2021 Tesla Model S Software Updates Owner Manual

Tesla updates your vehicle’s software wirelessly, constantly providing new features. Tesla recommends you install software updates as soon as they are available on your vehicle. To ensure the fastest and most reliable delivery of software updates, leave Wi-Fi turned on and connected whenever possible. In most cases, your vehicle must be connected to Wi-Fi to start an update (see Connecting to Wi-Fi).

Software updates are not performed when the following features are active:

• Smart Preconditioning,
• Keep Climate On, Dog Mode, or Camp Mode
• Sentry Mode

When a software update is available, a yellow clock icon appears at the top of the Controls screen. There are three ways you can install software updates:

• Touch the yellow clock icon to display the scheduling screen, which prompts you to select a time to install the update (Set For This Time) or install it now (Install Now). Once scheduled, the yellow clock icon changes to a white clock icon until the update begins. At any time before the update begins, you can touch this clock icon to reschedule the update.
• Touch Controls > Software to determine if an update is available for your vehicle. If available, touch Software Update Available to navigate to the scheduling screen, as mentioned above.
• Start updates using the Tesla mobile app.

The yellow clock icon becomes a green download icon when a software update is downloading. If a yellow download icon displays, a software update is available but your vehicle is not connected to Wi-Fi. Connect your vehicle to Wi-Fi to start the download.

You can choose how quickly and often you receive software updates. To change your preference, touch Controls > Software > Software Update Preferences and choose either of these options:

• Standard: Receive software updates using the normal rollout timeframe for your region and vehicle configuration. When a software release is made available it has generally been running on other customer vehicles for a period of time.
• Advanced: Receive the latest software updates for your region and vehicle configuration as soon as they are available. Tesla determines how, when, and where to send updates to vehicles based on various factors unique to each release. Keep in mind that although you receive updates as soon as they are available for your specific vehicle, you may not be in the first Tesla group of Tesla owners to receive the update. Choosing Advanced does not enroll your vehicle in Tesla’s early access program.

If the touchscreen displays a message indicating that a software update was not successfully completed, contact Tesla.

If Model S is charging when the software update begins, charging stops. Charging resumes automatically when the software update is complete. If you are driving Model S at the scheduled update time, the update is canceled and must be rescheduled.

When a software update is complete, read the release notes displayed on the touchscreen to learn about changes or new features. To display release notes about the current version of your vehicle’s software at any time, touch Controls > Software > Release Notes.

Tesla strongly recommends reading all release notes. They may contain important safety information or operating instructions for your Model S.