Windows configuration and log files

Last validated: Nov 4, 2026View as Markdown

In most cases, there is no need to access the Tailscale configuration or log files.

The exact structure and contents of these directories and registry keys are subject to change and should not be relied upon. Under normal circumstances, there is no need to access or modify them manually because doing so might interfere with how the client functions.

User Account `AppData`

Various files may be located in the AppData directory.

%LocalAppData%\Tailscale

AppData steps

Open the Windows Run dialog box with WINDOWS+R.
Type the path to the Tailscale directory.
```
%LocalAppData%\Tailscale
```
Select OK.

System Service `ProgramData`

Various files may be located in the ProgramData directory.

%ProgramData%\Tailscale

ProgramData steps

Open the Windows Start Menu and search for "PowerShell".
Right-click on PowerShell and select Run as administrator.
Accept prompts to confirm running as administrator.
Type the path to the Tailscale directory.
```
cd $Env:ProgramData\Tailscale
```
Inspect the contents of the directory.
```
dir
```

Prevent sensitive information leaks

Unless state storage encryption is enabled on the device, %ProgramData%\Tailscale\server-state.conf might contain plaintext private node keys and other sensitive information. This file should generally not be shared externally.

Local system registry

Registry policies to be used with Tailscale are listed in our MDM deployment with Windows guide.

Locations to check for registry keys can include the following:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Tailscale
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Tailscale IPN
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Tailscale
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Tailscale IPN

Clean reinstall or complete uninstall

If you do need to completely remove Tailscale's local state, to either achieve a clean reinstall or permanently remove the client, you can delete the directories and registry keys after uninstalling Tailscale.

Diagnose issues

If Tailscale Support requests log files to diagnose specific issues, you may need to check the following locations:

%ProgramData%\Tailscale\Logs