyond the basic iOS 18 customization and use a custom image:
Open the "Shortcuts" App: This is a built-in Apple app.
Create a New Shortcut: Tap the "+" icon in the top right corner.
Add Action: Tap "Add Action."
Search for "Open App": Select the "Open App" action.
Choose the Tesla App: Tap on "App" and select "Tesla" from your list of applications.
Add to Home Screen: Tap the share icon (square with an arrow pointing up) at the bottom.
Select "Add to Home Screen": You'll be prompted to name the shortcut and choose an icon.
Choose Photo: Tap the icon next to the name and select "Choose Photo." You can now select any image from your camera roll to be the icon for this shortcut.
Add: Tap "Add" in the top right.
A new icon will appear on your home screen that, when tapped, will open the Tesla app. You can then hide the original Tesla app icon from your home screen (but not delete it) if you wish.
Sub-heading: Using Launcher Apps (Android Example)
For Android users, various third-party launcher apps (like Nova Launcher, Action Launcher, etc.) offer extensive icon customization.
Download a Launcher App: Install a reputable third-party launcher from the Google Play Store.
Set as Default Launcher: Follow the app's instructions to set it as your default home screen launcher.
Customize Icon: Typically, you can long-press on an app icon, select "Edit," and then choose a custom image from your gallery or an icon pack.
Be aware that using third-party launchers can sometimes affect system performance or introduce slight delays. Always download from trusted sources.
Step 5: Maintaining Your Customized Experience
Remember that software updates for both your phone's operating system and the Tesla app itself might occasionally reset or alter customization options.
Regularly Check for Updates: Stay informed about new features and changes by checking the release notes for both your phone's OS and the Tesla app.
Reapply if Necessary: If an update changes your settings, simply follow the steps above to reapply your preferred customizations.
Backup (for advanced users): If using complex third-party launcher setups, consider backing up your launcher settings.
By following these steps, you can tailor your Tesla app experience to be more intuitive and visually appealing, making your interaction with your Tesla even more enjoyable!
FAQ: How To Add Icon to Tesla App
How to change the default Tesla app icon on my iPhone?
You can't change the default Tesla app icon directly within the Tesla app. However, with iOS 18, you can customize its appearance (size, color, dark/light mode) by long-pressing the icon on your home screen, selecting "Edit Home Screen," and then tapping the icon. For a custom image, you'll need to use the "Shortcuts" app to create a shortcut that opens the Tesla app with a custom icon.
How to add a new quick access icon to my Tesla's touchscreen?
Long-press on any of the quick access icons at the bottom of your Tesla's touchscreen until they wiggle. Then, tap the "Customize" option (often represented by three dots or a grid). Drag the desired app from the main app drawer down to the quick access bar.
How to remove an icon from the quick access bar on my Tesla's screen?
Long-press an icon on the quick access bar until it wiggles. Then, drag it upwards, off the bar, into the main app drawer.
How to rearrange the quick access icons on my Tesla's touchscreen?
Long-press any quick access icon until it wiggles, then simply drag it to your preferred position on the bar.
How to get more than four quick access icons on my Tesla's touchscreen?
Tesla typically allows for up to five quick access icons. To add the fifth, you might need to drag an icon from the app drawer onto an existing icon on the quick access bar, or in some cases, a specific "drag to the far right" motion is required to reveal the fifth slot.
How to customize the Tesla app icon on Android?
Android users often rely on third-party launcher apps (like Nova Launcher) to customize app icons. Download a launcher, set it as default, and then use its settings to change the Tesla app icon to a custom image or from an icon pack.
How to revert to the default Tesla app icon on iOS 18?
If you've customized the Tesla app icon using iOS 18's features, long-press the icon, select "Edit Home Screen," tap the icon, and then look for an option to reset to default or choose the original style. If you used a Shortcut, simply delete the shortcut and use the original Tesla app.
How to customize the Tesla app's internal layout or theme?
Currently, the Tesla mobile app doesn't offer extensive customization for its internal layout or theme beyond standard dark/light mode settings determined by your phone's system. The app's design is largely fixed by Tesla.
How to ensure my customized icons persist after a Tesla software update?
Customizations on the Tesla touchscreen usually persist through minor software updates. However, major updates might occasionally reset them. For phone app icon customizations, if you're using iOS 18 features or third-party launchers/shortcuts, these are generally independent of Tesla app updates and should remain.
How to find out if there are new icon customization features in the Tesla app?
Always check the official Tesla app release notes available on your phone's app store (App Store for iOS, Google Play Store for Android) when a new update rolls out. Tesla often highlights new features and improvements there.
