Install Tailscale on Linux

This guide explains how to install and set up Tailscale on Linux so the system can participate in remote control features.

Supported systems

This guide applies to most modern Linux distributions, including:

• Ubuntu
• Debian
• Fedora
• Arch Linux
• Linux Mint
• Raspberry Pi OS

Applies to:

• Desktop systems
• Servers
• Headless devices

What this setup does

After completing this guide:

• Tailscale will be installed on Linux
• The system will join your private Tailscale network
• The device will receive a Tailscale VPN IP
• Remote features in Turn Off PC will work across networks

Step 1: Download Tailscale

1. Open a web browser
2. Go to Tailscale → Download
3. Select your Linux distribution

Tailscale provides official packages for most distributions.

Step 2: Install Tailscale

Follow the instructions for your distribution.

Debian / Ubuntu / Linux Mint

curl -fsSL https://tailscale.com/install.sh | sh

Fedora

sudo dnf install tailscale

Arch Linux

sudo pacman -S tailscale

Raspberry Pi OS

curl -fsSL https://tailscale.com/install.sh | sh

Step 3: Start and enable Tailscale

Start the Tailscale service:

sudo systemctl enable --now tailscaled

Step 4: Sign in to Tailscale

Bring the system online:

sudo tailscale up

A URL will be displayed.

1. Open the URL in a browser
2. Sign in with your Tailscale account
3. Authorize the device

Once authorized, the system joins your Tailscale network.

Step 5: Verify connection

Check the connection status:

tailscale status

Confirm that:

• The device appears in the network
• The status is active

Optional: Check Tailscale IP address

To view the assigned Tailscale IP address:

tailscale ip

Step 6: Run Tailscale automatically (recommended)

Tailscale runs automatically via systemd.

To verify:

systemctl status tailscaled

The service should be active.