Connecting an Apple client

This documentation has the goal of showing how a user can use the official iOS and macOS Tailscale clients with headscale.

!!! info "Instructions on your headscale instance"

An endpoint with information on how to connect your Apple device
is also available at `/apple` on your running instance.

iOS

Installation

Install the official Tailscale iOS client from the App Store.

Configuring the headscale URL

• Open the Tailscale app
• Click the account icon in the top-right corner and select Log in….
• Tap the top-right options menu button and select Use custom coordination server.
• Enter your instance url (e.g https://headscale.example.com)
• Enter your credentials and log in. Headscale should now be working on your iOS device.

macOS

Installation

Choose one of the available Tailscale clients for macOS and install it.

Configuring the headscale URL

Command line

Use Tailscale's login command to connect with your headscale instance (e.g https://headscale.example.com):

tailscale login --login-server <YOUR_HEADSCALE_URL>

GUI

• Option + Click the Tailscale icon in the menu and hover over the Debug menu
• Under Custom Login Server, select Add Account...
• Enter the URL of your headscale instance (e.g https://headscale.example.com) and press Add Account
• Follow the login procedure in the browser

tvOS

Installation

Install the official Tailscale tvOS client from the App Store.

!!! danger

**Don't** open the Tailscale App after installation!

Configuring the headscale URL

• Open Settings (the Apple tvOS settings) > Apps > Tailscale
• Under ALTERNATE COORDINATION SERVER URL, select URL
• Enter the URL of your headscale instance (e.g https://headscale.example.com) and press OK
• Return to the tvOS Home screen
• Open Tailscale
• Click the button Install VPN configuration and confirm the appearing popup by clicking the Allow button
• Scan the QR code and follow the login procedure