2025 Tesla Model 3 Displays User Guide
This Guide covers the 2025 Tesla Model 3 Displays’ core functions, touchscreen controls, customization options, and vital settings to help you use your vehicle’s capabilities.
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Tesla Touchscreen Guide
NOTE: Throughout this Owner’s Manual, the front touchscreen is referred to as the “touchscreen” whereas the rear touchscreen is referred to as the “rear touchscreen”.
WARNING: Always pay attention to road and traffic conditions when driving. To minimize driver distraction and ensure the safety of vehicle occupants as well as other road users, avoid using the touchscreen to adjust settings while the vehicle is in motion.
Use the touchscreen to control many features that, in traditional cars, are controlled using physical buttons (for example, adjusting the cabin heating and air conditioning, headlights, etc.). You also use the touchscreen to control media, navigate, use entertainment features, and customize the Model 3 to suit your preferences. For hands-free access to common touchscreen controls, use voice commands (see Voice Commands on page 16).
If the touchscreen is unresponsive or demonstrates unusual behaviour, you can restart it (see Restarting the Touchscreen on page 8).
NOTE: Illustrations are provided to improve conceptual understanding only. Depending on vehicle options, software version, market region and regional and language settings, the details displayed on the screen will differ.
- Status bar: Find car controls and status in the top bar (see Top Status Bar Icons on page 7).
- Navigation: Change the orientation of the map, find or navigate to a destination, and change navigation settings (see Maps and Navigation on page 148).
- Car status: This area dynamically displays the current status of Model 3 as you drive, park, open doors, turn lights on, etc. Monitor this area when driving as it displays important information such as driving speed and warning messages (see Car Status on page 13). When the vehicle is in Park, you can open the trunks or charge port door. This area also houses shortcut “cards” for Media, tyre pressures, and Trip Information. When full self-driving is enabled (if equipped), the car status area displays visualizations of the road and your vehicle’s surroundings. You can expand/condense the visualization by dragging the car status area from side to side. Expanding the visualization displays more details about the roadway and its surroundings, including road markings, stop lights, and objects (such as trash cans and poles).
- Drive mode strip: Use to shift into Park, Reverse, Neutral, or Drive. Swipe from the edge of the touchscreen towards the passenger, to bring up the drive mode strip. (See Shifting on page 67.)
- Controls: Control various features and customize Model 3 to suit your preferences. The control screen appears over the map. Touch an option on the Controls screen to display the various settings and preferences associated with the chosen option.
To search for a specific setting, touch Search at the top of the Controls screen. Make changes directly from the result or touch the link to jump to that option in Controls.
When an information icon displays beside a specific setting, touch it to display a popup that provides helpful details about the associated setting.
NOTE: Many vehicle controls, settings, and preferences (such as climate, media, and navigation) can be adjusted hands-free using voice commands (see Voice Commands on page 16).
NOTE: You can send touchscreen feedback to Tesla by long-pressing this icon. - Climate controls (driver): Use the left and right arrows to decrease/increase cabin temperature. Touch Split on the popup to display separate controls for the driver and passenger. Touch the temperature icon to customize climate control settings (see Operating Climate Controls on page 137). The passenger climate controls display when temperature controls have been Split to provide separate controls for the driver and passenger.
- Media player shortcut: When using the media player app, swipe downwards and the media player shortcut icon appears in the bottom bar.
- My Apps: For one-touch access to frequently used apps and controls, you can choose what displays here. See Customizing My Apps on page 7.
- App Launcher: Touch the app launcher to open the app tray. Then touch any app to open it. The app you choose displays on top of the map. To close an app, drag it downward.
- Recent App(s): Displays the most recently used app(s). The number of recent apps displayed here depends on how many apps have been added to My Apps. If you add the maximum number of apps to My Apps, only the most recent app displays.
- Climate controls (passenger): Displays when temperature controls have been Split to provide separate controls for the driver and passenger.
- Volume Control: Controls the volume of media player and phone calls (see Volume Controls on page 154). The volume of navigation instructions is controlled separately (see Maps and Navigation on page 148).
Customizing My Apps
For one-touch access to commonly used apps and controls, you can customize what displays in the My Apps area on the touchscreen’s bottom bar:
- Enter customization mode by touching and holding any app or control in the My Apps area. If this area is empty, touch the App Launcher.
- Drag any app or control from the app tray onto the My Apps area in the bottom bar.
NOTE: Seat heaters selected from the app tray appear next to the temperature, instead of in the My Apps area.
NOTE: When you’ve added the maximum number of apps or controls to My Apps, adding an app removes the rightmost app.
NOTE: Remove an app or control from the My Apps area by touching and holding it, then touching its associated
“X”.
Top Status Bar Icons
Displays on the touchscreen status bar only when Model 3 detects a programmed HomeLink within range, and the touchscreen is not already displaying the HomeLink screen or popup. See Smart Garage on page 56.
Displays on the touchscreen status bar only when Model 3 is parked. Add, configure (including Valet Mode and Use Easy Entry), or quickly switch driver profiles. Driver profiles can also be accessed from the top of any Controls screen. See Driver Profiles on page 82.
NOTE: If you turn Sentry Mode on or off from Controls > Sentry Mode, the shortcuts on the vehicle’s touchscreen and mobile app will only work for the current drive cycle.
NOTE: For some vehicles manufactured after approximately November 1, 2021, the centre console USB ports may only support charging devices. Use the USB port inside the glove box for all other functions.
Displays when Model 3 is connected to a Wi-Fi network.
Displays when Model 3 is Connected to the cellular network. Touch this icon for quick access to Wi-Fi settings.
Status of the front passenger airbag (see Airbags on page 42).
Appears when your vehicle’s GPS location is actively being accessed in the Tesla mobile app by the owner, an added driver, or a third-party app you’re using. To disable, navigate to Safety > Allow Mobile Access on the touchscreen.
Popup Messages and Vehicle Alerts
Popup messages appear at the bottom of the touchscreen. For example, a seat belt reminder appears if a seat belt is unfastened in an occupied seat, an alert appears to notify you of an incoming phone call, a text message appears (when applicable), and voice commands appear when in use. If applicable, touch options from these popup messages (for example, accept/decline a phone call, choose an option from the headlight menu, etc.). To dismiss a popup message, swipe it downward.
If an alert appears on your vehicle’s touchscreen, touch Learn More for more details regarding the alert and how it can be resolved. You can view a list of vehicle alerts and notifications by touching the bell icon at the top of Controls.
NOTE: Not all alerts provide additional information at this time.
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Restarting the Touchscreen
You can restart your touchscreen if it is unresponsive or demonstrates unusual behaviour.
WARNING: Only restart the touchscreen while the vehicle is stopped and in Park. The car status display, safety warnings, backup camera, etc. will not be visible during the restart.
- Shift into Park.
- Hold down both scroll buttons on the steering wheel until the touchscreen turns black. Pressing the brake pedal while holding down the scroll buttons does not have any impact and is not required.
- After a few seconds, the Tesla logo appears. Wait approximately 30 seconds for the touchscreen to restart. If the touchscreen is still unresponsive or demonstrating unusual behaviour after a few minutes, try power cycling the vehicle (if possible). See Power Cycling the Vehicle on page 60.
NOTE: Pressing the scroll buttons only restarts the touchscreen. It does not restart any other vehicle component and does not power Model 3 off and on.
Rear Touchscreen
The rear touchscreen provides rear passengers with access to:
- Power: Touch to turn the rear climate control system on or off.
- Rear fan speed: Touch to adjust fan speed.
- Rear fan: Touch to turn the rear fan on or off, to adjust fan speed and control the direction of airflow from the rear vents (see Adjusting the Front and Rear Vents on page 142).
- Seats: Control rear seat heaters and move the front passenger seat forward/rearward using the arrows.
- Media: Play, pause, skip or rewind through the currently playing song (see Media on page 154).
- Video: Access video streaming services.
- Settings: Touch to pair up to two sets of Bluetooth headphones, change the brightness or clean the display.
NOTE: You can also use the front touchscreen to pair Bluetooth headphones to the rear display by launching the Rear Screen app. - Volume: Touch to adjust the volume.
- Airwave preset: Touch to direct the airflow to the passenger’s head or torso quickly. Direct the airflow exactly where you want by touching and moving the airwave on the touchscreen.
NOTE: You can also use the front touchscreen to adjust climate settings in the rear cabin (see Adjusting Climate Control Settings on page 137).
NOTE: Adjusting the media and volume controls also adjusts the front cabin settings.
Control the rear screen from the front
Customizing Display and Sound Settings
Touch Controls > Display to adjust display settings to suit your preferences:
- Appearance: Customize the display to be Dark or Light. When set to Auto, the brightness changes automatically based on ambient lighting conditions.
- Brightness: Drag the slider to manually control the brightness level. If Display Mode is set to Auto, the touchscreen further adjusts based on both the ambient lighting conditions and your brightness preference. Model 3 remembers your chosen brightness preference and adjusts the touchscreen accordingly.
- Screen Clean Mode: When enabled, your touchscreen darkens and temporarily disables to facilitate cleaning. Follow the onscreen instructions to exit Screen Clean Mode.
- Touchscreen Language: Select the language that the touchscreen displays.
NOTE: Model 3 must be in the Park to change the language. When you change the language, you experience a brief delay as Model 3 shuts down and restarts the touchscreen. - Voice Recognition Language: Choose the language to be used for voice commands.
- Voice Navigation Language: Choose the language that the navigation system uses for spoken instructions.
NOTE: For languages that require a download, select the language in the dropdown list to initiate the download (Wi-Fi connection required). - Text size: Select between Standard and Large to customize the text size on your vehicle’s touchscreen.
- Time: Choose to display time in either 12 or 24-hour format.
- Energy Display: Choose to display the remaining energy and charging units as either a percentage of battery energy remaining or as an estimate of the distance you can drive.
NOTE: When anticipating when you need to charge, use energy estimate as a general guideline only. Many factors have an impact on energy consumption. See Factors Affecting Energy Consumption on page 170. - Distance: Choose to display measurements in metric (kilometres, centimetres, etc.) or imperial (miles, inches, etc.) units.
- Temperature: Choose to display temperature using Fahrenheit or Celsius.
- Tyre Pressure: Choose to display tyre pressures using BAR or PSI.
In addition to customizing the display, you can enable Joe Mode to reduce the volume of all chimes that are not related to critical safety issues. Touch Controls > Safety > Joe Mode to enable.
Naming your Vehicle
To further personalize your vehicle, you can name it. Touch Controls > Software > Name Your Vehicle located on the right side of the touchscreen below the image of Model 3. If your vehicle already has a name, touch the existing name to change it. Enter the new name in the popup and touch Save. The name of your Model 3 also appears in the Tesla mobile app.
Erasing Personal Data
You can erase all personal data (saved addresses, music favourites, HomeLink programming, etc.) and restore all customized settings to their factory defaults. This is useful when transferring ownership of Model 3. Touch Controls > Service > Factory Reset. Before erasing, Model 3 verifies your credentials by prompting you to enter the username and password associated with your Tesla account. In addition to storage compartments and cup holders (see Interior Storage on page 29), the Model 3 interior supports various electronics such as USB ports, wireless phone chargers, and a 12V power socket.
Useful Links:
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