LiveTa Deployment guideAlready using TeslaMate? Add LiveTa API, choose a connection, then scan with your phone.
Tailscale is recommended; existing HTTPS and Cloudflare are also supported.
This guide accompanies setup package v1.3. Connections and pairing with existing services have been verified. First-time installation on a new host, Windows installation and networks in mainland China still require real-world validation. After starting the API with Compose, generate a pairing file separately or open the local assistant. Compose does not automatically open a built-in container pairing page.
LiveTa does not replace TeslaMate or ask for your Tesla password. TeslaMate handles vehicle authorization and recording. LiveTa API reads your own database and MQTT, and the iPhone app connects using a one-time pairing code.
Set up Docker, the database, MQTT and TeslaMate. Confirm that your vehicle and new records are visible, then return here. The current LiveTa installer does not install a complete TeslaMate stack from scratch.
Open the TeslaMate Docker installation guide ↗Once these steps are complete, add LiveTa API.
Keep your TeslaMate setup. Add only LiveTa API. Configure the connector below, then scan to pair.
Continue to LiveTa API ↓If LiveTa API is already running, skip the initial installation and check the connection before pairing. Do not remove another app’s API, existing containers or databases to connect LiveTa.
Installing LiveTa API does not require Tailscale or Cloudflare. Those are optional connection methods in the next step. Both installation paths use the same setup package: Docker users can use Compose directly, while desktop users can open the optional assistant.
Extract the entire ZIP into a separate directory on your server. Do not upload only compose.yaml: the build also needs the included source files. On a NAS, upload the complete folder using its file manager, then use a container project or SSH terminal.
Download LiveTa API setup v1.6cd "LiveTa API/Connector"This example starts from the parent of the extracted folder. Adjust the path to your extraction location.
Create this file in Connector: .env. These are example names from a common setup. Replace them with your existing TeslaMate configuration; they are not universal credentials or fixed passwords.
TESLAMATE_NETWORK=teslamate_default
MQTT_HOST=mosquitto
MQTT_PORT=1883
MQTT_TOPIC_PREFIX=teslamate/carsIf MQTT authentication is enabled, add these to the file: MQTT_USERNAME, MQTT_PASSWORD; for TLS, set MQTT_TLS=1. Keep your existing authentication enabled.
Create the runtime folder, then create runtime/full-provider.env. Reuse the existing database connection. Do not reset the TeslaMate database password.
PGHOST=database
PGPORT=5432
PGDATABASE=teslamate
PGUSER=teslamate
PGPASSWORD=REPLACE_WITH_EXISTING_DB_PASSWORD
PGOPTIONS=-c default_transaction_read_only=onUse one entry per line in the form KEY=value, without shell quotes. Replace the example password with your real password, restrict file access and never upload it to the website, a repository or screenshots. LiveTa API enforces read-only TeslaMate queries; its own pairing state and cache are stored in a separate runtime directory.
docker compose up -d --build livelight-connectordocker compose exec -T livelight-connector python -c "import urllib.request; print(urllib.request.urlopen('http://127.0.0.1:8080/api/health').status)"Expected response: 200. This checks basic API health, not vehicle data or remote connectivity. Complete the connection and phone tests below.
Entering your computer’s HTTP address on the phone will not work. Configure one of the HTTPS connections below. Do not expose the database, MQTT or Docker management interface to the internet.
Run on the Mac or Linux host running TeslaMate, or over NAS SSH. Detect the Docker network, database credentials, MQTT authentication and topic prefix, build the API and verify connectivity without entering these settings.
curl -fsSL https://www.liveta.net/scripts/install.sh | bash -s -- --mode existingRequires Docker, Compose 2.30+ and Python 3.9+. Ambiguous instances, an existing API or unsupported settings cause a safe stop without overwriting services. HTTPS sign-in, authorization and phone pairing remain interactive. Fresh-host end-to-end testing is pending.
Deploy the API first, then choose a connection.LiveTa API reads TeslaMate on your home server. Your phone connects using any one of the methods below. Installing the API does not mean you must install Tailscale, and you do not need to enable all three methods.
How to choose: Tailscale is recommended if you do not want to configure a domain; it must run on both phone and server. To install only LiveTa on your phone, choose Cloudflare Tunnel + Access: the Tunnel runs on the server and no Cloudflare phone client is needed. If you already have trusted HTTPS, reuse it. Every method still requires LiveTa phone pairing authentication.
tailscale serve --bg --https=9443 http://127.0.0.1:8795Use the full HTTPS address printed by the command, for example https://YOUR_DEVICE.YOUR_TAILNET.ts.net:9443. Do not substitute http://100.x.x.x; LiveTa accepts HTTPS only.
Reuse an existing Tailscale installation rather than adding duplicate nodes. The command above is for host-level Tailscale. If you use a separate Tailscale container managed by the pairing assistant, follow its installation, sign-in and HTTPS steps instead of mixing in host proxy commands.
http://127.0.0.1:8795. In a separate proxy container, 127.0.0.1 refers to that container itself. Configure a reachable origin for your actual Docker network.Your phone must be on a network that can reach the address; it may not connect away from home. Selecting “Local only” does not install certificates, configure your router, enable remote access or bypass certificate validation.
This path does not install Tailscale or Cloudflare, but still requires LiveTa API phone pairing authentication. Plain HTTP or a certificate your phone does not trust is not a completed setup.
For users who want only LiveTa on their phone and are comfortable maintaining a domain and Cloudflare configuration. Use the local assistant below for full Cloudflare pairing.
http://127.0.0.1:8080. Do not copy this unchanged into a different network layout./api/health, /api/pair and all other endpoints.The Tunnel token stays on the computer. Access credentials are stored in the phone’s Keychain and scoped to the server address. Cloudflare QR codes contain sensitive Access credentials and must not be shared publicly. Cloudflare proxies vehicle data and authorization requests.
A browser being denied direct API access does not mean the service is broken: Service Auth requires dedicated credentials. Use the assistant to verify that anonymous requests are denied and valid credentials succeed. Renew expired or revoked Access credentials; never enter a Tunnel token on your phone.
Official Access Service Token documentation ↗
Installing the API does not start Cloudflare by default. The connection component currently binds to the API container’s network namespace. After recreating the API container, rebind the Tunnel; arbitrary container recreation is not guaranteed to be maintenance-free.
This website provides documentation and setup files only. It does not generate or store real pairing QR codes. You do not need to send anyone your Tesla password, database password or Access Secret.
Replace the example address below with your actual HTTPS address, already configured and verified as reachable.
docker compose exec -T livelight-connector python /app/connector.py pair --origin https://YOUR_DEVICE.YOUR_TAILNET.ts.net:9443 --output /data/pairing.htmlOpen this file in your computer’s browser: Connector/runtime/pairing.html. On a NAS, use your private file manager to download the file to your computer and open it there. Never upload it publicly. For Cloudflare, use the assistant to generate a full QR code; a standard QR code does not include Access credentials.
Generating a new code replaces an unused old code without disconnecting already paired phones. Cloudflare Access credentials have their own expiry; they do not expire automatically with the 10-minute pairing code.
Back up your TeslaMate database, existing Compose configuration and LiveTa’s private runtime. Never include runtime in a public setup package: it may contain database connections, pairing state, cache and Access credentials.
Keep the previous setup package and backups before upgrading, and follow the release instructions. No official public multi-architecture image is currently published for all environments. Do not treat example or unknown image addresses as official downloads.
The API and Tunnel are separate containers. Do not use docker compose down -v for routine updates or delete the TeslaMate database to “fix” a connection. Moving servers involves new pairing; retain the old connection as a fallback before changing addresses.
This may be local cache. Check the last successful fetch time, then check for new TeslaMate records, API database and MQTT settings, the HTTPS address and your network. Values on the overview alone do not prove the connection works.
This is usually expected for a saved Tailscale address: both phone and server need a Tailscale connection. Using Cloudflare in LiveTa does not change other apps’ addresses; they may still depend on their own Tailscale connection.
Generate a new code and use it within 10 minutes. After scanning, verify the address, tap Connect and choose a vehicle. Do not repeatedly scan an old file or send real QR codes to public group chats.
Use the assistant to check the domain, Access policy and credentials. Anonymous requests being blocked means protection works. If valid credentials are also denied, check the Secret, expiry and allowed Token. Do not switch to Bypass to work around it.
Check whether all pages fail. Inspect running containers, basic API health, database and MQTT reachability, query range and service logs. In a support report, include the time, app version, connection method and redacted screenshots. Do not send keys, full location trails or database passwords.
The configuration uses env_file raw format and requires Compose 2.30.0 or later. Upgrade Docker Compose or Docker Desktop and retry. Do not delete database environment settings to skip the error.
No. Test each connection method on your actual network; stable access through every mainland carrier is not guaranteed. Notifications and background Lock Screen updates also depend on system permissions, scheduling and push configuration. Remote Lock Screen push is not connected yet; this guide does not indicate that it is enabled.
LiveTa is an independent TeslaMate client, not affiliated with Tesla or TeslaMate. Network, domain and photo services follow their respective arrangements. “Currently free” does not mean every feature will remain free forever.
Download setup v1.6 ↗