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Sentry Mode: what it does and how to set it up

Published Oct 22, 2026 · Updated Oct 22, 2026 · 4 min read · By VoltCoach

How Sentry Mode works, what storage it needs, and its limits.

Sentry Mode watches the area around your parked, locked car. When it detects a threat, the cameras record and the alarm can sound, and the Tesla app alerts you.

Turn it on

• Touchscreen: Controls, then Safety & Security, then Sentry Mode.
• Or use a voice command or the Tesla app.

Recording needs storage

• Sentry Mode will not record unless a drive is in place. Use a USB drive in a front USB port; a dashcam icon appears when it is ready.
• Supported formats are exFAT, FAT32, MS-DOS FAT, ext3 and ext4. NTFS is not supported.
• The drive needs a top-level folder named TeslaCam.
• Formatting from the touchscreen erases everything on the drive.
• Tesla says 2018 and newer cars on software 2020.48.5 or later save recordings to onboard memory and show them on the touchscreen. Without a drive, you still get phone alerts but nothing is kept.

Battery

Away from a Supercharger, Sentry Mode stays on until the charge falls to 20% or lower. The app tells you if it turns off for that reason.

Good to know

• Live Camera lets you view the surroundings remotely. It needs Premium Connectivity and a recent Tesla app, and is not available on some 2012-2020 Model S and Model X cars.
• Sentry recordings are not sent to Tesla.
• It cannot be on at the same time as Pet Mode.
• It will not prevent every possible threat, and you are responsible for following local laws about cameras.

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