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The mullvad log command controls logging behavior and output verbosity for the Mullvad VPN daemon.

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Usage

mullvad log <SUBCOMMAND>

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Subcommands

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get

Display current log settings. 
mullvad log get
Example output: 
Log level: debug
Log to file: true
Log to console: false

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set-level

Set the logging level. 
mullvad log set-level <LEVEL>
Available levels:
  • error - Only errors
  • warn - Warnings and errors
  • info - Informational messages, warnings, and errors (default)
  • debug - Debug information plus all above
  • trace - Very verbose tracing plus all above

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set-file

Enable or disable logging to file. 
mullvad log set-file <on|off>

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Examples

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Check current settings

mullvad log get

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Enable debug logging

mullvad log set-level debug
Useful for troubleshooting connection issues.

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Enable trace logging

mullvad log set-level trace
Trace logging is very verbose and can impact performance. Only use when debugging specific issues.

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Reset to default

mullvad log set-level info

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Disable file logging

mullvad log set-file off
Reduces disk I/O but makes troubleshooting harder.

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Log file locations

When file logging is enabled: Linux:
  • /var/log/mullvad-vpn/daemon.log
  • Systemd journal: journalctl -u mullvad-daemon
macOS:
  • /var/log/mullvad-vpn/daemon.log
Windows:
  • C:\ProgramData\Mullvad VPN\daemon.log

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Log rotation

Logs are automatically rotated:
  • Maximum size: 10 MB per file
  • Keeps 3 rotated files
  • Old files are compressed or deleted

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When to use different log levels

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error

Use when:
  • Disk space is critically low
  • You only need to see failures
  • Performance is paramount

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warn (default)

Use for:
  • Normal operation
  • Production systems
  • When you don’t need detailed diagnostics

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info

Use when:
  • You want to see connection events
  • Monitoring configuration changes
  • General operational visibility

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debug

Use when:
  • Troubleshooting connection issues
  • Debugging relay selection
  • Investigating firewall rules
  • Working with Mullvad support

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trace

Use when:
  • Debugging specific protocol issues
  • Analyzing packet flow
  • Detailed performance analysis
  • Requested by Mullvad developers

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Debugging workflow

# 1. Enable debug logging
mullvad log set-level debug

# 2. Reproduce the issue
mullvad connect
# ... wait for issue to occur

# 3. Collect logs
sudo journalctl -u mullvad-daemon --since "10 minutes ago" > issue-logs.txt
# or on non-systemd systems:
sudo cat /var/log/mullvad-vpn/daemon.log > issue-logs.txt

# 4. Reset log level
mullvad log set-level info

# 5. Submit logs to support

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Privacy considerations

Logs may contain:
  • Relay server IP addresses
  • Connection timestamps
  • Network interface names
  • System configuration details
Logs do NOT contain:
  • Your account number
  • DNS queries
  • Websites visited
  • Tunnel traffic content
Mullvad’s privacy policy applies to logs. If sharing logs with support, review them first to ensure you’re comfortable with the information disclosed.

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Environment variable override

For daemon-level logging configuration, use environment variables: 
# Set log level via environment (Linux)
sudo systemctl edit mullvad-daemon.service
Add: 
[Service]
Environment="RUST_LOG=debug"
See Environment Variables for more options.

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Performance impact

LevelCPU ImpactDisk I/ODisk Space
errorMinimalMinimalVery low
warnMinimalLowLow
infoLowLowModerate
debugModerateModerateHigh
traceHighHighVery high

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Exit status

  • 0 - Success
  • 1 - Invalid log level or daemon error

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