TessDrive

Manual

Using TessDrive.

The complete guide — the same one built into the device. Everything from a first tap to custom icons and updates.

Basic controls

TessDrive behaves like the tablet in your hand — because underneath, it is one.

  • Tap — tap anywhere on the screen to interact, just like a phone or tablet.
  • Swipe — swipe to scroll, browse, or navigate within an app.

Going back

Swipe down from the very top of the screen to act as the Android "Back" button — it takes you back one step within the app you're using.

Returning to the home screen

While inside an app:

  1. Press and hold at the very top of the screen. A small bar appears once the hold registers.
  2. Then, without lifting your finger, swipe down.
A quick swipe from the top is always Back. A hold-then-swipe from the top exits fully to your TessDrive home screen.

Resume

Already had an app open? Look for the Resume Previous App button on the home screen to jump straight back to it — no relaunch needed.

The docks

Two docks sit at the bottom of the home screen:

  • Recent apps (center) — your most recently opened apps, newest first, updating automatically as you use them. Choose how many it holds (3, 4, or 5) in Settings → Appearance.
  • Shortcuts (right) — a fixed dock with Settings and the Play Store, always in the same spot.

Managing your apps

Long-press empty space in the grid to open the App Picker — a full list of every launchable app on your device. From there you can:

  • Show or hide apps from your home grid
  • Rename any app
  • Change an app's icon

Long-press a grid icon to open the same options, scoped to just that app.

Changing an app's icon

When editing an icon you'll see a few choices:

  • Current — the icon in use now.
  • Play Store — the official icon, fetched from Google Play.
  • Archived — a previously used icon, kept on hand.
  • Custom — your own icon. Insert an SD card with a 512×512 PNG and browse to select it.

There's also a refresh button at the top-right of the icon picker — tap it to re-fetch the latest official icons from the Play Store for every app.

There's only one Archive slot: whenever you switch icons, whatever's in Current moves into Archive — replacing whatever was archived before.

Settings

Reboot — restarts TessDrive; found at the top of the Settings screen.

Network

  • AP Password — change the password for your TessDrive WiFi network (8–63 characters).
  • Manage WiFi / Uplink — opens Android's native WiFi settings, where you can connect TessDrive to a network or hotspot for internet. Swipe back to return when you're done.

Appearance & feedback

  • Theme — Auto / Day / Night — Auto follows your Tesla's light/dark mode; Day and Night lock it.
  • Touch glow — a visual ripple where you tap, in your choice of five colors.
  • UI sounds — toggle sound effects for on-screen interactions.
  • 24-hour clock and Show seconds — format the on-screen clock.
  • Recent-apps dock size — 3, 4, or 5 apps.
Most settings apply instantly — no need to save. The AP Password is the one exception; tap Save to commit a new one.

Software updates

  • Version & Build — shows your current software version, its date, when it last checked, and your device build identifier (useful for support).
  • Check for updates — checks for and installs an available update right now.
  • Check for updates daily — TessDrive quietly checks once a day.
  • Allow beta updates — opt into in-development builds before they're released. They may be unstable; turning it off returns you to the stable build.

Updates are cryptographically signed and roll back automatically if anything goes wrong, so an update can never leave the device broken.