Connecting an Android client

This documentation has the goal of showing how a user can use the official Android Tailscale client with headscale.

Installation

Install the official Tailscale Android client from the Google Play Store or F-Droid.

Connect via web authentication

• Open the app and select the settings menu in the upper-right corner
• Tap on Accounts
• In the kebab menu icon (three dots) in the upper-right corner select Use an alternate server
• Enter your server URL (e.g https://headscale.example.com) and follow the instructions
• The client connects automatically as soon as the node registration is complete on headscale. Until then, nothing is visible in the server logs.

Connect using a pre authenticated key

• Open the app and select the settings menu in the upper-right corner
• Tap on Accounts
• In the kebab menu icon (three dots) in the upper-right corner select Use an alternate server
• Enter your server URL (e.g https://headscale.example.com). If login prompts open, close it and continue
• Open the settings menu in the upper-right corner
• Tap on Accounts
• In the kebab menu icon (three dots) in the upper-right corner select Use an auth key
• Enter your preauthkey generated from headscale
• If needed, tap Log in on the main screen. You should now be connected to your headscale.