---
title: Starting and stopping PingFederate
description: Depending on the application mode and the operating system, the steps to start, stop, or restart PingFederate vary.
component: pingfederate
version: 12.3
page_id: pingfederate:getting_started_with_pingfederate:pf_start_stop_pf
canonical_url: https://docs.pingidentity.com/pingfederate/13.1/getting_started_with_pingfederate/pf_start_stop_pf.html
llms_txt: https://docs.pingidentity.com/pingfederate/llms.txt
docs_for_agents: https://developer.pingidentity.com/build-with-ai/docs-for-agents.md
revdate: October 7, 2026
superseded_by: https://docs.pingidentity.com/pingfederate/13.1/getting_started_with_pingfederate/pf_start_stop_pf.html
section_ids:
  starting-and-stopping-pingfederate-on-windows: Starting and stopping PingFederate on Windows
  starting-and-stopping-pingfederate-as-an-application: Starting and stopping PingFederate as an application
  starting-and-stopping-pingfederate-as-a-windows-service: Starting and stopping PingFederate as a Windows service
  starting-and-stopping-pingfederate-on-linux: Starting and stopping PingFederate on Linux
  starting-and-stopping-pingfederate-as-an-application-2: Starting and stopping PingFederate as an application
  starting-and-stopping-pingfederate-as-a-linux-service: Starting and stopping PingFederate as a Linux service
---

# Starting and stopping PingFederate

Depending on the application mode and the operating system, the steps to start, stop, or restart PingFederate vary.

If you install or upgrade PingFederate using its platform-specific installer, PingFederate configures to run as a service. You can stop and disable the service and run PingFederate as a console application.

If you install or upgrade PingFederate manually by using the PingFederate product distribution file or the Upgrade Utility in command line, you can run PingFederate as a console application or install the PingFederate service manually and run it as a service.

## Starting and stopping PingFederate on Windows

### Starting and stopping PingFederate as an application

To start PingFederate:

1. In Windows, open a command prompt.

2. Go to `<pf_install>/pingfederate/bin`.

3. Run `run.bat`.

4. Keep the command prompt open.

To stop PingFederate:

1. Locate the command prompt running PingFederate.

2. Press CTRL+C to terminate PingFederate.

To stop and restart PingFederate:

1. Locate the command prompt running PingFederate.

2. Press CTRL+C to terminate PingFederate.

3. When PingFederate stops, run `run.bat`.

4. Keep the command prompt open.

### Starting and stopping PingFederate as a Windows service

To start PingFederate:

1. In Windows, go to **Control Panel > System and Security > Administrative Tools > Services**.

2. Right-click on the PingFederate service and click **Start**.

To stop PingFederate:

1. Go to **Control Panel > Administrative Tools > Services**.

2. Right-click on the PingFederate service and click **Stop**.

To restart PingFederate:

1. Go to **Control Panel > Administrative Tools > Services**.

2. Right-click on the PingFederate service and select **Restart**.

## Starting and stopping PingFederate on Linux

There are two ways to start and stop PingFederate on Linux:

`bin/run.sh` launches PingFederate as a foreground application in the current terminal session. Console outputs are streamed to the terminal, and the application terminates when the terminal session ends. This method is useful for interactive use during application or plugin development and testing or troubleshooting your PingFederate deployment.

`sbin/pingfederate-run.sh` launches PingFederate as a background service. Console outputs are logged in the `stdout.log` and `stderr.log` files. The server continues running after the initiating terminal session closes. This method is intended for production deployments and long-running or unattended environments.

### Starting and stopping PingFederate as an application

To start PingFederate:

1. Open a terminal window.

2. Go to `<pf_install>/pingfederate/bin`.

3. Run `run.sh`.

4. Keep the terminal window open.

To stop PingFederate:

1. Locate the terminal window running PingFederate.

2. Press CTRL+C to terminate PingFederate.

To restart PingFederate:

1. Locate the terminal window running PingFederate.

2. Press CTRL+C to terminate PingFederate.

3. When PingFederate stops, run `run.sh`.

4. Keep the terminal window open.

### Starting and stopping PingFederate as a Linux service

To start PingFederate:

1. Open a terminal session.

2. Go to `<pingfed_install>/pingfederate/sbin`.

3. Run `pingfederate-run.sh`.

To check the status of PingFederate:

1. Open a terminal session.

2. Go to `<pingfed_install>/pingfederate/sbin`.

3. Run `pingfederate-status.sh`.

To stop PingFederate:

1. Open a terminal session.

2. Go to `<pingfed_install>/pingfederate/sbin`.

3. Run `pingfederate-shutdown.sh`.