How to Connect Tidal to Tesla with or without HiFi/HiFi Plus

Tesla revealed the Tidal app as a part of the release notes in the 2021.40 software update:

"TIDAL streaming is now available from the Media menu with a TIDAL account. You can listen to TIDAL playlists or albums in high-quality audio by connecting to Wi-Fi and pressing Download on the selected content,"

If you want to know how to get Tidal on your Tesla, go ahead and check for the options here for HiFi, HiFi Plus or free users to enjoy Tidal playback on Tesla.

Part 1. What Is Tidal on Tesla?

Tidal is now supported in Tesla vehicles as part of the 2021.40 software update. With Tidal integration, Tesla owners can now access Tidal's music streaming service on Tesla, and the Tidal app is now available from the Media menu on the touchscreen. Just ensure to connect the Tesla vehicle to Wi-Fi and add the Tidal app to Tesla.

To access Tidal on Tesla, a subscription to HiFi or HiFi Plus is required to use the in-car integration. Please ensure to sign up for the desired subscription plan before getting started.

Part 2. Tidal VS Spotify: Which Is Better on Tesla?

Tidal is an attractive option for Tesla owners who want to listen to music in a higher sound quality. Tidal's focus on high-quality audio, including lossless and high-resolution formats. The higher bitrates offered by Tidal, such as 41,11Kbps for Tidal HiFi and even higher for Tidal HiFi Plus sound lossless and high-resolution formats. Tidal provide a superior listening experience compared to the 320kbps limit of Spotify's current highest audio quality.

Tidal HiFi ($9.99/month):

This tier provides lossless, CD-quality audio at 1,411kbps (FLAC format). This means you can enjoy the music in its highest quality, as if you were listening to a physical CD in your Tesla.

Tidal HiFi Plus($19.99/month):

This tier takes the audio quality even further by offering high-resolution audio up to 9216kbps (MQA format). It provides an enhanced listening experience with even more detail and clarity.

Spotify Premium ($9.99/month):

This tier offers a maximum audio quality of 320kbps.

While Spotify's 320kbps is a decent quality for most listeners and provides a good overall experience, it falls short compared to Tidal's lossless and high-resolution options.

Part 3. How to Add Tidal to Tesla with HiFi/HiFi Plus

To connect Tidal to Tesla with your HiFi or HiFi Plus subscription, please follow these steps:

Step 1. Ensure your Tesla is connected to the internet. To connect to a Wi-Fi network, touch Controls > the Wi-Fi icon, and select an available Wi-Fi network to use with the password.

Step 2. Ensure your Tesla software is up to date to access the Tidal integration. To update your Tesla software, touch Software > Software Update (if an update is available).

Step 3. In the infotainment system in your Tesla, tap on the car icon at the bottom of the touchscreen display.

Step 4. Select the Media option. In the Media menu, you should see Tidal is available as a Media app, then select the Tidal icon.

Step 5. Now you will get a QR code, then scan the QR code with your phone to log in to your Tidal HiFi or HiFi Plus account.

Step 6. Once logged in, you will see the Tidal interface on the touchscreen.

Step 7. You can play any Tidal tracks, playlists, albums or artists you want to listen on Tesla.

Part 4. How to Download Tidal on Tesla with HiFi/HiFi Plus

Tidal does offer the ability to download tracks via Wi-Fi to play them offline on your Tesla. To download Tidal music to your Tesla, follow these steps:

Step 1. Ensure your Tesla is connected to a Wi-Fi network. If you haven't connected to Wi-Fi, touch Controls > the Wi-Fi icon, then use an available Wi-Fi network.

Step 2. Touch the Tidal icon on your touchscreen.

Step 3. Go to tracks, playlists or albums you want to download to your Tesla.

Step 4. Touch the download icon, then the selections will be downloaded to your Tesla.

Part 5. How to Play Tidal on Tesla without HiFi/HiFi Plus

To use Tidal integration in Tesla vehicels, a subscription to Tidal's HiFi ($9.99/month) or HiFi Plus ($19.99/month) is required. However, it's still possible for Tidal users on the free tier to play Tidal on Tesla if you don't plan to subscribe to Tidal HiFi or HiFi Plus. So how can you play Tidal on Tesla without the Tidal subsriptions?

Tesla S, 3, X, and Y models have USB ports in the front compartment of the center console, which allows playing audio files from a Bluetooth-connected device, such as a phone or a USB-connected flash drive. Tidal users on the free tier can play Tidal music on Tesla by downloading and converting Tidal tracks to MP3 or FLAC using a Tidal music downloader called ViWizard Tidal Music Converter. Once Converted, you can transfer the audio files to your devcie and play in your Tesla. Even after cancelling Tidal paird subscriptions, you can play your collection offline on Tesla.

Tool You'll Need: ViWizard Tidal Music Converter

ViWizard Tidal Music Converter is the best Tidal music downloader designed for both Tidal HiFi, HiFi Plus and free users to download Tidal tracks to a commonly-used format. You can choose to convert and download the selections to MP3, M4A, M4B, WAV, AAC, and FLAC. To download Tidal music to Tesla, please choose MP3 or FLAC. What's more, the lossless audio and full ID3 tags will be kept with the downloaded audio files.

Key Features of ViWizard Tidal Music Converter

• Download any Tidal content, including songs, albums, playlists, and artists
• Support exporting Tidal music to MP3, AAC, FLAC, WAV, M4A, and M4B
• Preserve a whole set of ID3 tag information in the downloaded Tidal songs
• Handle the conversion of Tidal music up to 5× faster speed and in batch

2,000,000+ Downloads

Download Download

Step 1Add Tidal tracks to download

Launch the ViWizard Tidal Music Converter. When prompts on the screen, launch or relaunch the Tidal desktop app to load the music collection with a logged in account. Now head to Tidal tracks to add to ViWizard via drag/drop.

Step 2Set the output format

Click on the menu icon in the upper-right corner of the screen, then select Preferences. Choose the Convert tab, and open the options menu for Output format then choose MP3 or FLAC. Click OK to save.

Step 3Convert and download Tidal tracks

Click on the Convert button on the main interface of ViWizard and the conversion should start. Once the conversion is complete, all the download audio files will be stored on the output folder on the computer. Click Open next to the output path to browse for the downloaded files.

Step 4Transfer Tidal audio files to USB flash drive

Connect your USB drive to the computer, and open it in the File Explorer (PC) or Finder (Mac). When browsing the downloaded Tidal folder and files, copy them to the desired position on your USB drive.

Part 6. How to Play Tidal on Tesla from USB

Now you can play the stored Tidal audio files from your USB flash drive on any media player. To play Tidal from a USB-connected flash disk on Tesla, follow these steps:

Step 1. Insert the flash drive that stores all the compatible Tidal audio files into a front USB port.

Step 2. Touch Media Player > USB on the touchscreen.

Step 3. Touch the name of your USB hard drive.

Step 4. The contents of a folder on your USB hard drive will be displayed on the touchscreen. Now play any audio file you want to listen to on your Tesla with the lossless audio.

Conclusion

Now you know how to use the Tidal integration on your Tesla car if you have the Tidal HiFI or HiFi Plus subscription. If you are on the free tier, you can play the actual files of your favorite Tidal tracks from your USB-connected flash drive by converting and downloading them by using ViWizard Tidal Music Converter.

Adam Gorden is an experienced writer of ViWizard who is obsessed about tech, movie and software.