Hello there! Are you ready to unlock the secrets of your Tesla's eyes? Accessing your Tesla's camera footage, whether from Dashcam or Sentry Mode, is a fantastic way to enhance your driving safety and keep an eye on your vehicle when you're away. Let's dive into how you can do just that, step by step!
Step 1: Prepare Your USB Drive
Before your Tesla can even think about saving footage, it needs a place to put it. Think of it like giving your car a personal recording studio!
1.1 Understanding USB Drive Requirements
Your Tesla isn't just any USB stick's friend. It has specific needs for optimal performance.
Minimum Storage: You'll need a USB drive with a minimum storage capacity of 64 GB. However, considering how much video footage can accumulate, a larger drive is highly recommended. Tesla even sells a 1 TB solid-state drive (SSD) for this purpose.
Write Speed: The drive needs a sustained write speed of at least 4 MB/s. This is crucial for continuous recording without drops in quality. Note that sustained write speed is different from peak write speed.
USB Compatibility: While USB 3.0 drives are common, ensure it's USB 2.0 compatible as well.
Port Location: For most newer Tesla models (manufactured after approximately November 1, 2021), the glovebox USB-A port is the designated spot for Dashcam and Sentry Mode footage. Center console USB-C ports may only support charging. For older models, a front USB port in the center console might be suitable.
1.2 Formatting Your USB Drive
This is a critical step to ensure your Tesla recognizes and can write to the drive. You have two main options:
Option A: Formatting Directly in Your Tesla (Easiest!)
Insert the drive: Plug your compatible USB drive into the designated USB port in your Tesla (glovebox for newer models).
Access Controls: On your Tesla's touchscreen, navigate to
Controls>Safety.Format USB Drive: You should see an option to
Format USB Drive. Tap this.Confirmation: Be aware: This action will erase all existing content on the drive. Confirm you want to proceed. Your Tesla will then automatically format the drive as exFAT and create the necessary
TeslaCamfolder.
Option B: Formatting on a Computer
If your Tesla can't format the drive, or you prefer to do it manually, you can use a computer.
Connect to Computer: Insert the USB drive into your computer.
Format the Drive: Format the USB drive with one of the following file systems:
exFAT (recommended for larger drives and cross-platform compatibility)
MS-DOS FAT (for Mac)
ext3 or ext4
NTFS is currently not supported.
Create Folder: Once formatted, create a base-level folder titled
TeslaCam. This folder is essential for your Tesla to save the footage. If you also plan to use Track Mode, create another folder namedTeslaTrackMode.Eject Safely: Always safely eject the USB drive from your computer before removing it.
Step 2: Enabling Dashcam and Sentry Mode ️
Now that your storage is ready, let's activate the recording features!
2.1 Activating Dashcam
Dashcam continuously records footage while driving, much like a traditional dashcam.
Access Controls: On your Tesla's touchscreen, go to
Controls>Safety.Enable Dashcam: Tap on
Dashcamto turn it on.Choose Recording Preference: You can select how and when footage is saved:
Auto: Dashcam automatically saves a recording when your Tesla detects a safety-critical event (e.g., a collision).
Manual: You'll need to manually tap the Dashcam icon on the touchscreen to save the most recent 10 minutes of footage.
On Honk: When you briefly press the horn, Dashcam will save the most recent 10 minutes of footage. You can enable this alongside Auto or Manual.
2.2 Activating Sentry Mode
Sentry Mode acts as a vigilant guardian when your Tesla is parked, monitoring for suspicious activity.
Access Controls: On your Tesla's touchscreen, go to
Controls>Safety & Security>Sentry Mode.Enable Sentry Mode: Tap to turn Sentry Mode on.
Important Notes on Sentry Mode:
Sentry Mode requires your battery to be at least 20% charged to activate and remain active.
It will consume battery (approximately 1 mile of range per hour) as it keeps cameras and systems powered.
You can set Sentry Mode to exclude specific locations like your home or work to prevent it from activating automatically in familiar, safe environments.
Camera-Based Detection can be enabled to use external cameras in addition to vehicle sensors for detecting security events.
Step 3: Accessing Your Footage
With everything set up, it's time to view those recordings! You have a few convenient options.
3.1 Viewing Footage on Your Tesla Touchscreen (Dashcam Viewer)
This is the most direct way to review your footage.
Park Your Vehicle: Ensure your Tesla is in Park.
Access Dashcam App: Touch the
Dashcam iconin the app launcher on your touchscreen.Navigate and View: The viewer will display a list of all video clips, organized by location and timestamp.
You'll typically see folders for
RecentClips,SavedClips, andSentryClips.You can pause, rewind, fast forward, and delete clips as needed.
Pro Tip: Dashcam recording pauses when you open the Viewer.
Multi-Camera View: For saved clips, you'll often see footage from four cameras simultaneously (front, rear, left, and right side repeaters), providing a comprehensive view.
3.2 Viewing Footage on a Computer
For a larger screen and easier file management, you can transfer the footage to a computer.
Safely Pause Dashcam (Optional but Recommended): Before removing the USB drive from your Tesla, it's a good practice to pause Dashcam recording by pressing and holding the Dashcam icon on the touchscreen. This helps prevent data corruption.
Remove USB Drive: Carefully remove the USB drive from your Tesla's USB port.
Connect to Computer: Insert the USB drive into a computer.
Locate TeslaCam Folder: Navigate to the
TeslaCamfolder on the USB drive.Inside, you'll find sub-folders:
RecentClips: Contains the most recent continuous recordings.SavedClips: Contains recordings you manually saved or that were automatically saved due to critical events.SentryClips: Contains recordings triggered by Sentry Mode events.
Play Videos: Open and play the video files using any standard video player on your computer. The videos are typically in MP4 format.
3.3 Viewing Live Camera Footage via Tesla Mobile App (Premium Connectivity Required)
This is a fantastic feature for real-time monitoring of your parked Tesla.
Requirements:
Premium Connectivity subscription is required.
Tesla mobile app version 4.2.1 or newer.
Your phone must be paired as a key to your Tesla.
Enable on Touchscreen: On your Tesla's touchscreen, navigate to
Controls>Safety>View Live Camera via Mobile App(for Model S/X) orControls>Safety & Security>View Live Camera via Mobile App(for Model 3/Y).Access on Mobile App:
Open the Tesla mobile app.
Go to
Security>Sentry Mode.Tap
View live camera.
Live View & Interaction:
You'll see live feeds from your exterior cameras.
Your Tesla will periodically flash its exterior lights and display a message on the touchscreen to notify others that the area is being viewed.
You can view the cabin camera as well, and if equipped with a pedestrian warning speaker, you can even talk through the car's speaker using the microphone button in the app!
Note: Live Camera viewing is usually limited to about 15 minutes of cumulative usage per day in some regions, or up to an hour in others.
3.4 Dashcam Viewer in the Tesla Mobile App (Premium Connectivity & Compatible Hardware Required)
Newer Tesla models with MCU 2 (Intel) or higher (and Android app update 4.43.5 or newer for Android users) can now directly view Dashcam and Sentry Mode footage within the Tesla app itself, without needing to remove the USB drive.
Requirements:
Premium Connectivity subscription.
Vehicle with MCU 2 (Intel) or higher.
Latest Tesla mobile app version.
Access in App:
Open the Tesla mobile app.
Navigate to
Security & Drivers>Dashcam Viewer.Allow a few moments for your phone to connect to the vehicle.
View, Save, Delete: From here, you can view, save, or delete video clips directly from your device. The videos are streamed from your vehicle to your phone, so your car needs cellular data or Wi-Fi connectivity.
Step 4: Managing Your Footage ️
Footage can quickly fill up your USB drive. Regular management is key!
4.1 Deleting Footage
From Touchscreen: In the Dashcam Viewer on your Tesla's touchscreen, you can swipe right or press and hold on clips to quickly delete them. You can also go to
Controls>Safety>Delete Dashcam Clipsto delete all Dashcam and Sentry Mode footage.From Computer: When connected to a computer, simply delete the video files from the
TeslaCamfolder or its sub-folders.From Tesla App (Dashcam Viewer): If using the in-app viewer, you'll have options to delete clips directly from your phone.
4.2 Saving Important Clips
Manual Save (While Driving): Touch the Dashcam icon in the app launcher while driving to save the current recording.
Auto Save (Events): Dashcam set to "Auto" will save clips during safety-critical events. Sentry Mode automatically saves event clips.
Transfer to Another Device: For critical footage you want to keep long-term, transfer it from the USB drive to a computer or cloud storage.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How to format a USB drive for Tesla Dashcam?
You can format it directly in your Tesla via Controls > Safety > Format USB Drive, or manually on a computer as exFAT, MS-DOS FAT (Mac), ext3, or ext4, then create a TeslaCam folder.
How to ensure my USB drive works with Tesla cameras?
Use a drive with at least 64GB, a sustained write speed of at least 4 MB/s, and ensure it's formatted correctly (exFAT recommended) with a TeslaCam folder. Use the correct USB port in your Tesla (glovebox for most newer models).
How to check if Dashcam is recording?
The Dashcam icon on your Tesla's touchscreen changes status: RECORDING (solid red), AVAILABLE (grey), PAUSED, BUSY, or SAVED.
How to save a specific Dashcam clip?
While driving, tap the Dashcam icon in the app launcher, or briefly honk your horn if "On Honk" saving is enabled.
How to view Sentry Mode recordings?
You can view them on your Tesla's touchscreen in the Dashcam Viewer (Dashcam icon in app launcher) under the SentryClips folder, or by plugging the USB drive into a computer and navigating to the TeslaCam/SentryClips folder.
How to use the Tesla mobile app to view live camera footage?
Enable View Live Camera via Mobile App on your Tesla's touchscreen (Controls > Safety or Safety & Security). Then, in the Tesla app, go to Security > Sentry Mode > View live camera. This requires Premium Connectivity.
How to access Dashcam footage directly from the Tesla app?
For compatible vehicles and with Premium Connectivity, open the Tesla app and navigate to Security & Drivers > Dashcam Viewer.
How to delete all Tesla camera footage?
On your Tesla's touchscreen, go to Controls > Safety > Delete Dashcam Clips. Alternatively, you can delete the files directly from the USB drive on a computer.
How to troubleshoot if my Tesla camera footage isn't saving?
Check if the USB drive is properly formatted and inserted into the correct USB port. Ensure it meets the minimum storage and write speed requirements. Also, verify that Dashcam and/or Sentry Mode are enabled.
How to know if my Tesla supports in-app Dashcam Viewer?
The in-app Dashcam Viewer requires a vehicle with MCU 2 (Intel) or higher and Premium Connectivity. Most models from 2020 onwards are generally compatible, but checking your vehicle's Autopilot computer in Controls > Software can confirm.
You can learn more about how to use Sentry Mode's live camera footage with this detailed guide:
