Sentry Mode & Dashcam Storage

📹 Sentry Mode & Dashcam Storage – Best Drives & How to Format Them

Tesla’s built-in dashcam and Sentry Mode features are incredibly useful — but they only work properly if your USB drive is compatible, fast enough, and correctly formatted.

This guide explains which USB flash drives and SSDs work best, and how to set one up for video recording.

💾 Recommended USB Drives & SSDs for Tesla Dashcam/Sentry Mode

To ensure reliable performance and smooth video capture, Tesla recommends:

• Minimum 32GB storage
• USB 2.0 compatibility (even if using a USB 3.0 device)
• Sustained write speed of at least 4 MB/s

✅ Popular Drives That Work Well:

• SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD (250GB–500GB)
• Samsung T5 Portable SSD (500GB)
• SanDisk Ultra Fit USB 3.1 (compact & recommended by Tesla)
• Samsung FIT Plus 128GB USB 3.1 (recommended by Tesla)

🔧 Tip: Larger SSDs offer better endurance and are less prone to failure than cheap flash drives.

🛠️ How to Format Your USB Drive for Tesla

To record video, your drive must be:

• Formatted as FAT32 (Windows), MS-DOS FAT (macOS), ext3, or ext4
• Include a base-level folder named TeslaCam (case-sensitive, no quotes)

❌ Do not use NTFS or exFAT — Tesla currently does not support these formats.

💻 macOS Instructions:

1. Insert USB into your Mac
2. Go to Applications > Utilities > Disk Utility
3. Select your USB drive in the left panel
4. Click Erase from the top menu
5. Set format to MS-DOS (FAT), then click Erase
6. Open Finder, locate the empty drive
7. Right-click, create a New Folder named TeslaCam
8. Eject the drive safely

🖥️ Windows Instructions:

1. Insert USB into your PC
2. Open File Explorer > right-click the USB drive > choose Format…
3. Select FAT32 under File System
4. (Optional) Give your drive a name (e.g. “TeslaUSB”)
5. Tick Quick Format, then click Start
6. Once formatted, right-click inside the drive to create a New Folder
7. Name the folder TeslaCam (case-sensitive, no quotes)
8. Eject the drive properly

🚘 Plugging Into Your Tesla

• Insert your formatted USB into a front USB-A or USB-C port (not the rear ports — they’re for charging only)
• Wait up to 15 seconds for Tesla to recognize the drive
• When recognized, dashcam and Sentry icons will appear on your screen
• To enable Sentry Mode: Controls > Safety > Sentry Mode

Your Tesla is now ready to capture footage while parked or driving!

💡 Want a pre-configured drive? Several online retailers sell Tesla-ready USBs formatted and pre-foldered. Just plug and go.