diff --git a/docs/manage/troubleshoot/troubleshoot.md b/docs/manage/troubleshoot/troubleshoot.md
index 6f41fcfe9b..63917198dd 100644
--- a/docs/manage/troubleshoot/troubleshoot.md
+++ b/docs/manage/troubleshoot/troubleshoot.md
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ Alternatively you can restart `viam-server` and write logs to a log file by stop
 1. Then run `viam-server` with the `-debug` and `-log-file` options and pass in your machine cloud credentials file:
 
    ```sh {class="command-line" data-prompt="$" data-output=""}
-   /usr/local/bin/viam-server -debug -config /etc/viam.json -log-file logs.txt
+   sudo /usr/local/bin/viam-server -debug -config /etc/viam.json -log-file logs.txt
    ```
 
 1. Then check the logs file <FILE>logs.txt</FILE>.
@@ -119,7 +119,7 @@ If you want to store your logs in a file, stop the running `viam-server` instanc
 1. Then run `viam-server` with the `-debug` and `-log-file` options and pass in your machine cloud credentials file:
 
    ```sh {class="command-line" data-prompt="$" data-output=""}
-   viam-server -config ~/Downloads/viam.json -debug -log-file logs.txt
+   sudo viam-server -config ~/Downloads/viam.json -debug -log-file logs.txt
    ```
 
 1. Then check the logs file <FILE>logs.txt</FILE>.
diff --git a/docs/operate/reference/viam-server/_index.md b/docs/operate/reference/viam-server/_index.md
index 57628862bd..e6b971497f 100644
--- a/docs/operate/reference/viam-server/_index.md
+++ b/docs/operate/reference/viam-server/_index.md
@@ -396,7 +396,7 @@ cd bin/Linux-amd64  # or Linux-arm64 for ARM-based systems
 You can then run the server directly:
 
 ```sh {class="command-line" data-prompt="$"}
-./viam-server -config /path/to/your/config.json
+sudo ./viam-server -config /path/to/your/config.json
 ```
 
 {{% /tab %}}
@@ -428,7 +428,7 @@ cd bin/Darwin-arm64  # Use the folder matching your architecture
 You can then run the server directly:
 
 ```sh {class="command-line" data-prompt="$"}
-./viam-server -config /path/to/your/config.json
+sudo ./viam-server -config /path/to/your/config.json
 ```
 
 ### Option 2: Use an older version of the Homebrew tap
diff --git a/docs/operate/reference/viam-server/manage-viam-server.md b/docs/operate/reference/viam-server/manage-viam-server.md
index fbe508a11f..b21b5590e9 100644
--- a/docs/operate/reference/viam-server/manage-viam-server.md
+++ b/docs/operate/reference/viam-server/manage-viam-server.md
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ You can use the following commands to manage `viam-server` on the command line:
 Run the following on the command line to start `viam-server`, providing the path to your own configuration file:
 
 ```sh {class="command-line" data-prompt="$"}
-viam-server -config /path/to/my/config.json
+sudo viam-server -config /path/to/my/config.json
 ```
 
 If you followed the [Installation Guide](/operate/get-started/setup/), your machine's configuration file is available in your <file>~/Downloads/</file> directory, named similarly to <file>viam-machinename-main.json</file>.