Guides · New Tesla

10 things to do with your new Tesla in the first days

Keys, locking, PIN to Drive, Dashcam and Sentry, charge limit, Schedule, driver profile, updates and the manual door release: the ten things worth doing first, with 2026 menu paths.

Last verified 25 September 2026 against Tesla’s owner’s manuals and support pages

Short answer

In your first days: set up your phone key, keep a key card as backup, decide how the car locks, turn on PIN to Drive, prepare a USB drive for Dashcam and Sentry Mode, follow the recommended charge limit, set a Schedule, create your driver profile with Easy Entry, connect home Wi-Fi for updates, and show every passenger the manual door release. Menu paths are from Tesla’s 2026 manuals.

1 · Set up your phone key

In the Tesla app, tap Set Up Phone Key near the car. Keep Bluetooth on, allow the app’s location “Always”, and check that Controls › Safety › Allow Mobile Access is on. Once authenticated, the phone key works without an internet connection. A car can hold 19 keys, and up to three phone keys can be connected at the same time.

2 · Keep a key card as backup

The key card is your fallback when the phone battery is flat or the phone is lost. Tap it on the card reader to lock or unlock; after tapping it you have two minutes to press the brake and drive. Keep it in your wallet, not in the car. Keys are managed in Controls › Locks › Keys, where you can add a key and remove a lost one. Apps that pair their own key, including Handlefree, also appear in this list.

3 · Decide how the car locks

Walk-Away Door Lock (Controls › Locks) locks the car when you walk away with your phone key. Use Exclude Home if it should stay unlocked in your garage. The key card never locks automatically.
Unlock on Park unlocks every door when you shift into Park. Turn it off if doors should stay locked when you stop.
Car Left Open Notifications alert you in the app if a door, trunk or window is left open.

Tesla’s manual is clear that it is ultimately your responsibility to make sure the car is locked.

4 · Turn on PIN to Drive

Controls › Safety › PIN to Drive asks for a 4-digit PIN before the car can be driven, even with a valid key. If you forget it, the pop-up lets you sign in to your Tesla account instead.

5 · Prepare Dashcam and Sentry Mode

Recordings need a USB drive of at least 64 GB with a sustained write speed of at least 4 MB/s. Use the glovebox port and format the drive in the car with Controls › Safety › Format USB Drive (this erases it). Then choose how Dashcam saves clips: automatically, manually or when you honk. Sentry Mode is off by default; if you turn it on, use Exclude Home, Work or Favorites to save energy where the car is safe. Check the local rules on camera recordings where you park.

6 · Use the recommended charge limit

Open Controls › Charging and follow the recommended daily limit shown on the touchscreen; batteries differ, so the car tells you. For a road trip, slide past the daily limit for a one-time higher charge that resets afterwards. Tesla also recommends leaving the car plugged in when you are not using it.

7 · Set a Schedule

Controls › Schedule (formerly Scheduled Departure) prepares the cabin and battery for your departure time and can charge off-peak. Tesla suggests using your departure as the charging end time, so the battery is warm when you leave. Turn on Repeat, or a schedule runs only once.

8 · Create your driver profile

Save your seat, steering wheel and mirror positions in a driver profile (Controls › Profiles on 2026 software, the profile icon on older versions). Tick Use Easy Entry to move the seat and wheel back when you get out. Link the profile to your key in Controls › Locks › Keys so the car picks it automatically. Never move the driver seat fully back with a child seat behind it.

9 · Connect home Wi-Fi and choose updates

Tesla recommends staying on Wi-Fi at home for software and map updates (Controls › Wi-Fi). In Controls › Software, Standard or Advanced sets how early you receive updates. Advanced is not Tesla’s early-access programme; Tesla calls Advanced plus a steady Wi-Fi connection the best way to get updates quickly. Installed updates cannot be rolled back. On 2026 software, Automatically Install Updates installs at 2 a.m. when the car is parked at Home with more than 10 % charge. Read the release notes: Tesla says they take precedence over the manual.

10 · Show everyone the manual door release

On Model Y 2025+ and Model 3 2024+, the front manual release sits in front of the window switches: pull it up to open the door without power. Use it only when the car has no power, never while moving. Rear doors differ by model and build, so check your manual and read our manual release guide. Show passengers, including children, before the first trip.

Questions

Can I drive without the Tesla app?

Yes. The key card locks, unlocks and lets you drive: tap it on the card reader, then press the brake within two minutes. The phone key needs the Tesla app.

Which charge limit should I use every day?

The recommended daily limit shown in Controls › Charging. Tesla’s range tips say that for cars with a recommended 80 % limit, keep 80 % for daily use and raise it to 100 % only when needed, such as a road trip.

Is Sentry Mode on by default?

No. Tesla’s manual says Sentry Mode is disabled by default. It also needs Dashcam and a formatted USB drive to save recordings.

Sources

Tesla features change with software updates; check the linked source for your car. Handlefree is independent and not affiliated with Tesla, Inc. Use vehicle controls only beside your parked car with the area clear.

Keep reading

20 Tesla settings worth changing, with 2026 menu paths Tesla delivery checklist: before, at and after handover Tesla manual door release: opening doors with no power, by model