Hey there, fellow Tesla enthusiast! Ever wondered how to keep an eye on your prized possession even when you're not around, or review that interesting incident you just experienced on the road? Your Tesla's advanced camera system, encompassing Dashcam and Sentry Mode, is designed precisely for that. This comprehensive guide will walk you through everything you need to know about viewing and managing your Tesla recordings. Let's dive in!
Step 1: Understanding Tesla's Recording Features
Before we get into viewing, it's crucial to understand what your Tesla is actually recording and how. Tesla offers two primary recording features: Dashcam and Sentry Mode. Both require a properly formatted USB drive to store footage.
Subheading 1.1: Dashcam
The Dashcam acts like a continuous loop recorder for your driving. It records video footage of your vehicle's surroundings while you're driving. Think of it as an external dashcam, but seamlessly integrated into your Tesla.
Continuous Recording: Dashcam continuously records footage, typically in hourly cycles. Unless saved, older footage gets overwritten by newer recordings.
Saving Clips: You can manually save clips in a few ways:
Touch the Dashcam icon on the touchscreen.
Honk the horn (if enabled).
Say a voice command like "Save Dashcam clip."
Automatic Saving: Tesla can automatically save recordings if it detects a safety-critical event, such as a collision or airbag deployment. However, it's important to note that you shouldn't solely rely on this for all critical events.
Subheading 1.2: Sentry Mode
Sentry Mode is your Tesla's built-in security system. When enabled and your vehicle is locked and parked, its cameras and sensors remain powered on, actively monitoring for suspicious activity.
Alert Levels: Sentry Mode operates at different alert levels:
Standby: Continuously monitors the environment.
Alert: If suspicious activity is detected (e.g., someone leaning on the car), the system will begin recording and display a warning on the touchscreen.
Alarm: If a more significant threat is detected (e.g., a window is broken or the car is shaken), the headlights will pulse, the alarm will sound, a message will display on the touchscreen, and you'll receive an alert on your mobile app.
Recording Events: When Sentry Mode is triggered and a USB drive is inserted, it saves recordings of the event. If no USB drive is present, you'll still receive mobile app alerts, but no camera recordings will be saved.
Premium Connectivity: To view live camera feeds from Sentry Mode on your mobile app, you'll need a Premium Connectivity subscription.
Step 2: Preparing Your USB Drive
For your Tesla to save any recordings, you'll need a compatible and properly formatted USB drive. Vehicles manufactured from approximately 2020 onwards often come with a pre-formatted USB flash drive in the glovebox.
Subheading 2.1: USB Drive Requirements
Not just any USB drive will do. Here are the key specifications:
Minimum Storage: A minimum of 64 GB storage capacity is required. However, considering video files can be large, a larger capacity (e.g., 128 GB or more) is highly recommended.
Sustained Write Speed: The drive needs a sustained write speed of at least 4 MB/s. This is crucial, as sustained speed differs from peak speed and ensures smooth recording.
USB Version: It should be USB 2.0 compatible. If you're using a USB 3.0 drive, it must also support USB 2.0.
Port Location: For optimal functionality (formatting, saving, and viewing footage), use the USB-A port in the glovebox (if equipped). Otherwise, use a front USB port in the center console. Rear USB ports are generally only for charging devices.
Subheading 2.2: Formatting Your USB Drive
Your USB drive needs to be formatted in a specific way for your Tesla to recognize it.
Option 1: Formatting in Your Tesla (Easiest Method) ✨
This is the most straightforward way to prepare your USB drive.
Insert the USB drive into a front USB port (preferably the glovebox port).
With your Tesla in Park, touch Controls > Safety > Format USB Drive on your touchscreen.
Confirm the action. This will automatically format the drive as exFAT and create the necessary
TeslaCamfolder.Important Note: Formatting the USB drive will erase all existing content on it. Make sure to back up any important files before proceeding!
Option 2: Formatting on a Computer (If In-Car Formatting Fails)
If your Tesla struggles to format the drive, you can do it manually on a computer.
Connect the USB drive to your computer.
Format the drive to one of these supported file systems:
exFAT (Recommended for broad compatibility)
MS-DOS FAT (for Mac users)
ext3 or ext4 (for Linux users)
Note: NTFS is currently NOT supported.
Once formatted, create a root-level folder on the drive named
TeslaCam. Make sure the spelling and capitalization are exact.Safely eject the USB drive from your computer.
Insert the formatted USB drive into the designated USB port in your Tesla. It may take a few seconds for the car to recognize it.
Once recognized, ensure the Dashcam and Sentry Mode icons appear when you touch Controls.
Step 3: Enabling Dashcam and Sentry Mode
With your USB drive ready, you need to ensure these features are enabled in your Tesla.
Subheading 3.1: Enabling Dashcam
With your vehicle in Park, touch Controls > Safety > Dashcam.
Choose your preferred saving method:
Auto: Tesla automatically saves recordings of safety-critical events.
Manual: You manually touch the Dashcam icon to save clips.
On Honk: When you press the horn, Dashcam saves the last 10 minutes of footage. You can enable this along with Auto or Manual.
Subheading 3.2: Enabling Sentry Mode
With your vehicle in Park, touch Controls > Safety > Sentry Mode.
Toggle Sentry Mode to "On." The Sentry Mode icon in Controls will turn red when active.
Optional Settings:
Exclude specific locations: You can tell Sentry Mode not to activate at your Home, Work, or Favorite destinations.
Camera-Based Detection: This uses external cameras in addition to sensors to detect events. Disabling it means only physical threats will trigger recordings.
Sentry Mode Clip Length: Customize how long Sentry Mode records a triggered event.
Remember, Sentry Mode will remain active as long as your battery is above 20%.
Step 4: Viewing Tesla Recordings Onboard
The most convenient way to view your Tesla recordings is directly on the vehicle's touchscreen.
Ensure your Tesla is in Park.
Touch the Dashcam icon located in the app launcher. You might need to add it to your bottom bar for easier access.
The Viewer will open, displaying a list of all recorded video clips, organized by location and timestamp.
Navigate the Viewer:
Tabs: Clips are often categorized into "Dashcam," "Sentry Clips," and "Saved Clips."
Dashcam (RecentClips): Contains up to 60 minutes of continuously recorded driving footage.
Sentry Clips: Recordings from Sentry Mode security events. The oldest clips are deleted first if storage runs low.
Saved Clips: Footage you have manually saved from Dashcam.
Playback Controls: You can pause, rewind, fast forward, and delete clips as needed.
Camera Views: The viewer often allows you to switch between different camera angles (front, rear, left, right).
Step 5: Accessing Recordings Off-Board (On a Computer or Mobile Device)
Sometimes, you might want to view your Tesla recordings on a larger screen, save them permanently, or share them.
Subheading 5.1: Viewing on a Computer
Safely remove the USB drive from your Tesla. To do this, press and hold the Dashcam icon on the touchscreen until it indicates it's safe to remove, or pause Dashcam recording before removal.
Insert the USB drive into a USB port on your computer.
Navigate to the
TeslaCamfolder on the drive.Inside the
TeslaCamfolder, you'll find sub-folders:RecentClips: Contains continuously recorded Dashcam footage that will eventually be overwritten.SavedClips: Contains recordings you manually saved while driving.SentryClips: Contains recordings from Sentry Mode events.
You can open these video files (usually in MP4 format) with any standard video player on your computer.
Subheading 5.2: Viewing on a Mobile Device (with Adapters/Apps)
While Tesla's mobile app allows live viewing (with Premium Connectivity), viewing recorded footage directly from the USB on your phone usually requires an adapter and a compatible app.
Safely remove the USB drive from your Tesla.
Use an OTG (On-The-Go) adapter to connect the USB drive to your smartphone or tablet.
Install a compatible TeslaCam viewer app from your device's app store (e.g., "Perception - Tesla Dashcam Viewer" or "TeslaCam / Sentry Reviewer"). These apps often offer a more organized way to view, trim, and share clips compared to just Browse files.
Step 6: Managing Your Recordings and Storage
Since new footage overwrites old footage, it's essential to manage your recordings, especially if you have important clips you want to keep.
Regularly Review and Save: Periodically check your Dashcam and Sentry Mode recordings. If there's anything you want to keep, save it from the "RecentClips" folder to the "SavedClips" folder via the in-car viewer or by copying it to another device from your computer.
Delete Unnecessary Clips: Delete clips you don't need to free up space on your USB drive. This can be done through the in-car viewer or directly from your computer.
Consider Larger Drives: If you frequently use Dashcam and Sentry Mode and want to retain more footage, consider upgrading to a USB drive with a larger capacity.
Backup to Cloud/External Storage: For truly important recordings, transfer them to a cloud storage service or an external hard drive.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How to format a USB drive for Tesla?
You can format a USB drive directly in your Tesla by going to Controls > Safety > Format USB Drive while in Park, or manually format it on a computer to exFAT (or MS-DOS FAT for Mac, ext3/ext4 for Linux) and create a root folder named TeslaCam.
How to enable Sentry Mode in my Tesla?
To enable Sentry Mode, go to Controls > Safety > Sentry Mode on your Tesla's touchscreen and toggle it to "On." Ensure you have a properly formatted USB drive inserted.
How to view live camera feed from Sentry Mode?
To view a live camera feed from Sentry Mode on your mobile app, you need a Premium Connectivity subscription. Once subscribed, open the Tesla app, navigate to Security, and select "View Live Camera."
How to save Dashcam footage?
You can save Dashcam footage by touching the Dashcam icon on the touchscreen, honking the horn (if enabled), or using a voice command like "Save Dashcam clip."
How to troubleshoot if my Tesla isn't recording?
First, check if a properly formatted USB drive is inserted and recognized. Ensure Dashcam and Sentry Mode are enabled. If the issue persists, try reformatting the USB drive or testing a different compatible USB drive.
How to access Tesla recordings on a computer?
Safely remove the USB drive from your Tesla, then insert it into your computer. Navigate to the TeslaCam folder, which contains RecentClips, SavedClips, and SentryClips subfolders.
How to determine if my USB drive is compatible with Tesla?
Ensure your USB drive has at least 64 GB storage, a sustained write speed of at least 4 MB/s, and is USB 2.0 compatible (or USB 3.0 backward compatible with 2.0). It must be formatted to exFAT, MS-DOS FAT, ext3, or ext4.
How to delete old Tesla recordings?
You can delete old recordings directly from the in-car Dashcam viewer or by connecting the USB drive to a computer and manually deleting files from the TeslaCam folder.
How to tell if Sentry Mode is active?
When Sentry Mode is active, the Sentry Mode icon in your Tesla's Controls will be red. You'll also receive notifications on your mobile app if an event is triggered.
How to prevent Sentry Mode from activating at home?
You can set Sentry Mode to exclude specific locations like your Home, Work, or Favorite destinations by going to Controls > Safety > Sentry Mode and selecting the exclusion options.
For a visual guide on installing a USB drive and saving Dashcam clips, you can watch this video:
