Cloudflared-windows-amd64.exe -
Invoke-WebRequest -Uri "https://github.com/cloudflare/cloudflared/releases/latest/download/cloudflared-windows-amd64.exe" -OutFile "$env:USERPROFILE\Downloads\cloudflared.exe" Move it to a permanent location, e.g., C:\cloudflared\cloudflared.exe , and add that folder to your PATH for easy access. Cloudflared needs to authenticate with your Cloudflare account.
cloudflared.exe tunnel run my-first-tunnel Your local service is now live at https://myapp.yourdomain.com . For persistent operation (reboots, logoffs), install Cloudflared as a Windows service. cloudflared-windows-amd64.exe
Start small: run a one-off tunnel to a test website. Then graduate to a named tunnel with a custom domain and persistent Windows service. You’ll never mess with port forwarding again. Cloudflared is maintained by Cloudflare, Inc. This guide is unofficial but follows best practices as of 2025. Invoke-WebRequest -Uri "https://github
cloudflared.exe tunnel --url http://localhost:3000 Cloudflare gives you a random https://random-name.trycloudflare.com URL. This uses Cloudflare’s Quick Tunnels feature—no authentication, no config. “Access is denied” – Run Command Prompt or PowerShell as Administrator when installing the service or writing to Program Files . You’ll never mess with port forwarding again
– Ensure outbound TCP port 443 (HTTPS) and UDP 443 are allowed for cloudflared.exe . 10. Updating Cloudflared Cloudflared updates frequently. To update manually: