Nostr Relay Tray is a free, open source desktop app that lets you run your own Nostr relay on Windows from the system tray. It suits developers, hobbyists and anyone who wants a personal relay without building a server from scratch. The project is released under the MIT license and was last updated in August 2026.
Nostr relays store and forward events between clients, so a relay you control gives you a place to send your notes and a way to decide what it accepts. If you are new to relays, the short version is this: you run a small service on your machine, and other Nostr apps connect to it. Nostr Relay Tray wraps that job in a simple Electron application with a zero-configuration start. The current release is v2.0.0, and the same app is also available for macOS and Linux.
What a Nostr Relay Actually Does
Nostr is a protocol in which apps called clients publish signed events, such as short notes or profile updates, to relays. A relay stores those events and sends them to other clients that ask for them. Users typically connect to several relays at once, so no single server controls an account's content.
This design means a relay is more like a shared mailbox than a social network with its own feed. Operators decide how long to keep events, which ones to accept and who can read from them. Running your own relay puts those decisions in your hands instead of relying on a public operator's policies.
Because events are signed by the author's key, a relay does not need to verify identity to store them. It only needs to decide whether an event fits its rules. Understanding this split helps explain why relays can be simple to run and still matter a great deal to the network.
Real-World Scenarios for a Personal Relay
A developer building a Nostr app often needs a relay for testing. Running a local one avoids depending on public services during early development, and it makes it easier to see exactly what events the app sends and receives.
A small group of friends or a local community can also run a relay for its own discussions. Members connect their clients to the shared relay, and the operator sets rules that match the group's tone and purpose. Nothing about the setup requires a large budget or a dedicated server room.
Some people want a relay focused on Bitcoin and Lightning topics, since those are common subjects in the Nostr ecosystem. A personal relay gives them a place to host that conversation without leaving it entirely to larger public operators.
Why Event Filtering Matters for Relay Operators
Any open relay can attract unwanted content, from spam to events that break local norms. Filtering rules let an operator decide what gets stored and what gets turned away. Good rules protect storage space, keep the feed readable and make the relay easier to maintain over time.
Filtering also involves trade-offs. Strict rules reduce noise but may block legitimate posts that a looser policy would allow. A relay for a small trusted group can afford to be strict, while a relay meant for the general public usually needs a more balanced approach.
The best starting point is a narrow policy that you can explain to users. You can widen it as you learn what your relay receives. Reviewing stored events now and then helps you spot patterns before they become a problem.
Key features
Complete relay out of the box
Zero-config start
Granular event control
One-click public access
Full-text search
Cross-platform design
Supported coins
The documentation mentions Bitcoin (BTC), the Lightning Network and Nostr. Nostr Relay Tray is a relay operator tool rather than a wallet, so it does not hold coins itself. The Bitcoin and Lightning references describe the ecosystem your relay may serve.
How to install Nostr Relay Tray on Windows
- 1
Get the installer from the official source
Download only from the official website or the project's GitHub Releases page at github.com/CodyTseng/nostr-relay-tray. Avoid repackaged copies on other sites, since a modified installer could be unsafe.
- 2
Verify the file
If the release page publishes a SHA-256 checksum or a signature, compare it with the value your download produces before running anything. Use the built-in Windows tool certutil or a similar utility to calculate the hash.
- 3
Run the installer
Open the downloaded file and follow the on-screen prompts. Windows may warn you about an app from a publisher it does not recognize, so confirm the file name and source before you continue.
-
Start your relay from the tray
Find the app's icon in the system tray, open its menu and start the relay. Because the app offers a zero-configuration start, you can begin testing without editing settings files first.
How to use Nostr Relay Tray
Once the app is installed, running a relay takes only a few minutes. The steps below cover a typical first session, from a private test to opening the relay to others.
- Open the Nostr Relay Tray icon in the system tray and start the relay.
- Note the local address the app displays, and enter it in a Nostr client you already use to confirm that the connection works.
- Publish a test note from that client and check that it appears in the relay's stored events.
- Open the filtering settings and define a first set of rules that accept or reject events. Keep the policy narrow at the start.
- Run a few more tests to see how the rules handle different kinds of content, and adjust them as needed.
- When you are ready for outside users, use the one-click option to open the relay to the wider network.
- Keep the app running while others connect, and stop the relay from the tray menu when you need to shut it down.
Pros & cons
- Free to use, with an MIT license that allows you to read and modify the source code
- Zero-config start makes a first relay quick to launch
- Granular filtering helps you control what your relay stores
- One-click public access simplifies going from a test to a live relay
- Built-in full-text search makes stored events easier to find
- Same concepts apply on Windows, macOS and Linux
- Running a relay at home means the machine must stay on and connected for others to reach it
- Public access brings spam and unwanted content, so you will need to maintain filtering rules
- It is a relay operator tool, so it does not replace a Nostr client for everyday posting
- Setup details beyond the first launch depend on your network and router configuration
Is Nostr Relay Tray safe?
Download Nostr Relay Tray only from the official website or the project's GitHub Releases page, and verify the SHA-256 checksum or signature when one is published. The project is open source under the MIT license, so the code is publicly reviewable on GitHub. Its last code update in August 2026 suggests it is actively maintained, not abandoned. A relay does not need your seed phrase or private key, so never enter a seed phrase or paste a private key (nsec) into any website that claims to be a relay dashboard. Check the latest version on the official site before installing.
- Official source only. Download from github.com/CodyTseng/nostr-relay-tray. Ignore ads and lookalike domains.
- Check the SHA-256. Compare the installer hash with the value the developer publishes before running it.
- Never share your seed phrase. No developer, support agent or website — including CryptApps — will ever ask for it.
Alternatives
Most apps in this category are clients. Vega, Nostrid and Notedeck let you read and post, and they connect to relays that someone else operates. Nostr Relay Tray does the opposite job: it runs the relay those clients connect to. If you want a desktop client to pair with your own relay, a client from this list is the natural companion. Awesome Nostr takes a different angle by pointing to ready-made public services, which suits people who would rather not host anything themselves. Choose Relay Tray when you want control over a relay's rules and storage.
Specifications
- Price
- Free
- Type
- Open source
- License
- MIT
- Latest version
- v2.0.0
- Last update
- 30 Aug 2026
- Windows support
- Yes (Windows build or installer)
- Source code
- github.com/CodyTseng/nostr-relay-tray
Frequently asked questions
Nostr Relay Tray is a free, open source desktop app that runs a Nostr relay from the Windows system tray. It is built with Electron and JavaScript/TypeScript. It is aimed at developers, hobbyists and small groups who want their own relay without setting up a server manually.
Yes, Nostr Relay Tray is free to use. It is released under the MIT license, which means the source code is publicly available on GitHub. Free access does not mean the relay runs itself, since you still need to keep the app running and maintain your filtering rules.
The app is safe to install when you download it from the official website or GitHub Releases page and verify the checksum or signature if one is published. Avoid repackaged copies from unknown sites. The relay itself does not need your private keys, so never enter a seed phrase or nsec key on a website asking for them.
Install the app from the official source, then find its icon in the system tray and start the relay from the menu. The zero-configuration start means you can begin testing without writing settings files. Connect a Nostr client to the local address shown by the app to confirm the relay responds.
Yes, the app offers one-click public access that opens your relay to the wider network. Other users' clients can then connect and send or request events. Your relay must stay online and reachable for that to work, so keep the app running and your connection stable.
The documentation references Bitcoin (BTC) and the Lightning Network alongside Nostr. The app is a relay, so it does not manage coins or payments on its own. Bitcoin and Lightning topics can still be discussed on a relay, and the filtering tools help you decide what content fits your community.
A client is the app you use to read and publish notes, while a relay stores and passes events between clients. You can use Nostr Relay Tray to host a relay and then connect a client like Vega or Nostrid to it. Many users run a client and connect to several relays at once.
Verdict
Nostr Relay Tray suits developers, hobbyists and small communities that want a personal Nostr relay on Windows without a complicated setup. Its zero-configuration start, granular filtering and one-click public access cover the core needs. It is free, open source under the MIT license and recently updated. If you only want to read and post, a Nostr client is a better starting point, and you can add your own relay later.