Tesla is always watching but here's where your Sentry Mode footage actually goes
Published on Jun 17, 2025 at 3:29 PM (UTC+4)
by Grace Donohoe
Last updated on Jun 17, 2025 at 9:21 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Emma Matthews
Tesla is always watching over its fleet of cars, but here is where the footage that’s generated in Sentry mode actually goes.
The clever safety mode allows drivers to keep a close eye on their EVs.
But, there’s a catch, not every Tesla is equipped with it.
And when it is active, not many Tesla owners actually know where the footage ultimately ends up.
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Tesla is one of the most well-known EV brands in the car world.
From its unique escapade to the moon, thanks to the all-important Roadster, to the pioneering robo-taxi, the brand has branched into lots of sub-areas.
For example, in recent days, Tesla upgraded its Model S and Model X cars in the US, alongside raising prices.
Plus, a drone flyover in California even managed to catch a possible glimpse of a new Tesla model that’s set to be ground-breaking.
When it comes to features, Tesla is ahead of the game, too, with clever safety perks, one being Sentry Mode.
However, not many people know where the footage actually goes after it has been captured,
“Think of Sentry Mode as an intelligent vehicle security system that alerts you when it detects possible threats nearby,” stated the EV company.
“[For instance] if a threat is detected or the vehicle sensors determine there is a lot of jerky movement, like when getting towed or shaken,” it continued.
The feature is known to pulse the headlights, sound the alarm, alert you on the mobile app, and even display a message on the screen in the cabin, warning anyone nearby that they’re on camera.
The mode, however, is not actually available on every Tesla, and there are certain aspects and conditions that are needed in order for it to be effective.
But many people are puzzled as to where the footage actually goes.
Well, it’s all down to owning a USB drive to record the footage. Tesla explained:
“Sentry Mode requires a properly formatted USB drive inserted in your vehicle’s USB port. Vehicles manufactured beginning approximately 2020 are equipped with a pre-formatted USB flash drive in the glove box.
“When Sentry mode is enabled and a security event is detected but without a USB drive plugged into a USB port, your vehicle alerts you through the mobile app, without any camera recordings,” it continued.
When it comes to viewing the clips, if you’ve saved them to your USB, you can watch them on the cabin’s touchscreen or your computer.
It’s also recommended that you save videos onto another device and then delete them from the drive to stop it from getting full.
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