# How to bypass censorship and connect to Tor from different countries or regions

China
Russia
Turkmenistan
Belarus

### China

Below are reliable ways to obtain Tor Browser and connect from within China.

### 1. Get Tor Browser safely

To get an updated version of Tor Browser, try the Telegram bot first: @gettor_bot. If that doesn't work, you can send an email to gettor@torproject.org with the subject "windows", "macos", "linux" or "android" for the respective operating system.

(Optional but recommended). Verify Tor Browser's signature.

### 2. Try Connection Assist first

After the installation, Tor Browser will try to connect to the Tor network. If Tor is blocked in your location, Connection Assist will try to automatically connect using a bridge or Snowflake. But if that doesn't work, the next step will be to obtain a bridge that works in China.

### 3. Bridge options that work in China

#### WebTunnel

Try connecting to Tor using WebTunnel bridges. WebTunnel makes the traffic look like a regular HTTPS connection to a webpage server giving the impression that the user is simply browsing the web. Support for WebTunnel bridges is available on Tor Browser for Desktop and Android, Tails and Tor VPN Beta.

To obtain WebTunnel bridges you can use one of the following methods:

- Send a message to @GetBridgesBot on Telegram. Tap on 'Start' or write `/start` in the chat. Next, tap on 'webtunnel bridges' or type `/webtunnel` and copy the bridge addresses.
- Visit our bridges website. From the "Advanced options" select "WebTunnel", from the dropdown, as the pluggable transport. Then click on "Get Bridges".

Follow instructions to enter the bridge addresses in Tor Browser.

#### Other options

If WebTunnel does not work, you can try the following options from Tor Browser's built-in bridge menu:

- Snowflake: uses ephemeral proxies to connect to the Tor network. It's available in Tor Browser and other Tor powered apps like Orbot.
- meek: makes it look like you are browsing a website instead of using Tor. However, because it has a bandwidth limitation, this option will be quite slow.

### 4. Getting help

If you need help, you can contact our support team on Telegram Tor Project Support and Signal. Or send an email to frontdesk@torproject.org with the phrase "connect cn" in the subject of the email.

### Russia

Since December 2021, many Internet providers in Russia have been blocking direct connections to the Tor network, so users generally need to connect through a bridge. The obfs4 bridge type remains the most widely used in Russia, but some mobile ISPs have begun blocking it through Deep Packet Inspection (DPI). In those cases, switching to WebTunnel bridges hosted on less well-known providers (rather than major hosts like OVH, Hetzner, Linode, or DigitalOcean) can help you bypass these restrictions.

Find up-to-date instructions on how to circumvent censorship and connect to Tor from Russia on our forum guide: Tor blocked in Russia - how to circumvent censorship.

To get an updated version of Tor Browser, try the Telegram bot first: @gettor_bot.

If you need help, contact us via Telegram, WhatsApp, Signal, or by email frontdesk@torproject.org. When you reach out, include "private bridge ru" in your message (subject line or chat text) so our team can send you the right instructions more quickly.

### Turkmenistan

In Turkmenistan, direct access to the Tor network is heavily restricted. The most reliable way to connect with Tor Browser is usually through Snowflake, and using AMP cache as the front domain. It's also possible to connect using obfs4 bridges, but users need to find bridges hosted on less-well-known providers rather than major hosting companies, since they are frequently blocked.

To get an updated version of Tor Browser, try the Telegram bot first: @gettor_bot.

If you need help, contact us via Telegram, WhatsApp, Signal, or by email frontdesk@torproject.org. When you reach out, include "private bridge tm" in your message (subject line or chat text) so our team can send you the right instructions more quickly.

### Belarus

If you are connecting to Tor from Belarus, there are several options you can try.

### Download Tor Browser

To get an updated version of Tor Browser, try our Telegram bot: @GetTor_bot.

### 1. Direct connection

The first and easiest option to try is a direct connection to Tor, which could be available on some ISPs. Open Tor Browser and click or tap "Connect".

### 2. Using a Tor bridge

If the direct connection to the Tor network didn't work, you may need to use a Tor bridge. At the moment, we aren't aware of any specific bridge blocking mechanism in Belarus, so you can use obfs4, WebTunnel bridges, or snowflake.

#### Obfs4

To get obfs4 bridges please use our Telegram bot: @getbridgesbot.

Start the chat with the bot and type the command `/obfs4`.

#### WebTunnel

To get WebTunnel bridges please use our Telegram bot: @getbridgesbot.

Start the chat with the bot and type the command `/webtunnel`.

#### Snowflake

If the direct connection doesn't work, try using Snowflake.

Using Snowflake with Tor Browser for Android

1. Tap "Configure connection" when on the "Connect to Tor" screen.
2. Navigate to the "Connection" section in Settings.
3. Tap "Config Bridge" to configure a bridge.
4. With the "Use a Bridge" option select "Snowflake".
5. Return to the "Connect to Tor" screen and tap "Connect".

Using Snowflake with Tor Browser for Desktop

If you have Tor Browser running:

1. Click "Settings" in the hamburger menu (≡) and then go to "Connection" in the sidebar.
2. In the "Bridges" section, from the option "Choose from one of Tor Browser's built-in bridges" select "Snowflake".

### Getting support

If you need help, contact us via Telegram, WhatsApp, Signal, or by email frontdesk@torproject.org. When you reach out, include "private bridge by" in your message (subject line or chat text) so our team can send you the right instructions more quickly.