To set up the Tesla mobile app to communicate with your Model S:

1. Download the Tesla mobile app to your phone.
2. Log in to the Tesla mobile app by entering your Tesla account credentials.
3. Enable mobile access to your Model S by touching Controls > Safety > Allow Mobile Access.

Your phone and vehicle must both be actively connected to cellular service or Wi-Fi for the mobile app to communicate with your vehicle. Tesla recommends that you always have a functional physical key readily available if parking in an area with limited or absent cellular service, such as an indoor parking garage.

When both your phone and the vehicle have internet service, the Tesla mobile app's home screen allows you to:

• Lock or unlock your vehicle.
• Enable or disable the heating or air conditioning and monitor the cabin climate.
• Check your vehicle's charging information. Charging details also appear when a charging cable is plugged in.
• Open or close the charge port.
  Note

  Twisting red lines next to the Battery icon indicate that the Battery is actively heating up (including while charging or preparing to charge).
• See where your vehicle is located.
• View your vehicle’s estimated range.
• Open the front trunk.
• View your vehicle’s odometer, VIN, and current software version.

Media settings appear on the mobile app to pause, play, rewind, fast forward, and adjust the volume of the media currently playing in the vehicle. You may need to enable Media settings by touching Audio Settings > Options > Allow Mobile Control.

For supported video sources, send videos to Tesla Theater by sharing the link through the mobile app. Navigate to the movie, show, or video you want to play on your phone and touch the share button. Share the video with the Tesla app and it appears on the touchscreen if Model S is in Park.

In the Profile tab located at the top corner, you can:

• Switch to a different vehicle associated with your Tesla account, if you have access to more than one.
• Navigate the Tesla Shop.
• Manage your account information and view your order history.
• View and customize notifications you receive under the Settings tab, such as Calendar sync, when your security alarm has been triggered, charging updates, and new software updates. You can start updates from afar and check its progress.

The Controls tab allows you to do the following:

• Open the front or rear trunk.
• Lock or unlock Model S from afar.
  Note

  Your vehicle does not automatically re-lock if you unlock from the mobile app.
• Open or close the charge port.
• Flash the lights or honk the horn to find where Model S is parked.
• Enable Keyless Driving.
  Note

  Keyless Driving can be used when you do not have your key or to bypass PIN to Drive in cases where you forgot your PIN or your touchscreen is unresponsive (see PIN to Drive).
• Open and close your garage door if your vehicle has a programmed HomeLink connection, if available (see Smart Garage).
• Vent the windows.

You can check the interior temperature and heat or cool the cabin before driving (even if it’s in a garage), control the seat heaters, and defrost the windshield:

• Enable or disable defrost, which helps melt snow, ice, and frost on the windshield, windows, and mirrors, by swiping up from the bottom of the screen.
• Vent or close the sunroof.
• Precondition the cabin to your desired temperature and turn on or off the steering wheel and seat heaters (if equipped).

Using the mobile app to precondition Model S also warms the Battery as needed. The mobile app will notify you once your vehicle has reached the desired preconditioning temperature.

Locate Model S with directions, or track its movement across a map.

You can park or retrieve Model S using .

Enable scheduled charging or departure, and precondition the vehicle. See Scheduled Precondition and Charge for more information. Scheduled charging or departure can also be saved based on a preferred location.

You can also schedule a light show for a future time. For more information about light show, see Theater, Arcade, and Toybox.

The Security tab allows you to do the following:

• Enable or disable Sentry Mode (see How to Use Sentry Mode (With a USB Flash Drive)).
• Enable or disable Valet Mode (see Valet Mode).
• Enable or disable Speed Limit Mode and receive notifications when the vehicle's driving speed is within approximately 5 km/h of your selected maximum speed (see Speed Limit Mode).

View and purchase the latest upgrades available for your vehicle, such as full self-driving.

See Schedule Service for information on how to schedule service through the mobile app.

View roadside resources and request roadside assistance (where applicable). For more information on Roadside Assistance, see Contacting Tesla Roadside Assistance.

Add and remove access permission for an additional driver from the Tesla mobile app.

To add an additional driver, in the Tesla mobile app from the vehicle home screen, go to Security > Add Driver and follow the onscreen instructions.

To remove access, use the mobile app and go to Security > Manage Drivers and follow the onscreen instructions.