When does the Tesla Holiday Update come out? 2026 timing, past dates and how to get it early

Quick answer: Tesla's Holiday Update usually starts rolling out in the first half of December. The 2025 update was announced on December 5, the 2024 update began reaching cars around December 4, and the 2023 update arrived in mid-December. Tesla hasn't announced a date for 2026. Rollouts go out in waves, so expect it to take days or weeks to reach every car.

Every year Tesla saves a batch of new features for one December software release and calls it the Holiday Update. It's the update owners wait for, because it's where the fun things land: Toybox extras, light shows, new games and, last year, Paint Shop. Here's when it has arrived, what to expect from the rollout and how to get it as early as your car allows.

When has the Holiday Update come out before?

Three years of dates, from the coverage at the time:

Sources: Electrek on the 2025 update, Not a Tesla App's 2025 announcement coverage, Drive Tesla's 2024 release notes, Drive Tesla's 2024 feature preview, Teslarati on the 2023 update and Drive Tesla on the 2023 rollout.

Two patterns stand out. The software version has ended in .44.25 two years running (2023 shipped as 2023.44.30). And the first wave is small, with the rollout widening over the following weeks.

When will the 2026 Holiday Update come out?

Tesla doesn't pre-announce the date. Going by the last three years, the most likely window is the first two weeks of December 2026, with the rollout continuing toward Christmas. In 2023 Tesla also paused the rollout partway to fix bugs and then resumed it, per Drive Tesla, so a slow week after launch doesn't mean your car was skipped.

Until Tesla posts the release notes, treat any feature list as a guess. We publish the release notes in our news section the day they arrive.

How to get the Holiday Update sooner

You can't jump the queue, but you can make sure your car is first in line when its wave comes.

1. Turn on Advanced updates. On the car, open Controls > Software and set Software Update Preference to Advanced. Tesla says this setting gets the latest updates for your configuration and region as soon as they're available, per Tesla's software update support page.
2. Keep the car on Wi-Fi. Downloading an update requires Wi-Fi, so keep the car connected to your home network.
3. Leave it parked overnight. Installation needs the car in Park, and updates won't install while Keep, Dog or Camp Mode is on. The screen tells you when an update is ready.
4. Check the Software screen once a day. When it says an update is available, you can install it right away or schedule it for later.

What usually goes wrong: the car is on a weak or captive Wi-Fi network (a hotel or office login page) that blocks the download, or Camp Mode was left on. Fix the network or turn the mode off, and it'll catch up.

What to set up while you wait

The Holiday Update brings new toys, but the two personal touches owners use most already work today.

A holiday wrap in Paint Shop. Paint Shop arrived in last year's Holiday Update and now works on every current model. Make a design in the studio, or grab a free one from the Christmas wrap ideas guide or the Tesla winter wrap ideas. Upload it from the Tesla app under Creations > Wrap > Upload (app 4.59.1 or newer, car software 2026.26 or newer) and pick it in Toybox > Paint Shop > Wraps. The Tesla app upload tutorial shows each screen.

A holiday lock sound. A LockChime.wav on a USB drive replaces the honk when you lock the car. Copy the file to the top level of the drive, plug it into a front data port, then open Toybox > Boombox, turn on Lock Sound and choose USB. The file must be a WAV under 5 seconds and under 1 MB. Browse the lock sounds library or make an original one with the Tesla lock chime generator. Our lock chime guide covers the ports and drive formats.

Neither depends on the Holiday Update, and both survive it. Your saved wraps and your lock sound file stay put when the new software installs.

Will the Holiday Update change Paint Shop?

Nobody outside Tesla knows yet. What's known: Paint Shop has changed four times in its first year (Model 3, Model Y and Cybertruck at launch, Model S and Model X in spring, app uploads in summer, Tesla's own Halloween wraps in October). Our Paint Shop troubleshooting guide covers what to check if a wrap stops showing after any update. If this year's release changes how wraps work, we'll update this guide and the Toybox guide the same day.

Frequently asked questions

When does the Tesla Holiday Update come out in 2026? Tesla hasn't announced a date. The last three Holiday Updates arrived in the first half of December: announced December 5 in 2025, rolling out around December 4 in 2024, and mid-December in 2023.

Why don't I have the Holiday Update yet? Tesla releases it in waves, starting with a small share of cars and widening over the following weeks. Setting Software Update Preference to Advanced and keeping the car on Wi-Fi helps it arrive as soon as your car is eligible.

Does every Tesla get every Holiday Update feature? Not always. Some features depend on the car's computer, screen or region, so older cars can get a shorter list. The release notes on your car show what yours received.

Do I need the Holiday Update to use a custom wrap? No. Paint Shop wraps work on current software today, from the Tesla app or a USB drive. The 2026 update isn't required.

Design your holiday wrap in the studio now, and it'll be ready the day the update lands.