The menu bar and tray

Teitunnel keeps running when you close its window, and its menu bar icon (a tray icon on Windows and Linux) gives you the status of your routes and shares, and the actions you use most, without switching apps. A global shortcut and teitunnel:// links reach the same actions from anywhere.

Where it isCopy Anchor Link

• macOS: the icon in the menu bar. Click it for the menu.
• Windows: the icon in the notification area. Left-click opens Teitunnel's window; right-click shows the menu.
• Linux: the icon in the system tray (your desktop needs tray support, for example the AppIndicator extension on GNOME). Click it for the menu.

The icon shows a dot when a route isn't working. Routes you stopped yourself don't count as a problem, so the icon stays plain.

Settings ▸ General ▸ Menu bar ▸ Show in menu bar hides or shows the icon. Closing the window keeps routes and Quick Shares running either way; quit with ⌘Q (or Quit Teitunnel from the menu) to stop them. Settings ▸ General ▸ Startup ▸ Open at login starts Teitunnel in the menu bar when you log in, without opening a window.

What the menu showsCopy Anchor Link

From top to bottom:

Sharing in one clickCopy Anchor Link

When you choose a service under Share a Running Service:

1. Teitunnel runs its exposure check on the service first.
2. If the check finds something (a .env file, the git folder, a debug page), the Quick Share sheet opens with the findings, so you decide: Share Anyway or Cancel.
3. Otherwise it shares, waits for the address, copies it to the clipboard, and notifies you: localhost:5173 is shared. Its address is copied: https://….trycloudflare.com.

On macOS and Windows, running services are looked up when you point at the icon (at most every 3 seconds). Linux has no such event, so the list is refreshed at launch and whenever a share starts or stops.

The global shortcutCopy Anchor Link

A keyboard shortcut that works from any app while Teitunnel runs. It's off until you turn it on in AI & Integrations ▸ More ▸ Global shortcut:

1. Turn on Use a global shortcut. The default is ⌘⌥⇧S on macOS (Ctrl+Alt+Shift+S on Windows and Linux).
2. To change it, choose Change and type the keys. Use at least one modifier other than Shift, with one letter, digit, function key or Space.
3. Under When pressed, choose:
   • Share the running dev server: shares the one dev server that's running and copies its address (or copies the address if it's shared already). With none or several, Quick Share opens so you can choose. The exposure check runs first, as in the menu.
   • Open Quick Share: brings Teitunnel to the front, ready to share a port.

If the system refuses the shortcut, the previous one stays and Teitunnel says why: Another app already uses this shortcut. Choose a different one. or This system doesn't let apps use global shortcuts. (some Wayland desktops on Linux).

teitunnel:// linksCopy Anchor Link

Launchers (Raycast, Alfred), scripts and web pages can open Teitunnel with a link:

Links are parsed strictly: an unknown action, an unknown or repeated parameter, or a value that isn't a port, hostname or share id is refused. Turn them off in AI & Integrations ▸ More ▸ Links ▸ Open teitunnel:// links. The installers register the scheme; nothing else is needed.

From a terminal:

open "teitunnel://share?port=3000"        # macOS
start "" "teitunnel://share?port=3000"    # Windows
xdg-open "teitunnel://share?port=3000"    # Linux

The same from a terminalCopy Anchor Link

The menu's information is in the terminal too, and the teitunnel command uses the running app when there is one:

teitunnel status        # whether the app runs, and what it serves
teitunnel top           # a live dashboard of shares, routes and traffic (q quits, ? for keys)
teitunnel shares        # every share, with --stop, --pause and --resume
teitunnel routes        # this computer's routes and their status
teitunnel share 5173    # share a port through the app

See sharing and the CLI reference.

TroubleshootingCopy Anchor Link

• No icon on Linux. Your desktop may not show tray icons: on GNOME, install the AppIndicator extension. Check Settings ▸ General ▸ Menu bar ▸ Show in menu bar too.
• A service is missing from Share a Running Service. Databases and system services aren't offered, services already shared are hidden, and at most six are listed. Use Share a Local Port… instead.
• Pause All Shares isn't in the menu. No running share goes through the inspector. Shares started with Inspect requests off can't show a paused page.

RelatedCopy Anchor Link

• Quick Share
• Sharing: pause, schedule, name and share folders
• Run modes: what keeps running when you quit.
• Integrations: editors and launchers on the same connection.