# Home Assistant Cloudflared App for Remote Access Without Router Ports > homeassistant-apps/app-cloudflared is an unofficial Home Assistant app that connects a Home Assistant instance through Cloudflare Tunnel. It suits users who own a domain using Cloudflare DNS and want remote access without opening router ports. **homeassistant-apps/app-cloudflared** — Connect remotely to your Home Assistant instance without opening any ports using Cloudflared. - Repository: https://github.com/homeassistant-apps/app-cloudflared - Stars: 1,588 · Forks: 91 - Language: Shell - License: MIT - Published: 2026-10-16 · Updated: 2026-10-16 · Language: en - Canonical page: https://hysenlabs.com/projects/homeassistant-apps-app-cloudflared ## Why Cloudflared Exists in the Home Assistant App Repository This project solves a specific remote-access problem: reaching Home Assistant from outside the local network without forwarding a port on the router. The README says that Cloudflared connects a Home Assistant instance through a secure tunnel to a domain or subdomain at Cloudflare. That route gives the Home Assistant deployment an Internet-facing hostname without requiring the router itself to expose a listening port. The same description also covers other services, so the app is not limited to publishing the Home Assistant dashboard. The intended user is a Home Assistant operator who already has control over a domain name and uses Cloudflare for its DNS entries. This is a material prerequisite rather than an optional convenience. The README gives example.com as the kind of domain it expects. It also warns that Freenom domains no longer work and says that a user must choose or migrate to another registrar. A person evaluating the app only as a generic tunnel client may therefore overlook the dependency on domain ownership and Cloudflare DNS. The repository identifies itself as an unofficial Home Assistant Apps project. Its README points to a separate documentation file at cloudflared/DOCS.md and a wiki for how-to information, which means the repository overview is an introduction rather than the complete configuration reference. The project also links to Cloudflare's Self-Serve Subscription Agreement and asks users to comply with it. That is an operational condition to account for when deciding whether the arrangement fits an existing Cloudflare account and subscription. ## The Cloudflare Tunnel Data Flow The documented architecture has three identifiable pieces. Home Assistant runs the app environment, Cloudflared establishes the tunnel, and Cloudflare associates the tunnel with a domain or subdomain under the user's Cloudflare DNS. The Internet client does not need a direct connection to a router port. Instead, the public request reaches Cloudflare, and the tunnel carries the connection toward the Home Assistant service. The README describes this as a secure tunnel, but it does not specify the tunnel mode, token workflow, ingress rules, service address, or authentication settings. Those details should not be inferred from the repository structure. The cloudflared directory is the logical place to inspect the app's runtime configuration and documentation, while docs/ is another repository entry that may contain supporting information. The exact connection parameters are therefore a configuration concern to verify in those files before installation. The app can expose Home Assistant and other services, which makes it broader than a dashboard-only proxy. That breadth is also a boundary. The README mentions Cloudflare Zero Trust as an additional way to secure the connection, but it does not claim that Zero Trust is required for basic operation or that it is configured automatically. A deployment plan should distinguish the basic Cloudflare Tunnel requirement from optional controls that the operator may add through Cloudflare's services. ## Installing the Home Assistant Repository The README gives two installation routes: manually add the project's Home Assistant repository, or use the provided Add Repository to HA link. It does not provide a shell command, a package manager command, or a Home Assistant configuration snippet for this step, so none is included here. The documented route is to add the following repository URL through Home Assistant's repository management interface: https://github.com/homeassistant-apps/repository After the repository has been added, Home Assistant can discover the Cloudflared app from that repository. The README links to the full app documentation at cloudflared/DOCS.md and to the project wiki for how-to instructions. Those references are the appropriate next source for the first real setup, including the app configuration expected by the Home Assistant Supervisor. The README does not document the first-use wizard, required Home Assistant YAML keys, Cloudflare tunnel creation, or the exact configuration values that must be entered. It also does not state whether an existing Cloudflare tunnel must be created before adding the app. A first-use tutorial based on the README therefore stops at the verified repository installation step. Presenting invented flags or keys would be less useful than pointing to the documented configuration files. The app's full documentation should also be checked for the current setup sequence because the repository lists recent releases and maintains documentation alongside the runtime files. The installation link alone does not establish that the app is configured or that a public hostname is active. ## Domain and Cloudflare Constraints for Remote Access The domain requirement is the clearest adoption constraint. The README says the user must own a domain name, such as example.com, that uses Cloudflare for its DNS entries. This means the app is aimed at deployments that already have a domain relationship with Cloudflare. It is not presented as a way to create a domain, obtain a hostname, or operate without DNS infrastructure. A user who has a local Home Assistant installation but no Cloudflare-managed domain is outside the documented setup. Cloudflare Tunnel is the mechanism that avoids opening ports on the router. That design can be preferable when direct port forwarding is undesirable or unavailable, but it also places Cloudflare in the public path. The README points to Cloudflare Zero Trust for further connection security, without documenting its configuration. It does not describe identity policies, access controls, DNS record creation, tunnel lifecycle, failure recovery, or what happens when the Cloudflare service is unavailable. The Freenom warning narrows the usable setup further. The README states that Freenom domains do not work anymore and that users should choose or migrate to another registrar. That is a practical migration issue, not a cosmetic note. It means an existing Home Assistant operator may need to change domain ownership before proceeding, adding time and configuration work. The repository's MIT license covers the project code and documentation, but it does not replace compliance with the linked Cloudflare terms or explain any costs imposed by a Cloudflare plan. ## Cloudflared Versus Direct Port Forwarding The real alternative described by this repository is a direct Home Assistant exposure through router port forwarding. Direct port forwarding would require an Internet-facing port on the user's network, while the README's stated purpose is to reach Home Assistant without opening router ports. Cloudflared instead routes traffic through a Cloudflare tunnel associated with the user's domain or subdomain. That is a different network boundary, not merely a different label for the same setup. The trade-off is that Cloudflared adds Cloudflare DNS, domain ownership, and a tunnel-based public route to the requirements. The README does not promise that the tunnel eliminates every access-control or account-security concern. It only states that the connection is secure and that Cloudflare Zero Trust can further secure it. A direct port-forwarding arrangement may avoid the Cloudflare-specific domain requirement, but the README does not compare its security properties, and this project does not document that alternative as a supported configuration. The app is therefore a poor fit for someone seeking a one-file, provider-independent Home Assistant remote-access solution. It is a better fit for someone who has already selected Cloudflare and can map a domain or subdomain to a tunnel. The repository does not document migration away from an existing tunnel or rollback, so an operator should inspect cloudflared/DOCS.md before changing a working access path. ## Release Activity, License, and Upgrade Boundaries The repository is not archived, and its last push was on 2026-10-07. Recent releases include v7.0.17 on 2026-09-28, v7.0.16 on 2026-09-11, and v7.0.15 on 2026-09-03. The README also displays a project-stage badge marked production ready and badges for aarch64 and amd64 architectures. These are repository and README signals. They do not, by themselves, establish compatibility with every Home Assistant installation or every Cloudflare account configuration. The project uses the MIT License, with copyright attributed to Unofficial Home Assistant Apps for 2026. The license text permits use, modification, merging, publication, distribution, sublicensing, and sale, subject to inclusion of the copyright and permission notice in copies or substantial portions. It also disclaims warranties and limits the authors' liability. This is a license summary, not legal advice. Cloudflare's own subscription agreement remains relevant because the README explicitly asks users to comply with it. Upgrade planning should account for the app's release history and the fact that the detailed configuration is maintained outside the short README. The README does not describe automatic upgrades, rollback, backup of tunnel credentials, or the effects of changing versions. It also does not document migration from the Freenom-related setup warned about in the README. For an existing user, the concrete first check is the version and configuration documentation under cloudflared/, followed by the release notes for the selected Home Assistant app version. ## Conclusion Adopt this app if you run Home Assistant, own a domain with Cloudflare DNS, and want remote access without opening router ports. Do not choose it if you lack that domain arrangement or expect the README to document a complete first-run configuration. Verify the Cloudflare DNS requirement, the Cloudflare Self-Serve Subscription Agreement, and the configuration details in cloudflared/DOCS.md first; the repository was last pushed on 2026-10-07. ## FAQ ### What does the Home Assistant Cloudflared app do? It connects a Home Assistant instance through Cloudflare Tunnel to a domain or subdomain at Cloudflare. The README says this allows remote access without opening ports on the router. ### Do I need a domain to use the Cloudflared app? Yes. The README says users must own a domain name, such as example.com, that uses Cloudflare for its DNS entries. The README also states that Freenom domains do not work anymore. ### How do I install the Cloudflared Home Assistant app? The README says to manually add the Home Assistant repository or use the Add Repository to HA link. The repository URL is https://github.com/homeassistant-apps/repository, and the README directs users to cloudflared/DOCS.md for full app documentation. ## Sources - [homeassistant-apps/app-cloudflared on GitHub](https://github.com/homeassistant-apps/app-cloudflared) - [Issues](https://github.com/homeassistant-apps/app-cloudflared/issues) - [License: MIT](https://github.com/homeassistant-apps/app-cloudflared/blob/main/LICENSE) - [README](https://github.com/homeassistant-apps/app-cloudflared/blob/main/README.md) - [Releases](https://github.com/homeassistant-apps/app-cloudflared/releases) --- Hysen Labs editorial analysis, written from the project's own repository and release notes. Cite the canonical page: https://hysenlabs.com/projects/homeassistant-apps-app-cloudflared