By: Otaiba Ahsan

There are several reasons why you may want to lock the rear windows in your car. However, the primary one is typically to ensure the safety of young children. Thankfully, like most cars, Tesla’s allow you to lock them. Continue for steps on how to lock the rear windows in a Tesla Model 3 and Model Y.

Locking the Rear Windows

The steps to preventing passengers from using the rear window switches are quite simple. When in your Tesla, tap Controls > Locks > Window Lock, and then you’ll see that the rear windows can no longer be rolled down using the buttons. To unlock them, follow the same process and touch Window Lock again, you’ll see that it’s no longer highlighted and that the windows can be opened again.

NOTE: Tesla recommends locking the rear windows whenever children of any age are seated in the back of the car. This is to always ensure their safety. Also, they warn never to leave children unattended in your Model 3 or Y.

Opening and Closing the Windows

When in the driver’s seat, you’ll see that you have window switches that operate at two levels for both lowering and raising:

1. To lower a window fully, press the switch all the way down and release immediately.
2. To lower a window partially, press the switch gently and release where you want the window to be.
3. To raise a window fully, pull the switch all the way up and immediately release.
4. To raise a window partially, pull the switch gently and release when the window is where you want it to be.

Typically, it’s your responsibility to ensure the windows for your Model 3 or Y are closed after locking the vehicle. However, there are two ways to stay on top of this:

1. If you’re prone to leaving windows open unintentionally, you can set it so that a notification is sent to your Tesla mobile app each time this happens. When in your car, tap Controls > Locks > Car Left Open Notifications > Doors & Windows.
2. You can take this one step further and make it an automated process. This can be accomplished with the Close Windows on Lock setting, which can be enabled by hitting Controls > Locks > Close Windows on Lock. When engaged, your vehicle’s windows will automatically close after the car locks.

NOTE: When you open or close a door, the windows automatically lower just slightly. This is to avoid damage due to the Tesla Model 3 and Y’s unique design. If you manually raise a window when the door is open, make sure to slightly lower it before closing it again, or you’ll risk damage to it.

The Bottom Line

The steps on how to lock the rear windows in a Tesla Model 3 and Model Y are easy. When in your car, tap Controls > Locks > Window Lock. If you’d like to unlock them, simply follow the same process, and tap Window Lock again so that it’s no longer highlighted.