What is LockChime.wav on a Tesla?

LockChime.wav is the filename Tesla looks for on a USB drive to play a custom lock sound through the external pedestrian-warning speaker. It must be placed at Boombox/LockChime.wav on the USB drive root and selected in Toybox → Boombox → Lock Sound → USB.

What format does LockChime.wav need to be?

Tesla requires a WAV file named exactly LockChime.wav. The recommended spec for clean playback is 44.1 kHz sample rate, 16-bit depth, 1–5 seconds, under 1 MB. The USB drive should be formatted as FAT32 or exFAT.

Which Tesla models support a custom LockChime.wav?

All Tesla Model Y (all years), Model 3 built September 2019 or later, Model S and Model X 2021 refresh or later, and all Cybertrucks. The feature requires an external pedestrian-warning speaker and software 2023.44 or later.

Tesla LockChime.wav: What It Is, Where It Goes, and How to Get One

Q: Where does LockChime.wav go on the USB drive?

Create a folder named Boombox at the root of your USB drive, then place LockChime.wav inside it. The full path is Boombox/LockChime.wav. There is no Locked/ subfolder: that path does not work.

What is LockChime.wav?

When you lock your Tesla, the car looks for a file named exactly LockChime.wav on a plugged-in USB drive. If it finds one, it plays that file through the external pedestrian-warning speaker instead of the default factory chime. If no file is found, or if the file is named anything else, you get the stock sound.

The custom lock sound feature shipped in Tesla's 2023 Holiday Update (software 2023.44). Any Tesla on current software that has an external pedestrian-warning speaker can use it.

Where does LockChime.wav go on the USB drive?

The file belongs inside a folder called Boombox at the root of your USB drive. The full path is:

USB_DRIVE/
└── Boombox/
    └── LockChime.wav

Common mistake: there is no Locked/ subfolder. Placing the file at Boombox/Locked/LockChime.wav will not work. The correct path is Boombox/LockChime.wav, nothing in between.

Plug the USB into a front data port. Rear ports are power-only and will not show up in Boombox. On newer models with USB-C ports, use the front console or the glovebox data port.

File format requirements

Tesla's only hard requirement is a WAV file named exactly LockChime.wav. For clean, consistent playback, the following specs are widely used:

Spec	Recommended value
File format	WAV (required)
Sample rate	44.1 kHz
Bit depth	16-bit
Duration	1–5 seconds
File size	Under 1 MB
USB format	FAT32 or exFAT

The numeric specs above are best-practice recommendations for clean playback. Tesla does not publish a formal spec beyond requiring a WAV file. Every sound in our library is pre-formatted to these values.

Which Teslas support a custom LockChime.wav?

The feature requires an external pedestrian-warning speaker, which Tesla added to different models at different times. Software 2023.44 (the 2023 Holiday Update) is what turned the feature on: virtually every Tesla on current software already has it.

Model	Supported builds
Model Y	All model years
Model 3	Built September 2019 or later
Model S	2021 refresh or later
Model X	2021 refresh or later
Cybertruck	All

If you don't see the Lock Sound option in Toybox → Boombox, check Controls → Software and update to the latest version.

How to install LockChime.wav

Format your USB drive

Format as FAT32 (most compatible) or exFAT. APFS and NTFS are not supported. Keep the drive under 32 GB: larger drives can cause detection issues on some models.

Create the Boombox folder and add the file

At the root of the USB drive, create a folder named Boombox. Place your LockChime.wav inside it. Final path: Boombox/LockChime.wav.

Plug into a front data port

Insert the drive into a front USB data port. Rear ports are power-only. If the car does not detect the drive after 30 seconds, try the glovebox data port.

Select the sound in Boombox

On the touchscreen: Toybox → Boombox → Lock Sound → USB. The car will play your file the next time you lock.

For a full walkthrough with model-specific port notes, see the Tesla lock sound installation guide.

Where to download a LockChime.wav file

Every file in our sound library downloads as LockChime.wav, already named correctly and formatted to the 44.1 kHz / 16-bit WAV spec. You don't need Audacity, ffmpeg, or a format converter, just download, drop into the Boombox folder, and go.

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Tesla Lock Sound Team

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