What Is Tesla's 'Joe Mode' & How Do You Enable It?

Whether it's the notifications from a smartwatch or, these days, a smart car, we have access to a constant stream of information like never before. While some of this information is important, there are times when the incessant alerts can get overwhelming. Tesla's "Joe Mode" was created to address this situation after owners began asking for a "quiet mode" feature, with at least one Twitter (now X) user directly asking Tesla CEO Elon Musk for an "auto lane correction feature without sound," according to the International Business Times. In a post on X, Musk claimed that the feature was named after one of his friends who had requested it.

Tesla first rolled out Joe Mode as part of the V10 update to its OS, which was also a game-changer for its self-driving capabilities. The feature is available on all Tesla models, including the Cybertruck and Tesla Semi. While the original inspiration for Joe Mode was to reduce noise levels in a Tesla for the sake of sleeping children, many drivers use it for themselves for a less intrusive and distracting experience while behind the wheel.

When activated via the settings menu, Joe Mode reduces the volume of most of the car's audio alerts delivered by the car by about half. These include the sounds for turn signals, parking sensors, seatbelt reminders, Autopilot, and other general notifications. However, Joe Mode does not reduce the sounds of more important alerts and safety warnings. These include Full Self-Driving Takeover, Lane Departure Avoidance, Automatic Emergency Braking, and Forward Collision Warning — this way, drivers will immediately notice them.

Joe Mode can be activated with a simple on/off toggle in a Tesla's settings menu, so you can easily change it back and forth depending on your current mood and tolerance for beeps and bells. Here are the steps to take to enable Joe Mode on a Tesla:

1. Access your Tesla's Touchscreen home screen if necessary.
2. Open the Controls menu by tapping the gray car icon.
3. Tap Safety to open this sub-menu.
4. Tap Joe Mode.

To disable Joe Mode, just repeat the Controls > Safety > Joe Mode steps at any time. Keep in mind that Joe Mode's status is linked to the car's profiles; Joe Mode won't automatically be enabled if a driver switches to a different profile, and they will have to enable it manually as well. This is useful if multiple drivers of the same Tesla have differing views about Joe Mode.

Whether you're driving at night, have sleeping children in the back, or just prefer a quieter driving experience in general, Joe Mode can be a convenient setting for a Tesla owner. It's not the only setting, either, as Joe Mode is just one of many little-known Tesla features every owner should be using, such as Dog Mode and Boombox Mode.