The three ways to reset a Tesla screen, ranked by what usually works
A frozen or unresponsive Tesla touchscreen usually responds to one of three resets, tried in order from gentlest to hardest. The first is a soft reset: press and hold both scroll wheels on the steering wheel for about 10 seconds until the Tesla logo appears on the screen. This clears the display software without affecting your vehicle settings, saved locations, or paired phones. If the screen is completely black or the scroll wheels don't work, move to a hard reset by shifting into Neutral, pressing the brake pedal, then holding down both scroll wheels for 15 seconds. The third option—a full system reset—requires you to power down the entire vehicle by pressing and holding both scroll wheels while the car is in Park, waiting for the screen to go black, then waiting another five minutes before pressing the brake or touching the accelerator to power back up.
Which reset you need depends on what the screen is doing. If it's frozen mid-function but still lit, a soft reset usually fixes it. If the screen is black or won't wake up, try the hard reset. If the car won't respond to either of those, the full system reset is your last step before contacting Tesla service. None of these resets will erase your saved addresses, music preferences, or driver profiles—those live in your account, not on the screen itself.
Key Takeaways
- A soft reset (holding both scroll wheels for 10 seconds) fixes most frozen screens and is safe to do while parked or driving.
- A hard reset (holding both scroll wheels for 15 seconds while in Neutral with the brake pressed) works when the soft reset fails or the screen is black.
- A full system reset powers down the entire vehicle and takes about five minutes total; use this only after the other two resets have not worked.
- None of these resets erase your saved locations, music, or driver profiles because that data is stored in your Tesla account, not on the screen.
- If the screen remains unresponsive after all three resets, the issue is likely hardware-related and requires Tesla service.
When a soft reset is enough
A soft reset is the first thing to try because it almost never causes problems and fixes the majority of screen freezes. You do not need to pull over or stop the car—you can perform a soft reset while driving, though it is safer to do it while parked. Locate the two scroll wheels on either side of the steering wheel (they look like small wheels you can rotate with your thumbs). Press and hold both of them at the same time for about 10 seconds. You will see the screen go black, then the Tesla logo will appear, and the screen will come back to life.
A soft reset clears the display's temporary memory and restarts the touchscreen software layer. It does not touch your vehicle settings, saved addresses, music library, or any data stored in your Tesla account. If your screen was frozen on the map, in a menu, or showing an error message, a soft reset will clear it and return you to the home screen. Most owners find that a soft reset solves the problem completely and they never need to go further.
When you need a hard reset instead
If the soft reset did not work, or if your screen is completely black and will not wake up, a hard reset goes deeper. Shift the car into Neutral (you can do this from Park by pressing the gear stalk up once). Press and hold the brake pedal. Then press and hold both scroll wheels for about 15 seconds. The screen will go black, the Tesla logo will appear, and the system will restart. This reset clears more of the vehicle's software state than a soft reset, but it still does not erase your personal data.
A hard reset takes longer than a soft reset—expect 30 seconds to a minute for the screen to fully come back. During this time, the car will not respond to most controls. Once the screen lights up again, your settings and saved data will be exactly as they were. If the hard reset works, your screen should respond normally. If it does not, the problem may be deeper in the vehicle's systems, and a full system reset is the next step.
The full system reset: when nothing else works
A full system reset powers down the entire vehicle, not just the screen. This is the most thorough reset available and should be your last step before contacting Tesla service. To perform a full system reset, make sure the car is in Park. Press and hold both scroll wheels until the screen goes black—this usually takes 10 to 15 seconds. Do not release the wheels. Keep holding them for another 10 seconds after the screen goes dark. Then release and wait. The car will be completely powered down.
After the full shutdown, wait at least five minutes before you try to power the car back on. This gives all the vehicle's systems time to fully discharge and reset. To power the car back on, press the brake pedal or touch the accelerator. The Tesla logo will appear, and the car will boot up as if you had just unlocked it. This reset affects the entire vehicle, not just the screen, so it can fix problems that are rooted in the car's main computer rather than the display itself. However, it also takes the longest and is the most disruptive, so use it only after the soft and hard resets have failed.
What these resets do and do not affect
All three resets clear temporary software states and restart various layers of the vehicle's computer systems. None of them erase your personal data. Your saved home and work addresses, favorite music playlists, paired phone numbers, driver profiles, and vehicle settings all live in your Tesla account or in the vehicle's permanent storage. A soft reset clears only the display layer. A hard reset clears the display and some vehicle state. A full system reset clears everything temporary but leaves permanent data intact.
If you are worried about losing something, you can check your Tesla app after any reset. Your account data syncs back to the car automatically once it reconnects to the internet. Saved locations, music preferences, and climate settings will all be restored. The only things that might need to be re-entered are temporary things like navigation directions you were in the middle of entering, or a song you were about to play.
What to do if the screen still will not work after resetting
If all three resets have failed and your screen remains unresponsive, frozen, or black, the problem is likely a hardware issue rather than a software glitch. At this point, contact Tesla service through your Tesla app or by calling the service line. Describe what the screen is doing (black, frozen, flickering, unresponsive to touch) and which resets you have already tried. Tesla service can run diagnostics remotely to see if there is a deeper software problem, or they can schedule you for in-person service if the display hardware itself is faulty.
In the meantime, your car is still safe to drive. The touchscreen controls many convenience features—climate, music, navigation—but the car will still accelerate, brake, and steer normally. You can also use voice commands by pressing the microphone button on the steering wheel, or control some functions through the Tesla mobile app. Do not attempt to disassemble the screen or perform any hardware repairs yourself; Tesla screens are integrated into the dashboard and require professional service to replace.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will resetting my Tesla screen erase my saved addresses and music?
No. Your saved locations, music library, and driver profiles are stored in your Tesla account, not on the screen itself. All three resets only clear temporary software states. Your data will sync back automatically once the car reconnects to the internet.
Can I reset the screen while I am driving?
Yes, a soft reset is safe to perform while driving. A hard reset requires the car to be in Neutral, so you should pull over first. A full system reset should only be done while parked because it powers down the entire vehicle.
How long does it take for the screen to come back after a reset?
A soft reset takes about 30 seconds. A hard reset takes about one minute. A full system reset takes five minutes or longer because you must wait five minutes after powering down before powering back on.
What if the scroll wheels on my steering wheel do not work?
If the scroll wheels are unresponsive, you cannot perform a soft or hard reset using them. Try a full system reset instead: shift to Park, wait for the screen to go completely black on its own (which may take several minutes), then wait five more minutes before pressing the brake to power back on. If nothing works, contact Tesla service.
Is it safe to drive with a frozen screen?
Yes. The touchscreen controls convenience features like climate and music, but your car will still accelerate, brake, and steer normally. You can use voice commands by pressing the microphone button on the steering wheel, or control some functions through the Tesla app while you arrange service.