Tesla Sentry Mode Video Notifications – How to Enable and When They Are Sent

Tesla's Sentry Mode keeps the vehicle's cameras active and various sensors ready to record any activity the car identifies as suspicious.

Sentry Mode functions like a 24/7 home security system for your Tesla, equipped with 360-degree cameras. In addition to recording through the vehicle's various cameras, Tesla recently introduced a feature that alerts you when the car detects suspicious activity.

Owners will receive a notification from the Tesla app, including a brief video clip of the activity. However, not all Sentry Mode events will trigger a notification or video. So, let's dive into how Sentry Mode mobile notifications work.

How to Enable Video Notifications

To receive video notifications, you need to ensure that both Sentry Mode and Dashcam are enabled, as they are disabled by default due to the power consumption of Sentry Mode.

You also need to subscribe to Tesla's Premium Connectivity service and insert a USB drive into the glovebox USB port (or the center console for older models). By default, all Teslas from 2020 onwards come with a pre-formatted USB flash drive that supports Sentry Mode recording.

While enabling "Camera-based Detection" is not required to receive video notifications, we recommend turning it on when available so that Sentry Mode captures all events involving your vehicle.

Currently, Sentry Mode video notifications are only available for iPhone and iPad, but Android support may be added in the future.

Video Notification Details

Each video notification is 60 seconds long. You can click the notification to view the video directly, or you can access the recent video notifications in the app. The video notifications are located under “Safety & Security” > “Sentry Mode Recordings Preview.”

In addition to receiving video of Sentry events, Tesla also saves the same one-minute notification video along with other Sentry Mode footage to your vehicle’s USB drive.

Tesla confirms that all preview videos are end-to-end encrypted, ensuring that Tesla cannot access them.

Factors That Trigger Video Notifications

While Sentry Mode records numerous events and displays them when the user returns, only certain events meet the threshold to trigger mobile notifications.

Tesla describes two specific parameters that will trigger a video notification:

The vehicle alarm is triggered, or
A sudden, rapid movement is detected that poses a threat to the vehicle.

Sentry Mode records various other events, such as someone walking near your vehicle. This might cause the vehicle to flash its headlights or display a message on the screen but will not result in a notification being sent to the app.

Regional Availability

Due to local regulations, the mobile notification feature of Sentry Mode is only available in specific regions. This feature is accessible in North America, Australia, and most parts of Asia.

Who Will Receive Video Notifications

It's important to note that any event meeting the threshold for triggering Sentry Mode mobile notifications will immediately alert all mobile app key holders of the vehicle. This excludes guest drivers but includes other Tesla account holders who may share access to your vehicle.

Commercial Alerts

If your vehicle is part of a commercial fleet, it will also notify the fleet manager on the Tesla Fleet Dashboard, where the manager can view the one-minute clip. Access to the full-length clip by vehicle remains necessary through the commercial fleet API.