---
title: macOS
description: Install and run cloudflared as a launch agent on macOS.
image: https://developers.cloudflare.com/core-services-preview.png
---

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# macOS

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

## Prerequisites

Before you install Cloudflare Tunnel as a service on your OS, follow Steps 1 through 4 of the [Tunnel CLI setup guide](https://developers.cloudflare.com/tunnel/other-tunnel-types/local-management/create-local-tunnel/). At this point you should have a named tunnel and a `config.yml` file in your `$HOME/.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/other-tunnel-types/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

You can install the service to either run at login or at boot.

### Run at login

Open a terminal window and run the following command:

Terminal window

```

cloudflared service install


```

Cloudflare Tunnel will be installed as a launch agent and start whenever you log in, using your local user configuration found in `~/.cloudflared/`.

### Run at boot

Open a terminal window and run the following command:

Terminal window

```

sudo cloudflared service install


```

Cloudflare Tunnel will be installed as a launch daemon and start whenever your system boots, using your configuration found in `/etc/cloudflared`.

## 3\. Manually start the service

Run the following command:

Terminal window

```

sudo launchctl start com.cloudflare.cloudflared


```

The output will be logged to `/Library/Logs/com.cloudflare.cloudflared.err.log` and `/Library/Logs/com.cloudflare.cloudflared.out.log`.

## Next steps

You can now [route traffic through your tunnel](https://developers.cloudflare.com/tunnel/other-tunnel-types/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:

Terminal window

```

sudo launchctl stop com.cloudflare.cloudflared

sudo launchctl start com.cloudflare.cloudflared


```

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```