Setting up GitHub to work with Tailscale

You can create a Tailscale network (known as a tailnet) using either a GitHub organization account or a GitHub personal account. For more details about GitHub accounts, see Types of GitHub accounts.

Create a GitHub personal tailnet

1. Go to the Tailscale sign up page and select Sign up with GitHub. You will be redirected to the GitHub Authorize Tailscale page.

2. Click Authorize tailscale. You will be redirected to the Tailscale Select a tailnet page.

3. Select the GitHub personal account that you want to use for your tailnet. You will be redirected to the Tailscale admin console, where you can manage your tailnet.

After your tailnet is created, you can invite any user to join your GitHub personal tailnet, including other GitHub users. Invited users will not have access to the GitHub repository unless you deliberately share it.

Create a GitHub organization tailnet

You must be the owner of the GitHub organization that you want to use for creating a tailnet.

1. Go to the Tailscale sign up page and select Sign up with GitHub. You will be redirected to the GitHub Authorize Tailscale page.

2. Click Authorize tailscale. You will be redirected to the Tailscale Select a tailnet page.

3. Select the GitHub organization that you want to use for your tailnet. You will be redirected to the Tailscale admin console, where you can manage your tailnet.

After your tailnet is created, any user in your GitHub organization can join your tailnet. You can also invite any user outside of your GitHub organization. Invite links can only be sent to non-members of a GitHub organization and will not work for GitHub organization members. Invited users will not have access to the GitHub repository unless you deliberately share it.

Join a GitHub personal tailnet

Any user wanting to join a GitHub personal tailnet must use the invite link provided by the tailnet administrator.

1. Go to the URL in the provided invite link.

2. Select Sign up with GitHub. You will be redirected to the GitHub Authorize Tailscale page.

3. Click Authorize tailscale. You will be redirected to the Tailscale Select a tailnet page.

4. Select the tailnet that you want to join. A confirmation message will display along with a link to download and install the Tailscale client on your device.

Join a GitHub organization tailnet

If you belong to the GitHub organization, you can automatically join the tailnet from the Tailscale sign up page. If you are not a member of the GitHub organization, a tailnet administrator must send you an invite link to join.

GitHub organization members

1. Go to the Tailscale log in page.

2. Select Sign up with GitHub. You will be redirected to the GitHub Authorize Tailscale page.

3. Click Authorize tailscale. You will be redirected to the Tailscale Select a tailnet page.

4. Select the tailnet that you own or a tailnet that you want to join. A confirmation message will display along with a link to download and install the Tailscale client on your device.

Non-GitHub organization members

1. Go to the URL in the provided invite link.

2. Select your preferred identity provider to use for authentication. Once you are authenticated, a confirmation message will display along with a link to download and install the Tailscale client on your device.

Migration to and from a GitHub tailnet

Currently, we cannot migrate your tailnet from/to GitHub as an identity provider.