Guides · Sentry Mode and Dashcam

Tesla Sentry Mode and Dashcam: settings, footage and energy

How to set up Tesla Sentry Mode and Dashcam: the USB drive, exclusions, Camera-Based Detection, clip length, encryption, viewing footage, energy use and the legal responsibility Tesla places on owners.

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

Short answer

Format a USB drive of at least 64 GB in the car, then choose how Dashcam saves clips and whether Sentry Mode runs every time you park. Sentry Mode is off by default. Use Exclude Home, Work and Favorites to save energy, and consider Camera-Based Detection, clip length and encryption. Tesla makes you responsible for following local rules on cameras, which are strict in some countries, including Germany.

What you need first

Recordings need a USB drive of at least 64 GB with a sustained write speed of at least 4 MB/s, in the glovebox port. Format it in the car with Controls › Safety › Format USB Drive, which erases it and creates the TeslaCam folder. Without a USB drive, Sentry Mode can only alert you; nothing is saved.

Sentry Mode settings

  • Controls › Safety › Sentry Mode turns it on every time you park. The Sentry icon at the top of the screen or in the app turns it on or off for this time only. Sentry Mode is off by default.
  • Exclude Home, Work and Favorites keeps it off within about 500 m of those places.
  • Camera-Based Detection lets Sentry use the external cameras, not only the vehicle sensors, to detect a security event.
  • Sentry Mode Clip Length (2026 software) sets how long saved recordings are. Disable Sentry Sounds is also available.
  • View Live Camera in the Tesla app needs Premium Connectivity and is limited per day: about 15 minutes according to Tesla’s European manuals, and up to 1 hour in some other regions. The car flashes its lights while someone is watching.

Dashcam settings

  • Controls › Safety › Dashcam: Auto saves clips on safety-critical events, Manual saves the last 10 minutes when you tap the Dashcam icon, and On Honk saves them when you sound the horn. Off turns it off.
  • Encrypt Dashcam Recordings (2026 software) is recommended by Tesla: encrypted clips play only on the recording car or with the Tesla account linked to it.
  • Delete Dashcam Clips removes saved footage.

Viewing and sharing footage

  • On the touchscreen: in Park, open the Dashcam app in the app launcher; clips are sorted by time.
  • On a computer: plug in the USB drive and open the TeslaCam folder.
  • In the Tesla app: Security › Dashcam Viewer, with Premium Connectivity and View Live Camera enabled in the car.

According to Tesla, recordings stay on the USB drive and are not sent to Tesla. Share only the clip that matters.

Energy use

Sentry Mode keeps the car awake and increases energy use, and it is not available in Low Power Mode. Tesla’s range tips recommend turning it off in secure places such as home, work or saved favourites. See what drains a parked Tesla.

Privacy and the law

Tesla’s manual says it is your sole responsibility to consult and comply with local regulations and property restrictions on cameras. Rules differ widely. In Germany, for example, the Federal Court of Justice held in 2018 that permanent, unprompted dashcam recording breaches data protection law, while short, event-triggered recording is technically possible. The data protection authorities consider dashcams hardly permissible, and one state authority criticised Tesla’s Sentry Mode in 2020. The German version of this guide covers this in more detail. This is not legal advice.

Questions

Does Sentry Mode drain the battery?

It keeps the car awake and increases energy use. Use Exclude Home, Work and Favorites, and note that Low Power Mode switches Sentry Mode off once the charge drops below your chosen level.

Does Sentry Mode record without a USB drive?

No. Without a formatted USB drive, Sentry Mode can still alert you, but it cannot save recordings.

Can Tesla see my recordings?

According to Tesla’s manual, Dashcam and Sentry recordings are stored locally on the USB drive and are not sent to Tesla. Encrypted clips can only be viewed on the recording car or with the linked Tesla account.

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

What drains a parked Tesla, and what to switch off 20 Tesla settings worth changing, with 2026 menu paths Lesser-known Tesla tips for Model Y and Model 3 (2026)
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