Dashcam and Sentry Mode

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Note

Depending on market region, vehicle configuration, options purchased, and software version, your vehicle may not be equipped with Dashcam or Sentry Mode or the features may not operate exactly as described.

In addition to supporting Autopilot, the exterior cameras can record and store video footage of the vehicle's surroundings on a USB flash drive. This can be convenient in situations where you want a video recording of a particular incident. Dashcam saves video recordings, such as collisions or other events, when driving. Sentry Mode, if enabled, saves recordings of the surrounding area when parked. You can pause, resume, or save video recordings directly from the Dashcam viewer on your vehicle's touchscreen.

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Note

For saving Sentry Mode and Dashcam footage, Tesla recommends using the USB port located in the glovebox. Doing so increases security and minimizes power consumption.

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Note

Dashcam and Sentry Mode do not record video when Dashcam is paused.

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Note

To protect your privacy, video recordings are saved locally to onboard memory, or the USB flash drive. Recordings are not sent to Tesla.

Dashcam

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Note

Dashcam is a BETA feature.

Dashcam records footage of your vehicle's surroundings only when Model X is powered on (see Starting and Powering Off). Dashcam does not record video when your vehicle is powered off. Use Dashcam to record driving incidents, such as a collision.

Using Dashcam

Dashcam requires the use of a properly formatted USB flash drive to store and retrieve footage (see USB Drive Requirements for Recording Videos). Once a properly formatted USB flash drive is inserted into a front USB port, a Dashcam icon is enabled on the Controls screen. While driving, Dashcam automatically begins recording.

To control Dashcam, touch the icon:

Grey camera icon with a red circle in upper right indicating recording

RECORDING: Shows that Dashcam is recording. To save video footage, touch the icon. To pause recording, press and hold the icon.

Grey camera icon with a grey dot in upper right indicating recording paused

PAUSED: Shows that Dashcam is paused. To resume recording, touch the icon. To avoid losing video footage, pause Dashcam before removing the flash drive.

Grey camera icon with a green checkmark in upper right indicating clip saved

SAVED: Shows that footage is saved.

To customize how you want Dashcam to operate, touch and choose:

  • Auto: Dashcam automatically saves a recording to the USB flash drive (if available and installed) in situations where Model X detects a safety event, such as a collision or airbag deployment.
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    Note

    When Auto is selected, detection can vary and is subject to your vehicle's power, sleep, and Autopilot state.

  • Manual: You must touch the Dashcam icon to save a recording of the most recent 10 minutes of driving to the USB flash drive.
  • Off: Dashcam is disabled until you select Auto or Manual.
  • On Honk: When you press the horn, Dashcam saves a recording of the most recent 10 minutes of driving to the USB flash drive.

Sentry Mode

When Sentry Mode is turned on, the cameras and sensors remain powered on and ready to record suspicious activity around your vehicle when Model X is locked and in Park.

To turn Sentry Mode on or off, touch .

Alternatively, you can use voice commands or the Tesla mobile app. To enable Sentry Mode using voice commands, say "Keep Tesla safe," "Keep my car safe," "Sentry on," or "Enable Sentry" (see Using Voice Commands).

Sentry Mode requires your Battery to be at least 20% charged. If the Battery falls below 20%, Sentry Mode turns off and the mobile app sends you a notification. Power consumption may increase when Sentry Mode is active.

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Note

Software updates cannot be installed when Sentry Mode is turned on.

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CAUTION

Do not rely on Sentry Mode to protect Model X from all possible security threats. While it may help deter some threats, no security system can prevent all attacks.

Viewing Video Recordings

You can view videos on the touchscreen when Model X is in Park. Touch and select the video. The tabs display a thumbnail of all video clips, organized by location and timestamp. Pause, rewind, fast forward, and delete video recordings as needed.

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Dashcam recording pauses when you launch the Viewer.

You can also view video footage by removing and inserting the USB flash drive into a computer and navigating to the TeslaCam folder.

The TeslaCam folder contains three sub-folders:

  • Recent Clips: When recording, Dashcam continuously saves footage to Recent Clips in 60-minute cycles. Footage is overwritten every hour unless you manually save it. Four videos are recorded for each clip, one from each camera (front, rear, left, and right).
  • Saved Clips: Contains all recordings that are saved using Dashcam.
  • Sentry Clips: Contains the last 10 minutes of footage from all Sentry Mode events that triggered an Alert or Alarm state. If storage space on the USB flash drive becomes limited, the oldest Sentry Clips are deleted to provide space for new ones. Once deleted, you cannot retrieve them.

When the USB flash drive runs out of storage space, video footage can no longer be saved. To prevent the flash drive from getting full, regularly move saved videos to another device and delete them from the flash drive.

Standby, Alert, and Alarm States

While in Sentry Mode, Model X may shift through three states as a response to its surroundings—Standby, Alert, and Alarm:

  • Standby. Model X is automatically "on standby" when you activate Sentry Mode. The cameras constantly monitor the surrounding area for possible security threats.
  • Alert. If Sentry Mode detects a possible threat, such as someone very close to, or leaning on, Model X , Sentry Mode switches to the Alert state, where:
    • Headlights briefly flicker.
    • The touchscreen displays a message indicating that cameras are recording.
    • Sentry Mode saves the most recent 10 minutes of footage prior to the triggered event to the USB flash drive (if available and installed).
  • Alarm. For major threats, Sentry Mode:
    • Activates the security alarm and the audio system generates a loud and unexpected sound.
    • Sends an alert to the mobile app on phones that are paired to Model X to inform you that the alarm state is triggered.
    • Saves the most recent 10 minutes of footage prior to the triggered event to the USB flash drive (if available and installed).
    • Returns to the Standby state after 30 seconds.
    Warning Icon A warning icon, calling your attention to a possibly risky situation

    CAUTION

    Sentry Mode may not activate the security alarm in all situations involving damage to the vehicle. Sentry Mode uses many factors to determine whether to activate the security alarm—all impacts may not be detected and the alarm may not activate in all situations.

Use the Dashcam viewer to view Sentry Mode recordings when Model X is in Park. For details on how to configure a flash drive and view footage (see USB Drive Requirements for Recording Videos).

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Note

Sentry Mode events can be saved to a properly configured USB flash drive inserted into a front USB port.

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Note

When the internal storage reaches full capacity, new recordings from Alert and Alarm events overwrite the older recordings.

Location-based Settings

You can customize Sentry Mode to disable at specific locations where you park your vehicle:

  • Exclude Home: Sentry Mode does not operate at the location you set as Home in your favorites list (see Home, Work, and Favorite Destinations), but operates at any other parking location.
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    Note

    To set up your Home location, touch Navigateand hold down Home, then enter your address. Touch Save as Home.

  • Exclude Work: Sentry Mode does not operate at the location you set as Work in your Favorites list, but operates at any other parking location. Set your Work location the same way you set your Home location.
  • Exclude Favorites: Sentry Mode does not operate at any location in your Favorites list, but activates at any other parking location.

To recognize a location listed as Home, Work, or a Favorite, Model X must be parked within 32 feet (10 meters) of the saved location.

Manually turning Sentry Mode on or off using the touchscreen or the mobile app overrides your Home, Work, or Favorite exclusion preferences until the next time you drive.

Sentry Mode - View Live Camera

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Note

Depending on market region, vehicle configuration, options purchased, and software version, your vehicle may not be equipped with View Live Camera or the feature may not operate exactly as described.

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Note

View Live Camera requires premium connectivity. It also requires that version 4.2.1 (or newer) of the Tesla mobile app is installed on a phone that has been paired as a key to Model X .

When Sentry Mode is enabled, you can use the mobile app to remotely view the area surrounding Model X as seen through the exterior cameras.

To enable, touch on the Model X touchscreen. Once enabled, ensure there are no occupants in the vehicle and all doors are closed. Then, on the Tesla mobile app, go to and touch View Live Camera to see a live video feed of your vehicle's surroundings.

In addition, if Model X is equipped with a pedestrian warning speaker (see Pedestrian Warning System), you can press and hold the microphone button on the mobile app to transmit your voice through this speaker.

When View Live Camera is actively being used, Model X may periodically flash its exterior lights and display a message on the touchscreen to notify others that the area surrounding the vehicle is being viewed through the cameras.

View Live Camera is limited to approximately one hour (or 15 minutes for some regions) of cumulative usage per day.

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Video and audio quality can vary depending on network connectivity.

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The live camera feed is fully encrypted and cannot be accessed by Tesla.