---
title: HTTP request logging
description: HTTP requests to the runtime engine are logged to the runtime-request.log file. HTTP requests to the admin console are logged to the admin-request.log file.
component: pingfederate
version: 13.0
page_id: pingfederate:administrators_reference_guide:pf_http_request_loggin
canonical_url: https://docs.pingidentity.com/pingfederate/13.0/administrators_reference_guide/pf_http_request_loggin.html
revdate: October 29, 2025
section_ids:
  reverting-to-previous-logging-behavior: Reverting to previous logging behavior
  steps: Steps
---

# HTTP request logging

HTTP requests to the runtime engine are logged to the `runtime-request.log` file. HTTP requests to the admin console are logged to the `admin-request.log` file.

You can configure the output for these files using the appropriate appender for your desired output in the `log4j2.xml` file:

* To write to the log files in standard format, update the `RollingFile name="RuntimeRequestLog"` and `"RollingFile name="AdminRequestLog"` sections.

* To write to the log files in JSON format, update the `RollingFile name="RuntimeRequestLog-JSON"` and `RollingFile name="AdminRequestLog-JSON"` sections.

* To write to the admin console in JSON format, uncomment the `ref="CONSOLE-RuntimeRequestLog-JSON"` and `ref="CONSOLE-AdminRequestLog-JSON"` appenders.

You can also configure the output format and `ignorePath` settings in the HTTP Server Request Log Settings section of the `run.properties` file. Learn more in [Configuring PingFederate properties](pf_config_pf_propert.html).

You can correlate request log events with the server log and audit log by using shared log attributes. Learn more in [Correlating log events using attributes](pf_correlating_log_events_attributes.html).

The HTTP request logs are written to the default PingFederate log directory.

## Reverting to previous logging behavior

Prior to version 12.3, the PingFederate web container logged runtime engine HTTP requests to the `<date>.request.log` file, and admin console HTTP requests to the `<date>.request2.log` file.

The following procedure lets you revert to this legacy behavior to maintain logging continuity after you upgrade to PingFederate 12.3. However, you should consider this reversion a temporary measure while you update your log tracking. Future versions of PingFederate will log HTTP requests through the `log4j.xml` file.

Like other PingFederate-generated log files, the legacy HTTP request logs are written to the default PingFederate log directory. Properties controlling request legacy logging are contained in the web-container configuration files:

* `jetty-runtime.xml` for the runtime engine (the `<date>.request.log` files)

* `jetty-admin.xml` for the administrative console (the `<date>.request2.log` files)

You can find these files in the `<pf_install>/pingfederate/etc` directory, and you can independently manage them on a per-server basis.

## Steps

1. Open the `<pf_install>/pingfederate/bin/run.properties` file.

2. Under the `HTTP Server Runtime Request Log Settings` section, make the following changes:

   1. Add `jetty.runtime.requestlog.useLog4j2Logger="false"`.

   2. Add the timestamp attribute to the formatting property. It should read `jetty.runtime.requestlog.format=%{client}a - %u %{dd/MMM/yyyy:HH:mm:ss ZZZ}t "%r" %s %O`.

3. Under the `HTTP Server Admin Request Log Settings` section, make the following changes:

   1. Add `jetty.admin.requestlog.useLog4j2Logger="false"`.

   2. Add the timestamp attribute to the formatting property. It should read `jetty.admin.requestlog.format=%{client}a - %u %{dd/MMM/yyyy:HH:mm:ss ZZZ}t "%r" %s %O`.

4. Save and close the file.

5. If you're running PingFederate in a clustered environment, repeat these steps for each node.

|   |                                                                                                                                                         |
| - | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
|   | When you're ready to update to log4j2 logging, you can revert the changes made to the `run.properties` file in steps 2 and 3, the restart PingFederate. |