Topics

ABOUT TOR BROWSER

Tor Browser uses the Tor network to protect your privacy and anonymity. Using the Tor network has two main properties:

In addition, Tor Browser is designed to prevent websites from "fingerprinting" or identifying you based on your browser configuration.

By default, Tor Browser does not keep any browsing history. Cookies are only valid for a single session (until Tor Browser is exited or a New Identity is requested).

HOW TOR WORKS

Tor is a network of virtual tunnels that allows you to improve your privacy and security on the Internet. Tor works by sending your traffic through three random servers (also known as relays) in the Tor network. The last relay in the circuit (the "exit relay") then sends the traffic out onto the public Internet.

How Tor works

The image above illustrates a user browsing to different websites over Tor. The green middle computers represent relays in the Tor network, while the three keys represent the layers of encryption between the user and each relay.

DOWNLOADING

The safest and simplest way to download Tor Browser is from the official Tor Project website at https://www.torproject.org/download. Your connection to the site will be secured using HTTPS, which makes it much harder for somebody to tamper with.

However, there may be times when you cannot access the Tor Project website: for example, it could be blocked on your network. If this happens, you can use one of the alternative download methods listed below:

MIRRORS

If you're unable to download Tor Browser from the official Tor Project website, you can instead try downloading it from one of our official mirrors, either through EFF or Calyx Institute.

GetTor

GetTor is a service that automatically responds to messages with links to the latest version of Tor Browser, hosted at a variety of locations, such as Dropbox, Google Drive and GitHub.

TO USE GETTOR VIA EMAIL

Send an email to gettor@torproject.org, and in the body of the message simply write "windows", "osx", or "linux", (without quotation marks) depending on your operating system. For example, to get links for downloading Tor Browser for Windows, send an email to gettor@torproject.org with the word "windows" in it.

GetTor will respond with an email containing links from which you can download the Tor Browser package, the cryptographic signature (needed for verifying the download), the fingerprint of the key used to make the signature, and the package's checksum. You may be offered a choice of "32-bit" or "64-bit" software: this depends on the model of the computer you are using.

TO USE GETTOR VIA TELEGRAM

Send a message to @GetTor_Bot on Telegram.

GetTor Bot

INSTALLATION

For Windows

  1. Navigate to the Tor Browser download page.

  2. Download the Windows .exe file.

  3. (Recommended) Verify the file's signature.

  4. When the download is complete, double click the .exe file. Complete the installation wizard process.

For macOS

  1. Navigate to the Tor Browser download page.

  2. Download the macOS .dmg file.

  3. (Recommended) Verify the file's signature.

  4. When the download is complete, double click the .dmg file. Complete the installation wizard process.

For GNU/Linux

  1. Navigate to the Tor Browser download page.

  2. Download the GNU/Linux .tar.xz file.

  3. (Recommended) Verify the file's signature.

  4. Now follow either the graphical or the command-line method:

Graphical method

Make the .desktop file executable in Linux

Note: On Ubuntu and some other distros if you try to launch start-tor-browser.desktop a text file might open up. In that case, you will have to change the default behavior and allow running .desktop files as executables. This setting can usually be found in your file manager.

Command-line method

Some additional flags that can be used with start-tor-browser.desktop from the command-line:

Flag Description
--register-app To register Tor Browser as a desktop application.
--verbose To display Tor and Firefox output in the terminal.
--log [file] To record Tor and Firefox output in file (default: tor-browser.log).
--detach To detach from terminal and run Tor Browser in the background.
--unregister-app To unregister Tor Browser as a desktop application.

See here on how to update Tor Browser.

RUNNING TOR BROWSER FOR THE FIRST TIME

When you start Tor Browser, you will see the Connect to Tor window. This offers you the option to either connect directly to the Tor network, or to configure Tor Browser for your connection. There's a checkbox which asks whether you always want to get automatically connected to the Tor network, if this is the case, check the box.

CONNECT

Click 'connect' to connect to Tor

In most cases, choosing "Connect" will allow you to connect to the Tor network without any further configuration.

Once clicked, a status bar will appear, showing Tor's connection progress. If you are on a relatively fast connection, but this bar seems to get stuck at a certain point, try the 'Connection Assist' or see the Troubleshooting page for help solving the problem. Or, if you know that your connection is censored or uses a proxy, you should click on "Configure Connection".

Click 'Configure Connection' to adjust network settings

CONNECTION ASSIST

If Tor is blocked in your location, trying a bridge may help. Connection Assist can choose one for you using your location.

Connection Assist automatic

If Connection Assist is unable to determine your location or you want to configure your connection manually instead, you can select your region from the dropdown menu and click on 'Try a Bridge'.

Connection Assist configuration

CONFIGURE

Tor Browser will take you through a series of configuration options.

The Connection Assist informs you about the state of your Internet connection and your connection to the Tor network.

Connection Test success

Connection Test unsuccessful

The first checkbox is 'Quickstart'. If selected, every time you open Tor Browser, it will try to connect with your previous network settings.

Quickstart

If you know your connection is censored, or you have tried and failed to connect to the Tor network and no other solutions have worked, you can configure Tor Browser to use a pluggable transport. 'Bridges' will display the Circumvention section to configure a pluggable transport or to connect using Bridges.

Configure Tor bridge

OTHER OPTIONS

If your connection uses a proxy you can configure it by clicking on 'Settings ...' against 'Configure how Tor Browser connects to the Internet'. In most cases, this is not necessary. You will usually know if you need to select this checkbox because the same settings will be used for other browsers on your system. If possible, ask your network administrator for guidance. If your connection does not use a proxy, click "Connect".

Proxy settings for Tor Browser

CIRCUMVENTION

Direct access to the Tor network may sometimes be blocked by your Internet Service Provider or by a government. Tor Browser includes some circumvention tools for getting around these blocks. These tools are called "pluggable transports".

TYPES OF PLUGGABLE TRANSPORT

Currently there are four pluggable transports available, but more are being developed.

obfs4 obfs4 makes Tor traffic look random, and also prevents censors from finding bridges by Internet scanning. obfs4 bridges are less likely to be blocked than its predecessors, obfs3 bridges.
meek meek transports make it look like you are browsing a major web site instead of using Tor. meek-azure makes it look like you are using a Microsoft web site.
Snowflake Snowflake routes your connection through volunteer-operated proxies to make it look like you're placing a video call instead of using Tor.
WebTunnel WebTunnel masks your Tor connection, making it appear as if you're accessing a website via HTTPS.

USING PLUGGABLE TRANSPORTS

To use a pluggable transport, click "Configure Connection" when starting Tor Browser for the first time. Under the "Bridges" section, locate the option "Choose from one of Tor Browser's built-in bridges" and click on "Select a Built-In Bridge" option. From the menu, select whichever pluggable transport you'd like to use.

Once you've selected the pluggable transport, scroll up and click "Connect" to save your settings.

Or, if you have Tor Browser running, click on "Settings" in the hamburger menu (≡) and then on "Connection" in the sidebar. Under the "Bridges" section, locate the option "Choose from one of Tor Browser's built-in bridges" and click on "Select a Built-In Bridge" option. Choose whichever pluggable transport you'd like to use from the menu. Your settings will automatically be saved once you close the tab.

Configure built-in bridges

WHICH TRANSPORT SHOULD I USE?

Each of the transports listed in Tor Bridge's menu works in a different way, and their effectiveness depends on your individual circumstances.

If you are trying to circumvent a blocked connection for the first time, you should try the different transports: obfs4, snowflake, or meek-azure.

If you try all of these options, and none of them gets you online, you will need to request a bridge or manually enter bridge addresses.

Users in China will likely have to connect with a private and unlisted obfs4 bridge. Contact our Telegram Bot @GetBridgesBot and type /bridges. Or send an email to frontdesk@torproject.org with the phrase "private bridge cn" in the subject of the email. If you're connecting from other country, please remember to include your country or country code in the subject of the email.

Read the Bridges section to learn what bridges are and how to obtain them.

BRIDGES

Most Pluggable Transports, such as obfs4, rely on the use of "bridge" relays. Like ordinary Tor relays, bridges are run by volunteers; unlike ordinary relays, however, they are not listed publicly, so an adversary cannot identify them easily.

Using bridges in combination with pluggable transports helps to conceal the fact that you are using Tor, but may slow down the connection compared to using ordinary Tor relays.

Other pluggable transports, like meek and Snowflake, use different anti-censorship techniques that do not rely on finding bridge addresses. You do not need to obtain bridge addresses in order to use these transports.

GETTING BRIDGE ADDRESSES

Because bridge addresses are not public, you will need to request them yourself. You have a few options:

USING MOAT

If you're starting Tor Browser for the first time, click on "Configure Connection" to open the Tor settings window. Under the "Bridges" section, locate "Request a bridge from torproject.org" and click on "Request a Bridge..." for BridgeDB to provide a bridge. Complete the Captcha and click "Submit". Click "Connect" to save your settings.

Or, if you have Tor Browser running, click on "Settings" in the hamburger menu (≡) and then on "Connection" in the sidebar. In the "Bridges" section, locate "Request a bridge from torproject.org" and click on "Request a Bridge..." for BridgeDB to provide a bridge. Complete the Captcha and click "Submit". Your setting will automatically be saved once you close the tab.

Request a bridge from torproject.org

ENTERING BRIDGE ADDRESSES

If you're starting Tor Browser for the first time, click on "Configure Connection" to open the Tor settings window. Under the "Bridges" section, from the option "Enter a bridge address you already know" click on "Add a Bridge Manually" and enter each bridge address on a separate line. Click "Connect" to save your settings.

Or, if you have Tor Browser running, click on "Settings" in the hamburger menu (≡) and then on "Connection" in the sidebar. Under the "Bridges" section, from the option "Enter a bridge address you already know" click on "Add a Bridge Manually" and enter each bridge address on a separate line. Your settings will automatically be saved once you close the tab.

Enter bridge addresses manually

If the connection fails, the bridges you received may be down. Please use one of the above methods to obtain more bridge addresses, and try again.

BRIDGE-MOJI

Each bridge address is represented by a string of emoji characters called Bridge-mojis. The Bridge-mojis can be used to validate that the intended bridge has been added successfully.

Bridge-mojis are human-readable bridge identifiers and do not represent the quality of connection to the Tor network or the state of the bridge. The string of emoji characters cannot be used as input. Users are required to provide the complete bridge address to be able to connect with a bridge.

Bridge-moji

The bridge addresses can be shared using the QR code or by copying the entire address.

Bridge QR code

MANAGING IDENTITIES

When you connect to a website, it is not only the operators of that website who can record information about your visit. Most websites now use numerous third-party services, including social networking "Like" buttons, analytics trackers, and advertising beacons, all of which can link your activity across different sites.

Using the Tor network stops observers from being able to discover your exact location and IP address, but even without this information they might be able to link different areas of your activity together. For this reason, Tor Browser includes some additional features that help you control what information can be tied to your identity.

THE URL BAR

Tor Browser centers your web experience around your relationship with the website in the URL bar. Even if you connect to two different sites that use the same third-party tracking service, Tor Browser will force the content to be served over two different Tor circuits, so the tracker will not know that both connections originate from your browser.

On the other hand, all connections to a single website address will be made over the same Tor circuit, meaning you can browse different pages of a single website in separate tabs or windows, without any loss of functionality.

Display circuit diagram under the site information menu

You can see a diagram of the circuit that Tor Browser is using for the current tab in the site information menu, in the URL bar.

In the circuit, the Guard or entry node is the first node and it's automatically and randomly selected by Tor. But it is different from the other nodes in the circuit. In order to avoid profiling attacks, the Guard node changes only after 2-3 months, unlike the other nodes, which change with every new domain. For more information about Guards, consult the FAQ and Support Portal.

LOGGING IN OVER TOR

Although Tor Browser is designed to enable total user anonymity on the web, there may be situations in which it makes sense to use Tor with websites that require usernames, passwords, or other identifying information.

If you log into a website using a regular browser, you also reveal your IP address and geographical location in the process. The same is often true when you send an email. Logging into your social networking or email accounts using Tor Browser allows you to choose exactly which information you reveal to the websites you browse. Logging in using Tor Browser is also useful if the website you are trying to reach is censored on your network.

When you log in to a website over Tor, there are several points you should bear in mind:

CHANGING IDENTITIES AND CIRCUITS

New Identity and New Tor Circuit options under main menu

Tor Browser features "New Identity" and "New Tor Circuit for this Site" options. They are also located in the hamburger or main menu (≡).

NEW IDENTITY

This option is useful if you want to prevent your subsequent browser activity from being linkable to what you were doing before. Selecting it will close all your open tabs and windows, clear all private information such as cookies and browsing history, and use new Tor circuits for all connections. Tor Browser will warn you that all activity and downloads will be stopped, so take this into account before clicking "New Identity".

To use this option, you just need to click on 'New Identity' in Tor Browser's toolbar.

NEW TOR CIRCUIT FOR THIS SITE

This option is useful if the exit relay you are using is unable to connect to the website you require, or is not loading it properly. Selecting it will cause the currently-active tab or window to be reloaded over a new Tor circuit. Other open tabs and windows from the same website will use the new circuit as well once they are reloaded. This option does not clear any private information or unlink your activity, nor does it affect your current connections to other websites.

You can also access this option in the new circuit display, in the site information menu, in the URL bar.

ONION SERVICES

Onion services (formerly known as "hidden services") are services, like websites, that are only accessible through the Tor network.

Onion services offer several advantages over ordinary services on the non-private web:

HOW TO ACCESS AN ONION SERVICE

Just like any other website, you will need to know the address of an onion service in order to connect to it. An onion address consists of 56 letters and numbers, followed by ".onion".

When accessing a website that uses an onion service, Tor Browser will show in the URL bar an icon of an onion displaying the state of your connection: secure and using an onion service. You can learn more about the onion site that you are visiting by looking at the Circuit Display.

Another way to learn about an onion site is if the website administrator has implemented a feature called Onion-Location. Onion-Location is a non-standard HTTP header that websites can use to advertise their onion counterpart. If the website that you are visiting has an onion site available, a purple suggestion pill will prompt at the URL bar in Tor Browser displaying ".onion available". When you click on ".onion available", the website will be reloaded and redirected to its onion counterpart.

Onion-Location

To always prioritize onion site versions of websites, you can enable automatic Onion-Location redirects. Click on hamburger menu (≡), go to Settings, click on Privacy & Security, and in the Onion Services section look for the entry "Prioritize .onion sites when known." and check the option "Always". Or you can copy and paste this URL in a new tab: about:preferences#privacy and change this setting.

ONION SERVICE AUTHENTICATION

An authenticated onion service is a service like an onion site that requires the client to provide an authentication token before accessing the service. As a Tor user, you may authenticate yourself directly in Tor Browser. In order to access this service, you will need access credentials from the onion service operator. When accessing an authenticated onion service, Tor Browser will show in the URL bar an icon of a little gray key, accompanied by a tooltip. Enter your valid private key into the input field.

Client Authorization

ONION SERVICES ERRORS

If you can't connect to an onion site, Tor Browser will provide a specific error message informing why the website is unavailable. Errors can happen in different layers: client errors, network errors, or service errors. Some of these errors can be fixed by following the Troubleshooting section. The table below shows all the possible errors and which action you should take to solve the issue.

Code Error Title Short Description
0xF0 Onionsite Not Found The most likely cause is that the onionsite is offline. Contact the onionsite administrator.
0xF1 Onionsite Cannot Be Reached The onionsite is unreachable due an internal error.
0xF2 Onionsite Has Disconnected The most likely cause is that the onionsite is offline. Contact the onionsite administrator.
0xF3 Unable to Connect to Onionsite The onionsite is busy or the Tor network is overloaded. Try again later.
0xF4 Onionsite Requires Authentication Access to the onionsite requires a key but none was provided.
0xF5 Onionsite Authentication Failed The provided key is incorrect or has been revoked. Contact the onionsite administrator.
0xF6 Invalid Onionsite Address The provided onionsite address is invalid. Please check that you entered it correctly.
0xF7 Onionsite Circuit Creation Timed Out Failed to connect to the onionsite, possibly due to a poor network connection.

TROUBLESHOOTING

If you cannot reach the onion service you requested, make sure that you have entered the onion address correctly: even a small mistake will stop Tor Browser from being able to reach the site.

If you are trying to access a 16 character (the shorter "V2 format") onion service, this type of address no longer works on today's Tor network.

You can also test if you are able to access other onion services by connecting to DuckDuckGo's Onion Service.

If you are still unable to connect to the onion service after verifying the address, please try again later. There may be a temporary connection issue, or the site operators may have allowed it to go offline without warning.

SECURE CONNECTIONS

If personal information such as a login password travels unencrypted over the Internet, it can very easily be intercepted by an eavesdropper. If you are logging into any website, you should make sure that the site offers HTTPS encryption, which protects against this kind of eavesdropping. You can verify this in the URL bar: if your connection is encrypted, the address will begin with "https://", rather than "http://".

HTTPS-Only Mode in Tor Browser

HTTPS-Only mode forces all connections to websites to use a secure encrypted connection called HTTPS. Most websites already support HTTPS; some support both HTTP and HTTPS. Enabling this mode guarantees that all of your connections to websites are upgraded to use HTTPS and hence secure.

HTTPS-only mode in Tor Browser

Some websites only support HTTP and the connection cannot be upgraded. If a HTTPS version of a site is not available, you will see a "Secure Connection Not Available" page:

Secure Connection not available when HTTP website

If you click 'Continue to HTTP Site' you accept the risk and then will visit a HTTP version of the site. HTTPS-Only Mode will be turned off temporarily for that site.

Click the 'Go Back' button if you want to avoid any unencrypted connections.

The following visualization shows what information is visible to eavesdroppers with and without Tor Browser and HTTPS encryption:




POTENTIALLY VISIBLE DATA
Site.com
The site being visited.
user / pw
Username and password used for authentication.
data
Data being transmitted.
location
Network location of the computer used to visit the website (the public IP address).
Tor
Whether or not Tor is being used.

SECURITY SETTINGS

By default, Tor Browser protects your security by encrypting your browsing data. You can further increase your security by choosing to disable certain web features that can be used to compromise your security and anonymity. You can do this by increasing Tor Browser's Security Levels in the shield menu. Increasing Tor Browser's security level will stop some web pages from functioning properly, so you should weigh your security needs against the degree of usability you require.

ACCESSING THE SECURITY SETTINGS

The Security Settings can be accessed by clicking the Shield icon next to the Tor Browser URL bar. To view and adjust your Security Settings, click on 'Settings' button in the shield menu.

Click on 'Change' under the shield menu

SECURITY LEVELS

Increasing the Security Level in the Tor Browser Security Settings will disable or partially disable certain browser features to protect against possible attacks. You can enable these settings again at any time by adjusting your Security Level.

Security Level is currently set to Safest

Standard
Safer
Safest

UPDATING

Tor Browser must be kept updated at all times. If you continue to use an outdated version of the software, you may be vulnerable to serious security flaws that compromise your privacy and anonymity.

Tor Browser will prompt you to update the software once a new version has been released: the main menu (≡) will display a green circle with an upwards facing arrow in it, and you may see a written update indicator when Tor Browser opens. You can update either automatically or manually.

UPDATING TOR BROWSER AUTOMATICALLY

Select 'Restart to update Tor Browser' under the main menu

When you are prompted to update Tor Browser, click on the main menu (≡), then select "Update available - restart now".

Update progress bar

Wait for the update to download and install, then Tor Browser will restart itself. You will now be running the latest version.

UPDATING TOR BROWSER MANUALLY

When you are prompted to update Tor Browser, finish the browsing session and close the program.

Remove Tor Browser from your system by deleting the folder that contains it (see the Uninstalling section for more information).

Visit https://www.torproject.org/download/ and download a copy of the latest Tor Browser release, then install it as before.

TROUBLESHOOTING

You should be able to start browsing the web using Tor Browser shortly after running the program, and clicking the "Connect" button if you are using it for the first time.

Click 'Connect' to connect to Tor

The Connection Assist informs you about the state of your Internet connection if you click on 'Test'.

Connection Assist Test

Check your Internet Connection if it says 'Offline'. If your connection to the Tor Network is not established and it reads 'Not Connected' the following steps can be helpful.

Connection Assist offline error

QUICK FIXES

If Tor Browser doesn't connect, there may be a simple solution. Try each of the following:

VIEW TOR LOGS

In most cases, taking a look at the Tor logs can be helpful in diagnosing the issue. If you're having trouble connecting, an error message may appear and you can select the option to "copy Tor log to clipboard". Then paste the Tor log into a text file or other document.

If you don't see this option and you have Tor Browser open, you can navigate to the hamburger menu ("≡"), then click on "Settings", and finally on "Connection" in the side bar. At the bottom of the page, next to the "View the Tor logs" text, click the button "View Logs...".

Alternatively, on GNU/Linux, to view the logs right in the terminal, navigate to the Tor Browser directory and launch Tor Browser from the command line by running:

./start-tor-browser.desktop --verbose

Or to save the logs to a file (default: tor-browser.log):

./start-tor-browser.desktop --log [file]

More information on this can be found on the Support Portal.

IS YOUR CONNECTION CENSORED?

If you still can't connect, your Internet Service Provider might be censoring connections to the Tor network. Read the Circumvention section for possible solutions.

KNOWN ISSUES

Tor Browser is under constant development, and some issues are known about but not yet fixed. Please check the Known Issues page to see if the problem you are experiencing is already listed there.

PLUGINS, ADD-ONS AND JAVASCRIPT

JAVASCRIPT

JavaScript is a programming language that websites use to offer interactive elements such as video, animation, audio, and status timelines. Unfortunately, JavaScript can also enable attacks on the security of the browser, which might lead to deanonymization.

Tor Browser includes an add-on called NoScript. It's accessible through "Preferences" (or "Options" on Windows) on the hamburger menu (≡), then select 'Customize' and drag the "S" icon to the top-right of the window. NoScript allows you to control the JavaScript (and other scripts) that runs on individual web pages, or block it entirely.

Users who require a high degree of security in their web browsing should set Tor Browser's Security Level to "Safer" (which disables JavaScript for non-HTTPS websites) or "Safest" (which does so for all websites). However, disabling JavaScript will prevent many websites from displaying correctly, so Tor Browser's default setting is to allow all websites to run scripts in "Standard" mode.

BROWSER ADD-ONS

Tor Browser is based on Firefox, and any browser add-ons or themes that are compatible with Firefox can also be installed in Tor Browser.

However, the only add-ons that have been tested for use with Tor Browser are those included by default. Installing any other browser add-ons may break functionality in Tor Browser or cause more serious problems that affect your privacy and security. It is strongly discouraged to install additional add-ons, and the Tor Project will not offer support for these configurations.

FLASH PLAYER

Flash was a multimedia software used by websites to display video and other interactive elements such as games. It was disabled by default in Tor Browser because it could have revealed your real location and IP address. Tor Browser no longer supports Flash and cannot be enabled.

The majority of Flash's functionalities have been substituted by the HTML5 standard, which heavily depends on JavaScript. Video platforms such as YouTube and Vimeo have transitioned to HTML5 and no longer utilize Flash.

UNINSTALLING

Removing Tor Browser from your system is simple:

On Windows:

On macOS:

Go to folder menu option

Go to folder window

Note that if you did not install Tor Browser in the default location (the Applications folder), then the TorBrowser-Data folder is not located in the ~/Library/Application Support/ folder, but in the same folder where you installed Tor Browser.

On Linux:

Note that your operating system's standard "Uninstall" utility is not used.

KNOWN ISSUES

MOBILE TOR

Tor Browser for Android

Tor Browser for Android is the only official mobile browser supported and developed by the Tor Project. It is like the desktop Tor Browser, but for your Android mobile device. Some of the prime features of Tor Browser for Android include: reducing tracking across websites, defending against surveillance, resisting browser fingerprinting, and circumventing censorship.

DOWNLOADING AND INSTALLATION

There exists Tor Browser for Android and Tor Browser for Android (alpha). Non-technical users should get Tor Browser for Android, as this is stable and less prone to errors. Tor Browser for Android is available on Play Store, F-Droid and the Tor Project website. It is very risky to download Tor Browser outside of these three platforms.

Google Play

You can install Tor Browser for Android from Google Play Store.

F-Droid

The Guardian Project provides Tor Browser for Android on their F-Droid repository. If you would prefer installing the app from F-Droid, please follow these steps:

  1. Install the F-Droid app on your Android device from the F-Droid website.

  2. After installing F-Droid, open the app.

  3. At the lower-right-hand corner, open "Settings".

  4. Under the "My Apps" section, open Repositories.

  5. Toggle "Guardian Project Official Releases" as enabled.

  6. Now F-Droid downloads the list of apps from the Guardian Project's repository (Note: this may take a few minutes).

  7. Tap the Back button at the upper-left-hand corner.

  8. Open "Latest" at the lower-left-hand corner.

  9. Open the search screen by tapping the magnifying glass at the lower-right side.

  10. Search for "Tor Browser for Android".

  11. Open the query result by "The Tor Project" and install.

The Tor Project website

You can also get Tor Browser for Android by downloading and installing the apk from the Tor Project website.

RUNNING TOR BROWSER FOR ANDROID FOR THE FIRST TIME

When you run Tor Browser for the first time, you will see the option to connect directly to the Tor network, or to configure Tor Browser for your connection with the settings icon.

Connect

Connect to Tor Browser for Android

In most cases, choosing "Connect" will allow you to connect to the Tor network without any further configuration. Once tapped, changing sentences will appear at the bottom of the screen, indicating Tor's connection progress. If you are on a relatively fast connection, but this text seems to get stuck at a certain point, see the Troubleshooting page for help solving the problem.

Configure

Configure Tor Browser for Android

If you know that your connection is censored, you should select the settings icon. Tor Browser will take you through a series of configuration options. The first screen will tell you about the status of the Tor Network and provide you the option to configure a Bridge ('Config Bridge'). If you know your connection is censored, or you have tried and failed to connect to the Tor network and no other solutions have worked, tap on 'Config Bridge'. You will then be taken to the Circumvention screen to configure a pluggable transport.

CIRCUMVENTION

Bridge relays are Tor relays that are not listed in the public Tor directory. Bridges are useful for Tor users under oppressive regimes, and for people who want an extra layer of security because they're worried somebody will recognize that they are contacting a public Tor relay IP address.

To use a pluggable transport, tap on the settings icon when starting Tor Browser for the first time. The first screen tells you about the status of the Tor network. Tap on 'Config Bridge' to configure a bridge.

Censored internet on Tor Browser for Android

The next screen provides the option to either use a built-in bridge or custom bridge. With the "Use a Bridge" option, you will have three options: "obfs4", "meek-azure", and "snowflake".

Select a bridge on Tor Browser for Android

Selected a bridge on Tor Browser for Android

If you choose the "Provide a Bridge I know" option, then you have to enter a bridge address.

Provide a bridge on Tor Browser for Android

Provide bridge addresses on Tor Browser for Android

MANAGING IDENTITIES

New Identity

New Identity on Tor Browser for Android

When Tor Browser is running, you would see so in your device's notification panel after expanding it along with the button "NEW IDENTITY". Tapping on this button will provide you with a new identity. Unlike in Tor Browser for Desktop, the "NEW IDENTITY" button in Tor Browser for Android does not prevent your subsequent browser activity from being linkable to what you were doing before. Selecting it will only change your Tor circuit.

SECURITY SETTINGS

Security settings and security slider on Tor Browser for Android

Security settings disable certain web features that can be used to compromise your security and anonymity. Tor Browser for Android provides the same three security levels that are available on desktop. You can modify the security level by following given steps:

UPDATING

Tor Browser must be kept updated at all times. If you continue to use an outdated version of the software, you may be vulnerable to serious security flaws that compromise your privacy and anonymity. You can update Tor Browser automatically or manually.

Updating Tor Browser for Android automatically

This method assumes that you have either Google Play or F-Droid installed on your mobile device.

Google Play

Updating Tor Browser for Android on Google Play

F-Droid

Updating Tor Browser for Android on F-Droid

Tap on "Settings", then go to "Manage installed apps". On the next screen, select Tor Browser and finally tap on the "Update" button.

Updating Tor Browser for Android manually

Visit the Tor Project website and download a copy of the latest Tor Browser release, then install it as before. In most cases, this latest version of Tor Browser will install over the older version, thereby upgrading the browser. If doing this fails to update the browser, you may have to uninstall Tor Browser before reinstalling it. With Tor Browser closed, remove it from your system by uninstalling it using your device's settings. Depending on your mobile device's brand, navigate to Settings > Apps, then select Tor Browser and tap on the "Uninstall" button. Afterwards, download the latest Tor Browser release and install it.

UNINSTALLING

Tor Browser for Android can be uninstalled directly from F-Droid, Google Play or from your mobile device's app settings.

Google Play

Uninstalling Tor Browser for Android on Google Play

F-Droid

Uninstalling Tor Browser for Android on F-Droid

Tap on "Settings", then go to "Manage installed apps". On the next screen, select Tor Browser and finally tap on the "Uninstall" button.

Mobile device app settings

Uninstalling Tor Browser for Android using device app settings

Depending on your mobile device's brand, navigate to Settings > Apps, then select Tor Browser and tap on the "Uninstall" button.

TROUBLESHOOTING

View Tor Logs

View Tor logs on Tor Browser for Android

To view your Tor logs:

  1. Launch Tor Browser for Android and tap 'Connect'.
  2. During the bootstrapping process, swipe right to left to view the logs. (Note: By default, the ability to take screenshots of the Tor logs is disabled on Tor Browser for Android). #41195

If you want to share the error logs with us, you can take a screenshot. By default, screenshots are disabled in Tor Browser, but you can enable them. To do this, please follow these steps:

To troubleshoot some of the most common issues please refer to the Support Portal entry.

KNOWN ISSUES

At the moment, there are some features which are not available in Tor Browser for Android, but are currently available in Tor Browser for desktop.

More about Tor on mobile devices

Orfox

Orfox was first released in 2015 by The Guardian Project, with the aim of giving Android users a way to browse the internet over Tor. Over the next three years, Orfox continuously improved and became a popular way for people to browse the internet with more privacy than standard browsers, and Orfox was crucial for helping people circumvent censorship and access blocked sites and critical resources. In 2019, Orfox was sunsetted after the official Tor Browser for Android was released.

Orbot

Orbot is a free proxy app that empowers other apps to use the Tor network. Orbot uses Tor to encrypt your Internet traffic. Then you can use it with other apps installed on your mobile device to circumvent censorship and protect against surveillance. Orbot can be downloaded and installed from Google Play. Check out our Support portal to know if you need both Tor Browser for Android and Orbot or either one.

Tor Browser for iOS

There is no Tor Browser for iOS. We recommend an iOS app called Onion Browser, which is open source, uses Tor routing, and is developed by someone who works closely with the Tor Project. However, Apple requires browsers on iOS to use something called Webkit, which prevents Onion Browser from having the same privacy protections as Tor Browser.

Learn more about Onion Browser. Download Onion Browser from the App Store.

Tor Browser for Windows Phone

There is currently no supported method for running Tor on older Windows Phones but in case of the newer Microsoft-branded/promoted phones, same steps on Tor Browser on Android can be followed.

MAKE TOR BROWSER PORTABLE

If preferred, Tor Browser may be made portable by extracting it from its archive directly onto removable media such as a USB stick or SD card. It is recommended to use writable media so that Tor Browser can be updated as required.

For Windows:

  1. Plug in your removable media and format it. Any filesystem type will work.

  2. Navigate to the Tor Browser download page.

  3. Download the Windows .exe file and save it directly to your media.

  4. (Recommended) Verify the files signature.

  5. When the download is complete, click the .exe file and begin the installation process.

  6. When the installer asks where to install Tor Browser, select your removable media.

For macOS:

  1. Plug in your removable media and format it. You must use Mac OS Extended (Journaled) format.

  2. Navigate to the Tor Browser download page.

  3. Download the macOS .dmg file and save it directly to your media.

  4. (Recommended) Verify the files signature.

  5. When the download is complete, click the .dmg file and begin the installation process.

  6. When the installer asks where to install Tor Browser, select your removable media.

For GNU/Linux:

  1. Plug in your removable media and format it. Any filesystem type will work.

  2. Navigate to the Tor Browser download page.

  3. Download the Linux .tar.xz file and save it directly to your media.

  4. (Recommended) Verify the files signature.

  5. When the download is complete, extract the archive onto the media as well.

SUPPORT

Support, feedback and bug report template

When sending us a support request, feedback or reporting a bug, please include as much information possible:

  1. Operating System you are using
  2. Tor Browser version
  3. Tor Browser Security Level
  4. Step by step of how you got to the issue, so we can reproduce it (e.g. I opened the browser, typed a url, clicked on a option in settings, then my browser crashed)
  5. A screenshot of the problem
  6. Console logs on Tor Browser Desktop (can be opened by Ctrl+Shift+J on Windows/Linux and Cmd+Shift+J on macOS)
  7. Tor logs (Settings > Connection > Advanced > View the Tor logs)
  8. Region you're connecting to Tor from.
  9. Region selected from Connection Assist (if it's a Connection Assist related issue)
  10. Is Tor censored in your region?
  11. If Tor did connect, how much time did it take to bootstrap? Any effects on browsing speed?

How to reach us

There are several ways to reach us, so please use what works best for you.

Telegram

We have several official Telegram bots and channels:

  1. @GetTor_Bot to download Tor Browser.
  2. @GetBridgesBot to get obfs4 bridges.
  3. @TorProject to get the latest news.
  4. @TorProjectSupportBot for help.
    • At the moment, the Telegram support channel is available in two languages: English and Russian.
    • If you need help with circumventing censorship, please select from the menu options which region you are connecting from as it will be easier for us to follow up.

Tor Forum

We recommend asking for help on the Tor Forum. You will need to create a account to submit a new topic. Please review our discussion guidelines and check the existing topics before asking. At the moment, for the fastest response, please write in English. If you found a bug, please use GitLab.

WhatsApp

You can reach our support team with a text message to our WhatsApp number: +447421000612. This service is only available for text messages; videos or calls are not supported.

Signal

You can get help by sending a text message to our Signal number: +17787431312. Signal is a free and privacy-focused messaging app. Currently, our support channel is available in English and Russian and focuses on helping Tor users in censored regions. The service is only available for text messages; videos, or calls are not supported. After sending a message, our support agents will guide you and help troubleshoot your issue.

Email

Send us an email to frontdesk@torproject.org

In the subject line of your email, please tell us what you're reporting. The more specific your subject line is (e.g. "Connection failure", "feedback on website", "feedback on Tor Browser, "I need a bridge"), the easier it will be for us to understand and follow up. Sometimes when we receive emails without subject lines, they're marked as spam and we don't see them.

For the fastest response, please write in English, Russian, Spanish, Hindi, Bangla and/or Portuguese if you can. If none of these languages works for you, please write in any language you feel comfortable with, but keep in mind it will take us a bit longer to answer as we will need help with translation to understand it.

IRC and Matrix

You can find us in the #tor channel on OFTC or Tor User Support channel on Matrix. We may not respond right away, but we do check the backlog and will get back to you when we can.

Learn how to connect to IRC / Matrix.

GitLab

First, check if the bug is already known. You can search and read all the issues at https://gitlab.torproject.org/. To create a new issue, please request a new account to access Tor Project's GitLab instance and find the right repository to report your issue. We track all Tor Browser related issues at Tor Browser issue tracker. Issues related to our websites should be filed under the Web issue tracker.