How to Load a Light Show onto a Tesla USB Drive
Put a folder named LightShow on an exFAT or FAT32 USB drive, place the show's .fseq file and its matching .wav or .mp3 inside, plug the drive into the glovebox USB port, and choose the show in Toybox → Light Show. Or let Orchestrator's Prepare Show Drive write it for you.
The manual way
- Use a dedicated USB drive formatted exFAT (or FAT32). Mac: Disk Utility → Erase → ExFAT. Windows: right-click → Format → exFAT.
- Create a folder at the top level named exactly LightShow.
- Copy the show files in: myshow.fseq and myshow.wav (or .mp3). Same base name, both files.
- Eject, plug into the glovebox USB port (the one the car uses for dashcam), and open Toybox → Light Show in the car.
The one-click way
If you are joining an Orchestrator show, the check-in page has Prepare Show Drive. On a laptop (Chrome or Edge), plug in an empty stick, confirm it's empty, click, approve, and it writes the LightShow folder with every file named and ordered correctly, and only your car's part. It checks the drive first and warns about anything that would stop the show.
Why the car ignores a drive (the usual suspects)
- There is a TeslaCam folder on the same drive: the car treats it as a dashcam drive. Use a separate stick.
- The folder is inside another folder, or misspelled (LightShow, capital L and S).
- The drive is NTFS or APFS. Reformat to exFAT.
- The audio file name does not match the .fseq name, or one file is missing.
- Multiple shows: name them so they sort in order (01_, 02_...). In Orchestrator packages this is automatic.
Frequently asked questions
Which USB port do I use for a Tesla light show?
The glovebox USB port. On some models the center console ports work too, but the glovebox port is the reliable one.
Can I keep dashcam and light shows on the same drive?
No. A drive with a TeslaCam folder is treated as a dashcam drive and light shows on it are ignored. Use a dedicated show drive.
What format does the USB drive need?
exFAT or FAT32. NTFS and APFS do not work.
Can a website format my USB drive for me?
No web page can format or erase a drive. Orchestrator's Prepare Show Drive writes the files; formatting stays with your Mac or Windows tools.
How many light shows fit on one drive?
As many as the drive holds; the car lists them all. Keep names ordered (01_, 02_...) so they appear in sequence.
Make your own, or run the whole lot
Marquee Light Show Studio designs shows. Orchestrator runs synchronized multi-car shows from one button.