Hidden features, tips, and emergency access

Tesla owner tips

Everything that isn't obvious from the touchscreen: what to set up in your first few days, fun hidden features, and how to get in (or jump-start the car) if the low-voltage battery ever dies.

First few days checklist

  1. 1 Set up the Tesla app and phone key

    Download the Tesla app, sign in with the account the car is registered to, and turn on Bluetooth. In or near the car, touch Set Up Phone Key in the app and follow the prompts. To confirm a new key, the car asks you to scan a key card or key fob that is already paired to it on the card reader. On the touchscreen, turn on Controls > Safety > Allow Mobile Access so the app can reach the car. Keep Bluetooth on and let the app run in the background, or passive entry gets unreliable.

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  2. 2 Add a backup key card or key fob

    Keep a key card in your wallet as a backup for the day your phone dies. Tap it against the reader about a third of the way up the driver's side door pillar to unlock. To drive, set it on the inside reader: on Model 3 and Model Y that is on top of the center console behind the cup holders, and on 2021 and newer Model S and Model X it is at the top of the left phone charger, against the center divider.

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  3. 3 Turn on charging and Sentry Mode notifications

    In the app, enable notifications for charging status and Sentry Mode alerts so you know if the car didn't charge overnight or if something happened while it was parked.

  4. 4 Set your daily charge limit

    Set your everyday charge limit in the Charging menu. Tesla's advice depends on the battery: most Teslas should sit at 90 percent or less for daily driving and go to 100 percent only right before a long trip, but cars with an LFP (lithium iron phosphate) pack, such as many rear-wheel-drive Model 3 and Model Y versions, should be charged to 100 percent at least once a week. The charge screen tells you which your car recommends.

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  5. 5 Set up a driver profile

    Create a driver profile for yourself and anyone else who drives the car. It saves seat, mirror, and steering wheel positions plus preferences such as temperature, lights, display, and Autopilot settings, and it can be linked to a key so the car loads the right profile when that key is detected as you approach and open the driver's door.

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  6. 6 Connect to your home Wi-Fi

    Add your home Wi-Fi network in Controls so the car downloads software updates quickly and reliably while parked, instead of relying on slower cellular data.

  7. 7 Locate the manual door releases and 12V jump point

    Before you need it, find your model's manual door release and 12V jump-start point on its tips page below. It is much easier to learn calmly in the driveway than in the dark with a dead car.

  8. 8 Review Autopilot and data-sharing settings

    Go through the Autopilot and Safety menus to set following distance, lane-change behavior, and data-sharing preferences (like sharing camera data to help train Tesla's software) to what you're comfortable with.

  9. 9 Check your insurance options

    Get a quote from Tesla Insurance as well as a regular insurer. Tesla Insurance is sold only in some states, and in several of them the price can move with your Safety Score, a measure of real driving behavior. California does not allow that: there the Safety Score is for your information only and does not set the price. Tesla Insurance is not always the cheaper option.

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  10. 10 Join an owner community

    Tesla's official owners clubs (engage.tesla.com) and independent forums like Tesla Motors Club and the model-specific subreddits are good places to ask questions and learn from other owners' experience.

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