TL;DR
- You cannot request a Tesla update. Keep the car on Wi-Fi so it can download one, then install it from the yellow clock icon on the screen or from the Tesla app.
- The car must be parked to install, and it will not drive or charge until the install ends. Turn on Automatically Install Updates to have it happen at 2 a.m., when the car sits at your Home location with more than 10% battery.
- If nothing arrives, check Wi-Fi strength, Keep Climate On, Pet Mode, Camp Mode and your Advanced or Standard setting before you call anyone.
How do you update a Tesla's software, and why does it sometimes not install? For most owners the answer is simple: connect to Wi-Fi, wait for the update to download, then pick a time to install it. Tesla's software update support page and the owner's manual cover the same steps, and this guide puts them in order, with the fixes for the usual problems.
Menus can shift a little between models and software versions. For the final word on your own car, tap Controls, then Service, then Owner's Manual on the touchscreen, as Tesla suggests.
How do I update my Tesla's software?
Tesla delivers updates over the air, in two phases. The support page calls them the download phase and the install phase. Here is what you do:
- Check for an update. Tap Controls, then Software. The car shows "Checking for updates." If there is nothing, you see "Your car software is up to date." If there is one, you see "Update available" and a yellow download icon at the top of the screen.
- Let it download. When an update is ready for your car, the download starts on its own and a green arrow shows at the top of the screen. A yellow download icon means an update is waiting but the car is not on Wi-Fi.
- Pick a time to install. When the download finishes, a clock icon appears. Tap it, then choose Install Now or Set For This Time. Until the update starts, you can tap the clock again to change the time.
- Or use the Tesla app. Tesla says you can start downloads and installs from the app, where a Software Update section shows on the main page when one is available.
One thing to know: Tesla's manual says it does not send an update to a car on request. Updates roll out in waves, so a friend with the same model may get one sooner than you do. Tesla's support page says the same thing: updates "occur on a rolling basis."
How do I connect my Tesla to Wi-Fi for updates?
Wi-Fi is the part that matters most. The manual says that in most cases the car must be on Wi-Fi to download an update, and Tesla recommends leaving it connected whenever you can, for example when parked at home.
- Tap Controls, then Wi-Fi. The car scans for networks in range. Tap yours, enter the password and tap Confirm. A green check shows when it works, and the car reconnects on its own whenever the network is in range, per Tesla's Wi-Fi page.
- Tesla's support page says the car needs a stable connection of at least three bars to download. If you see fewer, move the car closer to the router, or consider a range extender, as the manual suggests.
- A phone hotspot works too, subject to your carrier's fees and limits, according to the Model 3 manual. That manual also says the car does not connect to captive networks, the kind that make you open a sign-in page, which includes many hotel and public hotspots.
- For help with a weak signal, open Wi-Fi, then Diagnostics. You can also find it under the progress bar while an update downloads.
What about cellular? Tesla's connectivity page says every car has Standard Connectivity, which covers most features over Wi-Fi, and that important safety updates still come over cellular. The Model Y manual adds that Tesla also sends some updates by cellular "on an as-needed basis." Do not count on it. If you want the details on the paid plan, see our guide to what Premium Connectivity buys you.
Should I choose Advanced or Standard for software updates?
In Controls, then Software, you can choose a Software Update Preference. Tesla's manual explains the two options:
- Advanced: you get additional releases, sooner.
- Standard: you wait until others have installed, so you get fewer releases.
Tesla also says choosing Advanced does not enroll your car in its early access program. If you want new features as soon as your car qualifies, Advanced plus steady Wi-Fi is the setup the manual points to. Neither setting lets you ask for an update.
How do I turn on automatic Tesla software updates?
Tap Controls, then Software, then Automatically Install Updates. The Model S manual says the car then downloads updates and installs them at 2 a.m. as long as two things are true: it is parked at the location you set as Home, and it has more than 10% energy left. The app sends a notice when an install is scheduled.
Not a Tesla App, which tracks Tesla software, reported when the feature launched that it is off by default and that you cannot pick a different time. If that is still true on your car and you drive late at night, install by hand instead.
How long does a Tesla software update take, and can I drive during it?
You cannot drive during the install. The support page says this is a safety measure, and that a plugged-in car will not charge until the install finishes. Tesla's manual says some updates take about 30 minutes and some take longer, and Tesla's support page says some can take several hours. The car must be in Park the whole time.
The manual also warns against using the car while it installs. Some vehicle functions, including some safety systems and the doors and windows, can be limited or disabled until it ends. So schedule it for when you will not need the car, such as overnight. If you are driving at the scheduled time, the update is canceled and you must set a new time.
Why won't my Tesla update?
Most problems trace back to a short list. Each row below comes from Tesla's support page or the manual.
| What you see | What it usually means | What to try |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow download icon | An update is waiting, but the car is not on Wi-Fi | Connect under Controls, then Wi-Fi |
| Download stalls or restarts | Weak signal, or you drove and lost Wi-Fi mid-download | Park near the router. Tesla asks for at least three bars |
| No update on a hotel or public network | The car does not connect to captive networks | Use your home network or a phone hotspot |
| Update downloaded but did not install | Keep Climate On, Pet Mode or Camp Mode is on | Turn that mode off, then install |
| Scheduled install did not run | You were driving at the set time, so it was canceled | Tap the clock icon and pick a new time |
| Automatic install did not run | Car was not at Home, or had 10% or less energy | Set your Home location and charge the car |
| No update available | Tesla has not sent one to your car yet | Stay on Wi-Fi and check again later |
If the screen says an update did not complete, Tesla's manual says to wait for the next software update to reach your car. If the problem lasts, start with Tesla's support page.
Is it okay to skip an update?
You can wait, but Tesla recommends installing at the earliest opportunity. Its manual says that any harm from failing to install an update is not covered by the warranty, and that refusing updates can make some features inaccessible. It also says the update screen stays until you install.
To see what a given version changed before you install it, open our software updates tracker. It lists the versions GetTesla has covered and what each added. New owners can also read what to set up in the Tesla app and what to do in your Tesla's first week.
What to do
- Connect your Tesla to your home Wi-Fi under Controls, then Wi-Fi, and check that it shows at least three bars where you park.
- Set your Home location, then switch on Controls, Software, Automatically Install Updates if 2 a.m. suits you.
- Pick Advanced under Software Update Preference if you want more releases sooner.
- When the clock icon shows up, schedule the install for a time you will not need the car, and see what changed in the software updates tracker.
