Ever wondered how to access those crucial video recordings from your Tesla, whether it's for an unfortunate incident or just capturing a scenic drive? You're in the right place! Tesla's built-in Dashcam and Sentry Mode features are powerful tools for recording events around your vehicle, and retrieving that footage is simpler than you might think. Let's dive into a step-by-step guide to mastering your Tesla's video capabilities.
Step 1: Prepare Your USB Drive
Before you can even think about recording, you need a properly prepared USB drive. This is the storage hub for all your Tesla's video footage.
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| How To Obtain Video Footage From Tesla |
USB Drive Requirements
Minimum Storage Capacity: Tesla recommends a minimum of 64 GB. However, given how much space video footage can occupy, it's highly recommended to use a USB drive with as much available storage as possible.
Sustained Write Speed: The drive needs a sustained write speed of at least 4 MB/s. Note that sustained write speed is different from peak write speed, so check the product details carefully.
USB Compatibility: It must be USB 2.0 compatible. If you're using a USB 3.0 drive, it must also support USB 2.0.
Dedicated Use: Ideally, use a dedicated flash drive exclusively for saving footage from your Tesla.
Location for USB Port: For vehicles manufactured around 2020 onwards, Tesla usually includes a pre-formatted USB flash drive in the glove box. If not, the glovebox USB-A port is generally the preferred port for video recording as some center console USB-C ports may only support charging. Avoid rear USB ports as they are typically for charging only.
Formatting Your USB Drive
There are two primary ways to format your USB drive for use with your Tesla:
Option A: Format with Your Tesla
This is the easiest and most recommended method as it automatically formats the drive correctly and creates the necessary folders.
Insert the USB drive into a front USB port, preferably the one in the glove box.
On your Tesla's touchscreen, navigate to Controls > Safety > Format USB Drive.
Confirm the action. This will erase any existing content on the drive and format it as exFAT, creating the "TeslaCam" folder (and "TeslaTrackMode" if your vehicle supports it).
Option B: Format on a Computer
If your Tesla can't format the drive, or you prefer to do it manually:
Connect the USB drive to your computer.
Format the USB drive as exFAT, MS-DOS FAT (for Mac), ext3, or ext4. NTFS is currently not supported.
Create a base-level folder named TeslaCam. If you also plan to use Track Mode, create another base-level folder called TeslaTrackMode. You can use one USB drive for Dashcam, Sentry Mode, and audio files, but you must create separate partitions or folders on the exFAT USB drive.
Step 2: Enable Dashcam and Sentry Mode ️
QuickTip: Stop and think when you learn something new.
Once your USB drive is ready, you need to enable the recording features in your Tesla.
Dashcam
Dashcam continuously records footage while driving, much like a traditional dashcam.
Ensure your properly formatted USB drive is inserted into the vehicle's USB port (glovebox port is ideal).
On your Tesla's touchscreen, go to Controls > Safety > Dashcam.
You can choose how and when footage is saved:
Auto: Dashcam automatically saves a recording to the USB drive when your Tesla detects a safety-critical event (e.g., collision, airbag deployment).
Manual: You must manually touch the Dashcam icon on the touchscreen to save a recording of the most recent ten minutes of footage.
On Honk: When you press the horn, Dashcam saves a recording of the most recent ten minutes of footage. This can be enabled simultaneously with Auto or Manual.
Sentry Mode
Sentry Mode acts as a security system, monitoring your vehicle when parked. It requires Dashcam to be enabled.
Ensure Dashcam is enabled (as described above).
On your Tesla's touchscreen, navigate to Controls > Sentry Mode > On.
The Sentry Mode icon in Controls will turn red when enabled.
Important Notes:
Sentry Mode requires your battery to be at least 20% charged. If it falls below 20%, Sentry Mode turns off.
You can set Sentry Mode to exclude specific locations (Home, Work, or Favorites) to prevent it from activating there. Go to Controls > Safety > Sentry Mode to configure these exclusions.
You can customize the Sentry Mode Clip Length (Controls > Safety > Sentry Mode > Sentry Mode Clip Length).
For enhanced detection, ensure Camera-Based Detection is enabled (Controls > Safety > Sentry Mode > Camera-Based Detection).
Step 3: Saving Footage When an Event Occurs
While Dashcam and Sentry Mode record, you need to know how to save specific events.
Dashcam Footage
Manual Save: If you have "Manual" or "On Honk" enabled, simply touch the Dashcam icon (usually in the app launcher or added to your bottom bar) or honk the horn to save the last 10 minutes of footage.
Auto Save: If "Auto" is enabled, the vehicle will attempt to save footage for safety-critical events. However, do not solely rely on this, as various factors (force of impact, airbag deployment) determine if it triggers.
Sentry Mode Footage
Sentry Mode automatically saves recordings when it detects a security event. These are stored in the "SentryClips" folder on your USB drive.
Tip: Use the structure of the text to guide you.
Step 4: Viewing Your Tesla Footage ️
You have a few options for viewing your recorded Tesla footage.
Option A: On Your Tesla Touchscreen
This is the quickest way to review recent events directly in your car.
Ensure your Tesla is in Park. The viewer cannot be launched while driving.
Touch the Dashcam icon in the app launcher (it may also be in your status bar or bottom bar).
The "Viewer" will open, displaying your recorded clips.
Videos are organized by timestamp. You can tap the menu button to see a chronological list of events.
You can select different camera angles (front, rear, left, right) to view the same event from multiple perspectives.
A timeline scrubber allows you to navigate to specific moments within the clip.
Option B: On a Computer (Recommended for Full Access)
For more comprehensive viewing, management, and backup of your footage, using a computer is ideal.
Open your Tesla's glove box and safely remove the USB drive. It's important to pause Dashcam recording before removing the drive to avoid losing footage. To pause, press and hold the Dashcam icon until it turns grey.
Connect the USB drive to your computer using an appropriate USB port.
Open File Explorer (Windows) or Finder (Mac) and locate the connected Tesla USB drive.
Navigate to the "TeslaCam" folder. Inside, you'll find several subfolders:
RecentClips: Contains up to 60 minutes of continuously recorded content, which is overwritten unless saved.
SavedClips: Contains all recordings that you manually saved or that were auto-saved due to a safety event.
SentryClips: Contains recordings from all Sentry Mode security events. Oldest Sentry Clips are deleted if storage space becomes limited.
Open the desired video files. Tesla videos are often in HEVC (H.265) format, which may require specific software or codecs on Windows (e.g., HEVC Video Extensions from the Microsoft Store) or a compatible browser like Firefox or Safari for direct playback via some online viewers.
Option C: Via the Tesla Mobile App (Limited Functionality)
Newer Tesla models with Premium Connectivity and mobile app version 4.39.5 or newer (iOS, with Android also gaining functionality) allow limited viewing and sharing directly from the mobile app.
Ensure your vehicle has Premium Connectivity and "View Live Camera from Mobile App" is enabled on the touchscreen (Controls > Safety > Sentry Mode > View Live Camera via Mobile App).
Launch the Tesla app on your smartphone.
Navigate to Security > Dashcam Viewer (or "View saved clips").
The app will connect to your Tesla and retrieve video footage stored on the USB drive.
You can browse and view available clips.
Some functionality like saving a 30-second portion to your phone's gallery may be available.
Step 5: Managing Your Footage
Since video footage takes up a lot of space, regular management of your USB drive is essential.
Move Saved Videos: Periodically move saved videos from the USB drive to another device (your computer, cloud storage, external hard drive) and delete them from the USB drive to free up space.
Overwriting: Remember that Dashcam and Sentry Mode continuously record in cycles. Footage in the "RecentClips" folder is constantly overwritten unless you manually save it. Similarly, "SentryClips" will overwrite the oldest clips when the drive fills up.
Data Recovery: If you accidentally delete footage, immediately stop recording by pausing Dashcam and safely ejecting the USB. Data recovery software (like Disk Drill or EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard for Mac) might be able to retrieve deleted files, but success is not guaranteed, especially if new data has overwritten them.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
QuickTip: Pause at lists — they often summarize.
How to format a USB drive for Tesla Dashcam?
You can format it directly in your Tesla by going to Controls > Safety > Format USB Drive, or on a computer as exFAT and creating a "TeslaCam" folder.
How to enable Dashcam in a Tesla?
Insert a formatted USB drive, then navigate to Controls > Safety > Dashcam on your Tesla's touchscreen and select your preferred recording mode (Auto, Manual, On Honk).
How to activate Sentry Mode in my Tesla?
With a formatted USB drive inserted and Dashcam enabled, go to Controls > Sentry Mode > On on your Tesla's touchscreen.
How to view Dashcam footage on the Tesla screen?
Park your Tesla, then tap the Dashcam icon in the app launcher on your touchscreen.
How to access Tesla Sentry Mode videos on a computer?
Safely remove the USB drive from your Tesla, connect it to your computer, and navigate to the "TeslaCam" folder, then the "SentryClips" subfolder.
QuickTip: Short pauses improve understanding.
How to save a specific event from Dashcam?
If "Manual" is enabled, tap the Dashcam icon on the touchscreen. If "On Honk" is enabled, honk the horn. The car may also auto-save critical events if "Auto" is on.
How to choose a suitable USB drive for Tesla recording?
Look for a USB drive with at least 64GB storage, a sustained write speed of 4 MB/s or higher, and USB 2.0 compatibility (or USB 3.0 that supports 2.0).
How to recover accidentally deleted Tesla footage?
Immediately pause Dashcam recording and safely eject the USB. Then, try using data recovery software on a computer, but success isn't guaranteed if data has been overwritten.
How to check the status of Dashcam or Sentry Mode?
The Dashcam icon on your touchscreen changes status (RECORDING, AVAILABLE, PAUSED, BUSY, SAVED), indicating its current state. Sentry Mode's icon turns red when active.
How to share Tesla video footage with others?
The easiest way is to remove the USB drive, connect it to a computer, and then copy/email the video files. Some mobile app versions may allow limited sharing directly from your phone.
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