Its lyrics, which were inspired by the grief the singer experienced when being far from her family, express escaping reality and realising the need to return home.

The song also charted in various countries, including the United Kingdom, Australia, Norway, Germany, and Ireland.

"[11] Aurora was eventually paired with Norwegian musicians and producers Magnus Skylstad and Odd Martin Skålnes, who were responsible for the production of her debut album.

[13] Before recording the song, Aurora played "Runaway" to Skylstad, the latter shares writing credits with the singer.

[13][14] Skylstad and Skålnes recorded, produced, and mixed the song, while mastering was made by Alex Wharton.

[14] "Runaway" is a downtempo folktronica,[18] synth-pop,[19] electronic,[20] and electropop song[21] with influences from Nordic-folk music.

[22] A "tenderly catchy" tune,[23] its sparse production contains "echoing water droplet effects, creeping screeches, and windswept transitions.

"[24] Sheet music for "Runaway" sets the key of A minor with a moderately slow tempo of 58 beats per minute.

[19] Aurora said she wanted to place "Runaway" as the opening track of All My Demons Greeting Me As a Friend because she felt the song "puts people in the right mood and mind for the rest of it.

[32] On 16 February 2015, the song was released for digital download and streaming as the lead single on Aurora's debut EP Running with the Wolves.

[38] Glassnote Records issued a 12-inch vinyl single on 11 November 2022, which contained the original version of the song and the "Lvl.

Robin Murray of Clash called the song "a graceful return" and lauded the singer's mature songwriting.

[19] Alexandra Pollard for Gigwise noted in her review of All My Demons Greeting Me As A Friend that "there's an eeriness lurking beneath the beauty of ['Runaway']," adding that "its cavernous clicks and echoes make themselves at home before it bursts into something warmer."

"[43] Will Hodgkinson of The Times characterised "Runaway" to be "about feeling lost that has a poetic wisdom belying her 19 years.

[44] Marcy Donelson of AllMusic was less favourable towards "Runaway", she pointed out that the song "turn[s] out to be the average of what the substantial LP offers rather than [a standout].

[57] The song was eventually included on the compilation EP For the Humans Who Take Long Walks in the Forest, released on 4 February.

[59] A music video for "Runaway" was directed by Kenny McCracken, who would later be the director for three other singles of All My Demons Greeting Me as a Friend ("Conqueror", "Half the World Away", and "Murder Song (5, 4, 3, 2, 1)").

[30] When asked by Norwegian newspaper Dagbladet about the release, Aurora stated that the video was actually intended to be a promotional recording so "people should get an impression of me as an artist.

[30] Clash's Robin Murray wrote that the clip "neatly counterpoints the gentle fragility in Aurora's own music.

"[63] American singer-songwriter Billie Eilish credits the video of this song as one of the reasons she began working on music.

[73][74] The song was included in the setlist of a collaborative virtual concert for the video game Sky: Children of the Light, which premiered on 8 December 2022.