Model S

2021 Tesla Model S Media Onwer Manual

Contents hide

1 2021 Tesla Model S Media

2 Overview

3 Volume Controls

4 Media Settings

5 Searching Audio Content

6 Recents and Favorites

7 Playing Media from Devices

7.1 USB Connected Flash Drives

7.2 Bluetooth Connected Devices

2021 Tesla Model S Media

Overview

The Media Player displays on the touchscreen and is used to play various types of media. You can drag Media Player upward to expand it (allowing you to browse), and downward to minimize it so that just the Mini player displays. The convenient Mini player, which occupies the least amount of space on the touchscreen, displays what’s currently playing and provides only the basic functions associated with what’s playing. You can also drag Media Player to display on the left or right side of the touchscreen.

Media Player displays content and options associated with the app (or source) you choose from the app launcher, or from the dropdown list that displays when you maximize Media Player:

Note

Media apps vary depending on market region. Some apps described may not be available in your market region, or may be replaced by different ones.

Radio: Choose from a list of available radio stations or touch the numeric keypad to directly tune the radio to a specific frequency. Touch the next or previous arrows to move from one frequency to the next (or previous).

Bluetooth: Play audio from a bluetooth-connected phone or USB device (see Playing Media from Devices).

Streaming: Play the audio streaming service available in your market region (for example, Slacker Radio), if equipped.

Spotify: Play audio available on Spotify.

TuneIn: Play audio available on TuneIn.

Tidal: Play audio available on Tidal.

Note

You can show or hide any media app/source. See Media Settings.

When listening to internet radio or a music streaming service, the options available on the Media Player screen vary depending on what you are listening to. Touch the next (or previous) arrows to play the next (and in some cases previous) available station, episode, or track. You can also play next/previous using the left scroll button on the steering yoke.

Streaming services are available only when a data connection is available (for example, Wi-Fi or Premium Connectivity). For some media services, you can use a default Tesla account. For others, you may need to enter account credentials the first time you use it.

Note

Instead of launching a different media app, you can change the source from within the Media Player screen by choosing a source from the dropdown list on the left side.

Note

You can use voice commands to adjust media settings and preferences, such as volume control, playing certain songs, or switching the media source (see Voice Commands).

Volume Controls

Roll the scroll button on the left side of the steering yoke up or down to increase or decrease volume respectively. The scroll button adjusts the volume for media, voice commands, and phone calls.

You can also adjust the volume by touching the arrows associated with the speaker icon on the bottom corner of the touchscreen.

To mute the volume, press the left scroll button. Press again to unmute.

Note

Pressing the left scroll button during a phone call mutes both the sound and your microphone.

Note

If you’re playing media and you receive a phone call, or the navigation system is speaking directions, the volume of what you are listening to is temporarily muted.

Media Settings

Note

The settings available vary depending on market region. Also, a setting may not be applicable to all audio sources.

When displaying an audio source screen, press the settings icon located in the search bar to access audio settings.

You can adjust these settings:

Tone: Drag the sliders to adjust the subwoofer and any of the five frequency bands (Bass, Bass/Mid, Mid, Mid/Treble, and Treble). If equipped with premium audio, you can adjust the level of sound immersion to make your music experience more engaging by dragging the immersive sound slider according to your preferences.
Balance: Drag the center circle to the location in Model S where you want to focus the sound.
Options: Set preferences for optional features. For example, you can turn DJ Commentary, Explicit Content, and Allow Mobile Control on or off.
Sources: Displays all available media sources and allows you to choose whether you want to show or hide each source. You may want to hide media sources that you never use. Once hidden, the media source does not appear on the drop down list in Media Player, nor will it appear in the app tray when you touch the App Launcher. You can re-display a hidden media source at any time by returning to this settings screen.

Searching Audio Content

Touch Media Player’s magnifying glass icon to search for a particular song, album, artist, podcast, or station. You can also use voice commands to search hands-free (see Voice Commands).

Recents and Favorites

For most source content, recents and favorites display at the top for easy access.

To add a currently playing station, podcast, or audio file to your Favorites list, touch the Favorites icon on Media Player.

To remove an item as a favorite, touch the highlighted Favorites icon. You can also remove multiple favorites by expanding Media Player to show all favorites for the applicable type of source content. Then press and hold any favorite. An X appears on all favorites and you can then touch the X to remove them from your Favorites list.

Your recently played selections are updated continuously so you don’t need to remove them.

Note

Selections you play on FM radio are not included in the Recents list.

Playing Media from Devices

You can play audio files from a Bluetooth-connected device (like a phone) or a USB-connected flash drive. When you connect a Bluetooth or USB device, Media Player includes the device as a media source.

USB Connected Flash Drives

Insert a flash drive into a front USB port (see USB Ports). Touch Media Player > USB, and then touch the name of the folder that contains the song you want to play. After you display the contents of a folder on the USB connected flash drive, you can touch any song in the list to play it. Or use the previous and next arrows in Media Player to scroll through your songs. You can also scroll to the next/previous songs using the left scroll button on the steering yoke.

Note

To play media from a USB connection, Model S recognizes flash drives only. To play media from other types of devices (such as an iPod), you must connect the device using Bluetooth.

Note

Media Player supports USB flash drives with exFAT formatting (NTFS is not currently supported).

Note

Use a USB port located at the front of the center console. The USB connections at the rear of the console are for charging only.

Bluetooth Connected Devices

If you have a Bluetooth-capable device such as a phone that is paired and connected to Model S (see Pairing a Bluetooth Phone), you can play audio files stored on it. Choose Media Player’s Phone source, touch the name of your Bluetooth-connected device, then touch CONNECT.

Your Bluetooth device begins playing the audio file that is currently active on your device. If no audio file is playing, use your device to choose the audio file you want to listen to. When the chosen file begins to play, you can then use Media Player’s next and previous icons (or use the left scroll button on the steering yoke) to play other tracks.

Note

To play media from a Bluetooth-connected device, ensure that access to the device’s media is turned on (see Pairing a Bluetooth Phone).

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