Support Center

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Frequently Asked Questions

Answers to the most common LocalTunnel questions

General Questions

What is LocalTunnel?

LocalTunnel exposes your localhost to the world for easy testing and sharing. No need to mess with DNS or deploy just to have others test out your changes.

Is LocalTunnel free?

Yes! LocalTunnel is free to use with basic features. We offer sponsored plans with additional features like custom subdomains and higher rate limits.

How secure is LocalTunnel?

All tunnels use HTTPS encryption by default. However, remember that you're exposing your local server to the internet, so only expose what you intend to share.

Installation & Setup

How do I install LocalTunnel?

Install globally using npm:

npm install -g localtunnel

Can I use LocalTunnel without installing it?

Yes, you can use npx to run LocalTunnel without installing:

npx localtunnel --port 3000

Usage & Troubleshooting

My tunnel isn't working. What should I check?

  • Make sure your local server is running on the specified port
  • Check if your firewall is blocking the connection
  • Try using a different port number
  • Verify that localhost:[port] works in your browser first

Can I choose my own subdomain?

Custom subdomains are available for sponsors. Free accounts get randomly generated subdomains to ensure availability and prevent conflicts.

Why does my tunnel keep disconnecting?

Tunnels may disconnect due to network issues, rate limiting, or server maintenance. Sponsored accounts have more stable connections and higher rate limits.

Technical Questions

Can I use LocalTunnel in my code?

Yes! LocalTunnel provides a programmatic API:

const tunnel = await localtunnel({ port: 3000 });

Does LocalTunnel support WebSockets?

Yes, LocalTunnel supports WebSocket connections through the tunneled HTTPS connection.

What ports can I tunnel?

You can tunnel any port where you have a service running locally. Common ports include 3000, 8000, 8080, 5000, etc.

Still Need Help?

Get in touch with our community and maintainers

GitHub Discussions

Join our community discussions for help and feature requests

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Bug Reports

Found a bug? Report it on our GitHub issues page

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Feature Requests

Have an idea for improving LocalTunnel? Let us know!

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Helpful Resources

Additional resources to help you get the most out of LocalTunnel

Need Priority Support?

Sponsors get priority support and faster response times. Consider supporting the project if you rely on LocalTunnel for your development workflow.