---
description: Install and run cloudflared as a systemd service on Linux.
title: Linux
image: https://developers.cloudflare.com/tunnel/features/locally-managed-tunnels/as-a-service/linux/og.png?v=c41267ce284180cc
---

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# Linux

Last updated Sep 11, 2026|Copy as Markdown| [View as Markdown](https://developers.cloudflare.com/tunnel/features/locally-managed-tunnels/as-a-service/linux/index.md)| [Agent setup](https://developers.cloudflare.com/agent-setup/)

You can install `cloudflared` as a system service on Linux.

## Prerequisites

Before you install Cloudflare Tunnel as a service on Linux, follow Steps 1 through 4 of the [Tunnel CLI setup guide](https://developers.cloudflare.com/tunnel/features/locally-managed-tunnels/create-local-tunnel/). At this point you should have a named tunnel and a `config.yml` file in your `.cloudflared` directory.

## 1. Configure `cloudflared` as a service

By default, Cloudflare Tunnel expects all of the configuration to exist in the `$HOME/.cloudflared/config.yml` [configuration file](https://developers.cloudflare.com/tunnel/features/locally-managed-tunnels/configuration-file/). At a minimum you must specify the following arguments to run as a service:

| Argument | Description |
| --- | --- |
| `tunnel` | The UUID of your tunnel |
| `credentials-file` | The location of the credentials file for your Tunnel |

## 2. Run `cloudflared` as a service

1. Install the `cloudflared` service.

   ```sh
   cloudflared service install
   ```

   Note

   Installing the `cloudflared` systemd service on Linux typically requires elevated privileges. When the install command is run with `sudo`, `$HOME` points to `/root`, which may prevent `cloudflared` from locating a configuration file created in `/home/<USER>/.cloudflared/config.yml`. In this case, the config path can be passed explicitly:

   ```sh
   sudo cloudflared --config /home/<USER>/.cloudflared/config.yml service install
   ```


2. Start the service.

   ```sh
   systemctl start cloudflared
   ```


3. (Optional) View the status of the service.

   ```sh
   systemctl status cloudflared
   ```



## Next steps

You can now [route traffic through your tunnel](https://developers.cloudflare.com/tunnel/features/locally-managed-tunnels/create-local-tunnel/#5-start-routing-traffic). If you add IP routes or otherwise change the configuration, restart the service to load the new configuration:

```sh
systemctl restart cloudflared
```

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