How to Reset Your Tesla Screen in Under a Minute

A glitchy Tesla screen has a special way of ruining your morning. One minute you’re ready to drive, the next your map is frozen and the buttons won’t respond. Most owners assume they need a service appointment, but Tesla actually built a quick reboot shortcut right into the steering wheel.

Start with the car in Park. This reset won’t work unless the vehicle is stationary. Place your thumbs on both scroll buttons on the steering wheel and press them down together. Keep holding. The screen won’t react right away, so resist the urge to let go. After about 45 seconds, the display will turn black. That’s your sign to release the buttons and let the system do its thing.

Give the car another 45 seconds or so to reboot. The Tesla logo appears first, then the full interface loads back in. When everything returns, the screen should feel normal again. The reset clears temporary software hiccups without touching your personal settings or data.

Drivers use this trick for all kinds of little annoyances. The rearview camera doesn’t load. The map freezes at a traffic light. Bluetooth connects but refuses to play audio. The button to open Netflix won’t open during a charging session. These are normal software hiccups, and the steering wheel reboot handles them well.

It’s also worth knowing what this reset doesn’t fix. It won’t solve hardware failures like a damaged touchscreen, a dead 12-volt battery, or a full system crash where the car refuses to shift. For those, service is still your friend. But for everyday screen lag, this trick is the fastest solution you have.

if you prefer a visual walkthrough, check out the video here. It’s the kind of simple fix that every Tesla driver should know.