Tesla updates your vehicle's software wirelessly, constantly providing new features. Tesla recommends you install software updates at the earliest opportunity on your vehicle. To ensure the fastest and most reliable delivery of software updates, leave Wi-Fi turned on and connected whenever possible. In most cases, your vehicle must be connected to Wi-Fi to start an update (see Wi-Fi).

Software updates are not performed when the following features are active:

• Smart Preconditioning
• Keep Climate On, Dog Mode, or Camp Mode
• Sentry Mode

When a software update is available, a yellow clock icon appears at the top of the touchscreen. There are three ways you can install software updates:

• Touch the yellow clock icon to display the scheduling screen, which prompts you to select a time to install the update (Set For This Time) or install it now (Install Now). Once scheduled, the yellow clock icon changes to a white clock icon until the update begins. At any time before the update begins, you can touch this clock icon to reschedule the update.
• Touch Controls > Software to determine if an update is available for your vehicle. If available, touch Software Update Available to navigate to the scheduling screen, as mentioned above.
• Start updates using the Tesla mobile app.

There are two phases to a software update:

• Download phase: During this phase, the new update is sent wirelessly to the vehicle. If a software update is available but cannot be downloaded because the vehicle is not connected to Wi-Fi, the top of the touchscreen displays a yellow download icon. The next time the vehicle connects to Wi-Fi, the download occurs automatically. When the download is in progress, the download icon turns green. Although you can drive while the software update is downloaded, doing so can interrupt the download if your vehicle loses the Wi-Fi connection. When the software update is fully downloaded and ready to install, a yellow clock icon displays at the top of the touchscreen.
• Install phase: During the install phase, you cannot drive. If plugged in, your vehicle will stop charging until the installation is complete. To start the install phase, touch the yellow clock icon at the top of the touchscreen. Touch Install Now to begin the installation immediately or touch Set For This Time to choose a start time for the installation. If you schedule the software update to install at a future time, the yellow clock icon changes to a white clock icon until the installation begins. At any time before the update installs, you can touch this clock icon to reschedule.

Tesla determines how, when, and where to send updates to vehicles based on various factors unique to each release. You can choose how quickly and often you receive software updates. To change your preference, touch Controls > Software > Software Update Preferences and choose either of these options:

• Standard: Receive software updates using the normal rollout timeframe for your region and vehicle configuration. When a software release is made available it has generally been running on other customer vehicles for a period of time.
• Advanced: Receive the latest software updates for your region and vehicle configuration at the earliest opportunity they are available. Keep in mind that although you receive updates at the earliest opportunity, you may not be in the first group of Tesla owners to receive the update. Choosing Advanced does not enroll your vehicle in Tesla's early access program.

If the touchscreen displays a message indicating that a software update was not successfully completed, contact Tesla.

If Model S is charging when the software update begins, charging stops. Charging resumes automatically when the software update is complete. If you are driving Model S at the scheduled update time, the update is canceled and must be rescheduled.

When a software update is complete, read the release notes displayed on the touchscreen to learn about changes or new features. To display release notes about the current version of your vehicle's software at any time, touch Controls > Software > Release Notes.

Tesla strongly recommends reading all release notes. They may contain important safety information or operating instructions for your Model S.