When you bought your brand-new Tesla Model 3, I’m sure you were eager to play with all the bells and whistles that came with it.
Tesla packs their vehicles full of fun extras, including a really impressive sound system inside.
And with that pounding stereo, you’ll want to crank your favorite tunes on Spotify in your Tesla Model 3. Well, the good news is that yes, Tesla introduced a Spotify integration in 2019.
The only downside is it’s only for Spotify Premium users.
Is Spotify Premium Worth It for Tesla Owners?
If you’re a Spotify Premium user, you can simply log in and start streaming your playlists seamlessly in your Tesla Model 3.
NOTE: If you’ve got multiple driver profiles, you’ll need to log in and out of their accounts to have your own playlists and suggested personalized content.
For music lovers, Spotify has become one of the most popular apps and streaming services available.
For $10 a month, you can become a Spotify Premium user too and enjoy a seamless listening experience in your Model 3.
Not a hefty price tag, but also consider that to play Spotify in your vehicle, you’ll need a data connection.
This goes for any of the apps in your Tesla Model 3; they all need data to run.
Many users choose to hotspot their phones or run their mobile data if they’re on decent phone plans.
But if you’re keen not to use your mobile phone this way, you can opt for Tesla’s new Premium Connectivity package.
For another $9.99 a month, Tesla will have you connected in no time to all your apps and services, including Spotify. Never worry about running out of data or losing a signal again.
Purchase from the touch of your Tesla screen and get access to cellular connection, in addition to Wi-Fi, for a truly connected experience.
So at a grand total of just under $20 a month, you can have nonstop streaming music with Spotify in your Tesla Model 3.
How to Use Spotify Premium in Your Model 3
Tesla has really stepped up their connectivity game in the last few years to a number of big name digital services, and if you’ve got a Spotify Premium account, here are the different ways to access it in your Model 3.
Streaming Spotify in Tesla From Your Phone
Step 1: Connect your phone to your Tesla. Make sure you have the Spotify app loaded on your phone.
Step 2: Hit Bluetooth from the main touch screen and select your phone as the media source.
Step 3: Open your web browser from the main touch screen and go to https://tesplayer.com/.
Step 4: Login in to TesPlayer to access your Spotify Premium account. You’re in!
Once you’re in, you can use your Spotify app as you normally would, and with the Tesla integration, it’s really a seamless experience.
Check out this video of a Spotify user navigating their way around the Spotify app in their Tesla Model 3.
All your songs, albums, artists, and playlists transfer over in an instant.
How to Log in to Spotify on Tesla for Playing Directly
Speaking of seamless integration, you can also choose to use the built-in Spotify right in your Tesla.
Step 1: From your Tesla touch screen, open up the Media Player.
Step 2: In the Media Player, select Spotify from your list of available apps.
Step 3: Log in to Spotify by using your Spotify or Tesla account.
Step 4: Once connected, start browsing your music library in Spotify and playing music in your Tesla.
These 5 rare tips can save you so much time and stress – and few owners know about them (even after years of ownership). Sign up below to learn more. It's free!
How to Use Spotify for Free in Your Tesla Model 3
Don’t panic if you don’t have a Spotify Premium account and are only using the free version.
Thankfully, you’ve got options to still access Spotify music in your Model 3.
If you’ve got time, you can transfer all your Spotify libraries and playlists to your own local music. Simply use a device connected with a USB or Micro SD card support to sync your music and load it into a local folder.
There are a couple of tools out there to help download your Spotify songs like TuneIf Spotibeat Music Converter or SpotiKeep Spotify Music Converter.
These are useful all-in-one solutions to downloading your Spotify libraries offline.
Once you’ve gotten that music downloaded, here are the steps to getting it to play in your Tesla Model 3:
Step 1: Copy all your music on your computer to a USB drive.
Step 2: Connect that USB to your Tesla and select it as your media source.
Step 3: Choose your music content to hit play.
Spotify Not Working in Your Tesla Model 3? 3 Troubleshooting Methods
Just like apps on your phone, you can sometimes run into glitches playing Spotify in your Tesla.
Lots of users complain about intermittent service, where Spotify seemingly has a mind of its own when it decides to play your song or not.
Here are three methods to try before having a complete music meltdown:
1. Update the Tesla System Version
As owners in that Tesla Motors Club thread noted, switching to V11 seemed to fix a lot of bugs when it came to their Spotify experience. It’s just good practice to always be on the latest software updates as they roll out to minimize interruptions.
2. Perform a Reboot
Tale as old as time, turning the vehicle off and on again should work out some of the kinks and get your Spotify performing at top speed. Logging out and in again on your Spotify account might be a quick fix as well.
3. Check Your Internet Connection
If you are not on Tesla’s Premium Connectivity package and are instead running through Wi-Fi hotspots, the internet speed could affect the performance of your Spotify account. You’ll want to ensure a high-speed, dedicated connection for an optimal Spotify experience.
Outside of intermittent Spotify usage, another interesting issue arose for some owners who found their Spotify accounts managed by Tesla got incorrectly assigned to a different country from where they lived.
The Tesla Web Player was attached to a different country and would offer local music suggestions from other countries and sometimes in different languages.
Contacting customer support seems to be the easiest way to get it switched back to your local country.
Alternative Music/Podcast Playing Apps & Methods
If Spotify isn’t your music app of choice, Tesla makes it easy to connect your Model 3 to a number of alternative services or music-playing methods. Here’s how:
1. USB
Conveniently enough, new Tesla owners will find a handy 128 GB Samsung USB located in their glove box. This is especially useful if you’ve already collected a healthy music library and would prefer to listen to your own collection as opposed to a music streaming service.
Make sure the USB is formatted for exFAT so you can plug it in to access your music under the USB icon on the music launcher screen.
You can even view your music by artist, album, or song title and search from within your own library.
This option is great as it’s completely free, especially for those of us who spent a pretty penny back in the day to acquire all that music. But not all of us have such a massive collection of music at our disposal.
2. Bluetooth
Without the Tesla Premium Connectivity package, you can also choose to stream audio via Bluetooth from your cell phone.
The sound quality is a touch degraded though. Currently, Tesla does allow you to connect a hardwire, physical USB cable connected to a cell phone to play music directly from.
3. Radio
For those who actually miss the banter of disc jockeys or don’t mind sitting through commercials, you can always choose to get your music from the FM radio which comes standard in your Tesla Model 3.
On top of that, Tesla also partnered with Slacker Radio (ad-free service) to provide a free Slacker Plus account to Tesla Premium Connectivity customers.
In Slacker, you can create playlists and enjoy curated streaming stations based on your likes while using voice commands to search for new music.
It may seem customizable, but the on-demand features of Spotify, along with its huge catalog of music, make Slacker look like enhanced radio.
4. TuneIn
If music is secondary to your love of news radio or live play-by-play sports while you’re driving, then TuneIn might be a good option for you.
Tesla drivers receive ad-free streaming music and news from the likes of CNN and Fox News to all major sports broadcasts with no blackouts.
It’s just not known as a music service powerhouse.
5. TIDAL
Deemed more of a premium music streaming service, TIDAL gives Spotify a bit of a run for their money. Tesla owners with a TIDAL HiFi subscription can stream music at a blistering pace of 1,411 Kbps.
But with any higher-quality streaming service, without a steady, high-speed internet connection, you can run into some buffering issues with TIDAL due to the larger music file size.
If you can get on Wi-Fi instead, it helps with the buffering.
The real difference between the two comes down to music preferences though. TIDAL boasts a larger catalog, but Spotify’s custom AI programming makes it superior for serving up personalized recommendations for new music that is in your wheelhouse.
6. SiriusXM
Offered as a freemium for new Tesla owners, SiriusXM comes fully loaded, but only in Tesla Model X and Model S models. We discuss why at more length here.
Word on the street is that Model 3 owners will soon have internet-based SiriusXM streaming available to them, but for now, they have to either use Bluetooth, install a hardwired receiver at an additional cost, or settle for Spotify.
Users are also curious if Tesla will eventually offer an Apple Music integration as that’s truly the competition for Spotify in the greater music marketplace.
In May 2022, Elon Musk said they’re considering the use of Apple AirPlay to improve audio quality over the current Bluetooth, but nothing about an Apple Music integration.
Final Thoughts: How to Use Spotify in Tesla Model 3
I’m definitely a music person when I drive, and I can’t imagine a silent ride. For me, the additional costs for the Premium Connectivity and Spotify Premium packages are worth it for the hours of heart-thumping, bass-blaring jams you can rock out to in your Model 3.
Spotify lets you turn your wheels into a mobile DJ station, spinning tunes that are curated to your tastes. With the Premium Connectivity to boot, you can ensure you never miss a beat.
But if your idea of an enjoyable ride is more about catching up on the news or listening to the same classic playlist of 50 songs you’ve had since your early 20s, then I’d say you can skip out on Spotify.
Nicki Schill
Nicki Schill is a writer and content marketer out of Kitchener, Ontario, Canada. As the former Geotab Marketing Manager, she’s got loads of experience in electric vehicles and fleet electrification. She’s a tech blogger and marketing guru who enjoys all things Canadian like hockey and poutine.These 5 rare tips can save you so much time and stress – and few owners know about them (even after years of ownership). Sign up below to learn more. It's free!
