Tesla Unlock Sound: What You Can (and Can't) Customize

Searching for how to set a custom Tesla unlock sound? Here is the straight answer: there is no separate unlock sound file. Tesla plays LockChime.wav when you lock the car. That is the one customizable audio event. No UnlockChime.wav file exists in Tesla firmware.

An earlier version of this article claimed Tesla firmware 2026.8 added separate unlock sound support. That claim was not supported by the official 2026.8 or 2026.14 release notes, and we retracted it. Community consensus and external Tesla guides agree: the custom sound plays on lock only.

That said, the lock sound is genuinely great to customize, and this guide covers exactly how.

What Actually Plays When You Lock vs. Unlock

When you lock your Tesla:

When you unlock your Tesla:

There is no UI option to set a separate file for the unlock event. One file, one event: lock.

Which Tesla Models Support Custom Lock Sounds?

The custom lock sound feature requires an external pedestrian-warning speaker. It works on:

The feature has been available since Tesla's 2023 Holiday Update (software 2023.44). If you do not see the Lock Sound option, go to Controls > Software and update.

How to Set a Custom Lock Sound

What you need: a USB drive formatted FAT32 or exFAT, and a LockChime.wav file.

File setup:

USB Drive (FAT32 or exFAT)
+-- Boombox/
    +-- LockChime.wav

The folder must be named exactly Boombox. The file must be named exactly LockChime.wav.

Recommended audio specs (best-practice for clean playback, not official Tesla requirements):

Every sound in our library downloads ready to go, already named LockChime.wav and formatted correctly.

Install steps:

1. Download your chosen sound from the library
2. Copy it to the Boombox folder on a FAT32 USB drive
3. Plug the USB into your Tesla's glovebox data port (rear ports are power-only on most models)
4. Go to Controls > Toybox > Boombox > Lock Sound and select your file
5. Lock your car to hear it play

Full walkthrough: Tesla Lock Sound Installation Guide

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there really no unlock sound file?

Correct. Community guides, Tesla owner forums, and the official 2026.8 and 2026.14 release notes all confirm there is no UnlockChime.wav feature. Your LockChime.wav plays when you lock. The factory confirmation tone handles unlock.

What about Walk-Away Lock?

Walk-Away Lock locks the car automatically as you walk away. Your custom LockChime.wav plays at the moment of lock, whether triggered manually or by Walk-Away Lock. There is still no separate unlock file.

Can I silence the unlock tone but keep a custom lock sound?

Yes. The lock and unlock confirmation sounds share a single toggle in Controls > Locks > Lock Confirmation Sound. Turning it off silences both. If you want a lock sound but quieter unlock, load a very short low-volume LockChime.wav instead of toggling the feature off.

What format does the WAV file need to be?

The only hard Tesla requirement is a WAV file named exactly LockChime.wav. For best playback quality, use 44.1 kHz, 16-bit PCM WAV, under 1 MB. These are recommended specs, not official Tesla requirements, but they work reliably across all models.

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Browse 1,873+ free lock sounds: Sound Library | Installation Guide