How to view snap service logs

Snap service logs show the recent output from daemons shipped inside installed snaps. They are useful when a service is inactive, restarting, failing after a refresh, or accepting connections but not behaving as expected.

The snap logs command reads logs for all services in a snap or for one full service name. By default it prints a small recent tail, while -n=all expands the output and -f follows new entries as they arrive.

A completed log check should narrow the output to the snap or service that owns the symptom. Pair logs with snap services and snap changes when the failure may be tied to a service state change or refresh task.

1. Identify the snap service name.

   $ snap services lxd
   Service          Startup  Current   Notes
   lxd.activate     enabled  inactive  -
   lxd.daemon       enabled  active    socket-activated
   lxd.user-daemon  enabled  inactive  socket-activated

   Related: How to check a snap service status

2. View recent logs for all services in the snap.

   $ sudo snap logs lxd
   2026-06-24T09:30:12+08:00 lxd.daemon[1482]: => Preparing the system
   2026-06-24T09:30:14+08:00 lxd.daemon[1482]: => LXD is ready

3. View logs for one service.

   $ sudo snap logs lxd.daemon
   2026-06-24T09:30:14+08:00 lxd.daemon[1482]: => LXD is ready

4. Increase the number of displayed lines.

   $ sudo snap logs -n=50 lxd.daemon
   2026-06-24T09:28:01+08:00 lxd.daemon[1482]: Starting up
   ##### snipped #####
   2026-06-24T09:30:14+08:00 lxd.daemon[1482]: => LXD is ready

5. Follow new log entries during a restart or test.

   $ sudo snap logs -f lxd.daemon
   2026-06-24T09:41:18+08:00 lxd.daemon[1482]: => LXD is ready

   Stop the follow view with Ctrl+C after the expected event appears.