Tesla’s dashcam is like a vigilant co-pilot, capturing footage of your drives and parked moments. Whether you want to review a breathtaking scenic drive or check on an incident, accessing the footage is straightforward. Let’s break it down step by step!
Step 1: Understand How Tesla Dashcam Works
Tesla’s dashcam uses the car’s built-in cameras to record:
- Driving Footage: Automatically records when the car is in motion.
- Sentry Mode Events: Activates when parked and detects motion or impacts.
Footage is stored on a USB drive or SSD connected to the car.
Step 2: Locate the USB Drive
Before viewing footage, locate the storage device:
- Open the glove box (many Teslas store the USB drive here).
- Remove the USB stick or SSD connected to the port.
Step 3: View Footage on a Computer
- Insert the USB Drive into Your Computer:
- Use a USB port or adapter if necessary.
- Locate the TeslaCam Folder:
- Open the USB drive.
- Navigate to the TeslaCam folder, which contains:
- SavedClips: Videos you manually saved.
- RecentClips: The last hour of footage (automatically overwritten).
- SentryClips: Sentry Mode recordings.
- Watch the Videos:
- Double-click any file to view it.
- Files are typically in .mp4 format, compatible with most video players.
Step 4: View Footage Directly in the Tesla
If you want to check the footage on the spot, use your Tesla’s touchscreen:
- Insert the USB Drive into the Car:
- Plug it into the USB port where it was originally connected.
- Access the Dashcam Viewer:
- Tap the Dashcam icon (a camera icon) on the touchscreen.
- Select View Footage from the menu.
- Browse and Play Clips:
- Use the interface to filter by event type (Driving or Sentry Mode).
Tips for Managing Dashcam Footage
- Save Important Clips:
- During driving, tap the Dashcam icon to save the last 10 minutes of footage.
- For Sentry Mode, events are automatically stored.
- Use a High-Quality USB Drive:
- Tesla recommends a USB drive with at least 64GB of storage and USB 3.0 speeds for smooth recording.
- Format the Drive in Your Tesla:
- Go to Controls > Safety > Format USB Drive to prepare it for recording.
Troubleshooting Common Issues
- No Footage Saved?
- Ensure the USB drive is properly formatted (exFAT or FAT32) and has a TeslaCam folder.
- Footage Overwritten:
- Regularly back up your USB drive to a computer to avoid losing important videos.
Final Thoughts
Tesla’s dashcam makes reviewing your journeys and monitoring your car a breeze. With these steps, you’ll be able to view, save, and manage your dashcam footage like a pro.
