n8n (pronounced n-eight-n) helps you to interconnect every app with an API in the world with each other to share and manipulate its data without a single line of code. It is an easy to use, user-friendly and highly customizable service, which uses an intuitive user interface for you to design your unique workflows very fast. Hosted on your Synology NAS server and not based in the cloud, it keeps your sensible data very secure in your own trusted database. In this step by step guide I will show you how to install n8n on your Synology NAS using Docker & Portainer.

💡Note: This guide works perfectly with the latest n8n 1.89.2 release.

• STEP 1

Please Support My work by Making a Donation.

• STEP 2

Install Portainer using my step by step guide. If you already have Portainer installed on your Synology NAS, skip this STEP. Attention: Make sure you have installed the latest Portainer version.

• STEP 3

Make sure you have a synology.me Wildcard Certificate. Follow my guide to get a Wildcard Certificate. If you already have a synology.me Wildcard certificate, skip this STEP.

• STEP 4

Go to Control Panel / Login Portal / Advanced Tab / click Reverse Proxy. Follow the instructions in the image below.

• STEP 5

Now click the “Create” button. Follow the instructions in the image below.

• STEP 6

After you click the Create button, the window below will open. Follow the instructions in the image below.

On the General area, set the Reverse Proxy Name description: type in n8n. After that, add the following instructions:

Source:
Protocol: HTTPS
Hostname: n8n.yourname.synology.me
Port: 443

Check Enable HSTS

Destination:
Protocol: HTTP
Hostname: localhost
Port: 5678

• STEP 7

On the Reverse Proxy Rules click the Custom Header tab. Click Create and then, from the drop-down menu, click WebSocket. After you click on WebSocket, two Header Names and two Values will be automatically added. Click Save. Follow the instructions in the image below.

• STEP 8

Go to Control Panel / Network / Connectivity tab/ Check Enable HTTP/2 then click Apply. Follow the instructions in the image below.

• STEP 9

Go to Control Panel / Security / Advanced tab/ Check Enable HTTP Compression then click Apply. Follow the instructions in the image below.

• STEP 10

Go to File Station and open the docker folder. Inside the docker folder, create one new folder and name it n8n. Follow the instructions in the image below.
Note: Be careful to enter only lowercase, not uppercase letters.

• STEP 11

Now create three new folders inside the n8n folder that you created at STEP 10 and name them data, db, files. Follow the instructions in the image below.
Note: Be careful to enter only lowercase, not uppercase letters.

• STEP 12

Log into Portainer using your username and password. On the left sidebar in Portainer, click on Stacks then + Add stack. Follow the instructions in the image below.

• STEP 13

In the Name field type in n8n. Follow the instructions in the image below.

Note: Copy Paste the code below in the Portainer Stacks Web editor.

services:
  db:
    image: postgres:17
    container_name: n8n-DB
    hostname: n8n-db
    security_opt:
      - no-new-privileges:true
    healthcheck:
      test: ["CMD", "pg_isready", "-q", "-d", "n8n", "-U", "n8nuser"]
      timeout: 45s
      interval: 10s
      retries: 10
    volumes:
      - /volume1/docker/n8n/db:/var/lib/postgresql/data:rw
    environment:
      TZ: Europe/Bucharest
      POSTGRES_DB: n8n
      POSTGRES_USER: n8nuser
      POSTGRES_PASSWORD: n8npass
    restart: on-failure:5

  n8n:
    image: n8nio/n8n:latest
    container_name: n8n
    healthcheck:
      test: ["CMD-SHELL", "nc -z 127.0.0.1 5678 || exit 1"]
      interval: 10s
      timeout: 5s
      retries: 3
      start_period: 90s
    hostname: n8n
    user: 0:0
    security_opt:
      - no-new-privileges:true
    ports:
      - 5678:5678
    volumes:
      - /volume1/docker/n8n/data:/root/.n8n:rw
      - /volume1/docker/n8n/files:/files:rw
    environment:
      N8N_HOST: n8n.yourname.synology.me
      WEBHOOK_URL: https://n8n.yourname.synology.me
      GENERIC_TIMEZONE: Europe/Bucharest
      TZ: Europe/Bucharest
      N8N_PORT: 5678
      N8N_ENCRYPTION_KEY: dOxZYTTZgXKMHkqLBIQVImayQXAVWdzGBPuFJKggzcgvgPJPXpWzqzKaUOIOGGIr
      N8N_PROTOCOL: https
      NODE_ENV: production
      N8N_RUNNERS_ENABLED: true
      N8N_ENFORCE_SETTINGS_FILE_PERMISSIONS: true
      N8N_SECURE_COOKIE: true #or false if you want to use n8n without synology.me DDNS
      DB_TYPE: postgresdb
      DB_POSTGRESDB_DATABASE: n8n
      DB_POSTGRESDB_HOST: n8n-db
      DB_POSTGRESDB_PORT: 5432
      DB_POSTGRESDB_USER: n8nuser
      DB_POSTGRESDB_PASSWORD: n8npass
    restart: on-failure:5
    depends_on:
      db:
        condition: service_healthy

Note: Before you paste the code above in the Web editor area below, change the value for TZ and GENERIC_TIMEZONE. (Select your current Time Zone from this list.)
Note: Before you paste the code above in the Web editor area below, change the value for N8N_HOST and type in your own synology.me DDNS without https:// at the beginning that you have previously created at STEP 6.
Note: Before you paste the code above in the Web editor area below, change the value for WEBHOOK_URL and type in your own synology.me DDNS with https:// at the beginning that you have previously created at STEP 6.
Note: Before you paste the code above in the Web editor area below, change the value for N8N_ENCRYPTION_KEY. (Generate your own Random 64 length N8N_ENCRYPTION_KEY.)

• STEP 14

Scroll down on the page until you see a button named Deploy the stack. Click on it. Follow the instructions in the image below. The installation process can take up to a few minutes. It will depend on your Internet speed connection.

• STEP 15

If everything goes right, you will see the following message at the top right of your screen: “Success Stack successfully deployed“.

• STEP 16

🟢Please Support My work by Making a Donation. Almost 99,9% of the people that install something using my guides forget to support my work, or just ignore STEP 1. I’ve been very honest about this aspect of my work since the beginning: I don’t run any ADS, I don’t require subscriptions, paid or otherwise, I don’t collect IPs, emails, and I don’t have any referral links from Amazon or other merchants. I also don’t have any POP-UPs or COOKIES. I have repeatedly been told over the years how much I have contributed to the community. It’s something I love doing and have been honest about my passion since the beginning. But I also Need The Community to Support me Back to be able to continue doing this work.

• STEP 17

Now open your browser and type in your HTTPS/SSL certificate like this https://n8n.yourname.synology.me In my case it’s https://n8n.mariushosting.synology.me If everything goes right, you will see the n8n Sign in page. Type in your own credentials then click Next. Follow the instructions in the image below.

• STEP 18

Describe your company then click Get started. Follow the instructions in the image below.

• STEP 19

Your n8n Dashboard at a glance!

Enjoy n8n!

🆘TROUBLESHOOTING

If you encounter issues by using this container, make sure to check out the Common Docker issues article.

Note: Can I run Docker on my Synology NAS? See the supported models.
Note: How to Back Up Docker Containers on your Synology NAS.
Note: Find out how to update the n8n container with the latest image.
Note: How to Free Disk Space on Your NAS if You Run Docker.
Note: How to Schedule Start & Stop For Docker Containers.
Note: How to Activate Email Notifications.
Note: How to Add Access Control Profile on Your NAS.
Note: How to Change Docker Containers Restart Policy.
Note: How to Use Docker Containers With VPN.
Note: Convert Docker Run Into Docker Compose.
Note: How to Clean Docker.
Note: How to Clean Docker Automatically.
Note: Best Practices When Using Docker and DDNS.
Note: Some Docker Containers Need WebSocket.
Note: Find out the Best NAS Models For Docker.
Note: Activate Gmail SMTP For Docker Containers.

This post was updated on Friday / April 25th, 2025 at 2:26 PM