---
title: Run as a service on Linux · Cloudflare Zero Trust docs
description: You can install cloudflared as a system service on Linux.
lastUpdated: 2025-10-21T14:33:19.000Z
chatbotDeprioritize: false
source_url:
  html: https://developers.cloudflare.com/cloudflare-one/networks/connectors/cloudflare-tunnel/do-more-with-tunnels/local-management/as-a-service/linux/
  md: https://developers.cloudflare.com/cloudflare-one/networks/connectors/cloudflare-tunnel/do-more-with-tunnels/local-management/as-a-service/linux/index.md
---

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/cloudflare-one/networks/connectors/cloudflare-tunnel/do-more-with-tunnels/local-management/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/cloudflare-one/networks/connectors/cloudflare-tunnel/do-more-with-tunnels/local-management/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
   ```

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/cloudflare-one/networks/connectors/cloudflare-tunnel/do-more-with-tunnels/local-management/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
```
