Halloween Mode is a seasonal feature in the Toybox that dresses up your car's screen and lets it react to people who walk up. It first arrived with software update 2026.38.3, according to Not a Tesla App. Here is how to use it.
Before you start
- Check that your car has software 2026.38.3 or newer under Controls > Software. Tesla lists the feature for Model S, Model 3, Model X, Model Y and Cybertruck, and as a worldwide release. Updates reach cars in waves, so yours may not have it yet.
- Cars with an AMD-powered infotainment computer get the full feature set. Intel-based cars get the wraps and lock sounds, but not the parked scene or Photobooth extras.
Turn it on
- Open the Toybox on the touchscreen.
- Tap Halloween Mode.
- Switch on Ghost Costume, Trick or Treat, or both.
A short intro plays with a "Happy Halloween" title, then the spooky theme takes over and the cabin ambient lighting turns orange.
What each part does
- Ghost Costume puts a ghost costume on your car in the on-screen visualization, per the release notes.
- Trick or Treat plays spooky sounds and flickers the lights when people approach the parked car.
- Fright Show is a schedulable light show that flickers exterior lights, opens and closes the trunk and cycles cabin lighting to music. Our light show guide covers the basics.
- Photobooth adds Polaroid-style frames captioned "Happy Halloween" and "Trick or Treat," plus spooky stickers.
The Sentry Mode catch
Trick or Treat cannot run alongside Sentry Mode. Tesla states that Sentry Mode, the security alarm and walk-away lock are disabled while the Trick or Treat toggle is on. Trick or Treat turns itself off when you shift out of Park or enter Low Power Mode. If you park somewhere you would normally want Sentry Mode, turn Trick or Treat off when the trick-or-treating ends.
For what the update adds and which cars get it, read our Halloween Mode overview, and see the software update tracker for the latest versions.
