# Tor Browser manual

## Getting started

- About Tor Browser
- Downloading
- Installing
- First launch
- Updating
- Making Tor Browser portable
- Language support
- Uninstalling
- Verify Tor Browser's signature

## Censorship circumvention

- Unblocking Tor
- Using bridges
- Getting bridges
- Connecting to Tor from censored regions

## Features

- Fingerprinting protections
- Managing identities
- Secure connections
- Security levels
- Plugins
- Onion services
- Default search engine

## Encountering issues

- Troubleshooting
- Known issues
- Antivirus blocking Tor Browser
- Gmail account warning
- Editing the torrc file
- CAPTCHAs and warning messages
- Website account lockouts
- Reading Tor log errors
- Problem reaching an onion site
- "Proxy server is refusing connection" error

## General

- Cost to use Tor Browser
- Manage bookmarks in Tor Browser
- Tor Browser and Incognito mode
- Website blocking access over Tor
- Tor Browser speed
- Google shows foreign languages
- Tor Browser with VPN

## Security

- Using Tor with other browsers
- Tor Browser best practices
- Understanding guard relays
- Tracker warnings in Tor Browser for Android
- Tor Browser legacy OS support

# Getting started

## Topics

- About Tor Browser
- Downloading
- Installing
- First launch
- Updating
- Making Tor Browser portable
- Language support
- Uninstalling
- Verify Tor Browser's signature

# What is Tor Browser and how does it work?

About Tor Browser

### About Tor Browser

Tor Browser is based on Mozilla Firefox ESR (Extended Support Release) but has been heavily modified for use with the Tor network. These modifications include additional patches and features that enhance privacy and security, making Tor Browser fundamentally different from Firefox or any other browser.

It is specifically developed to resist online tracking and browser fingerprinting, helping to prevent websites from identifying you based on your browser configuration. While it is technically possible to route other browsers through Tor, doing so exposes you to serious risks of deanonymization and information leakage. For this reason, we strongly discourage using Tor with any browser other than Tor Browser.

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). Learn more about the design of Tor Browser.

### The Tor network

Using the Tor network has three main properties:

- Your internet service provider, and anyone watching your connection locally, will not be able to track your internet activity, including the names and addresses of the websites you visit.
- The operators of the websites and services that you use, and anyone watching them, will see a connection coming from the Tor network instead of your real Internet (IP) address, and will not know who you are unless you explicitly identify yourself.
- Tor allows you to circumvent censorship by enabling access to websites and online services that may be restricted or blocked in your region.

### 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. The image below illustrates a user browsing a website over Tor where the traffic goes over multiple hops or relays, represented by the slices of onion, and is encrypted and decrypted at each hop.

# How to download Tor Browser

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 La Cebolla.

### 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.

#### Get Tor Browser on Telegram

Send a message to @GetTor_Bot on Telegram.

- Tap on 'Start' or write `/start` in the chat.
- Select your language.

There are two options to download Tor Browser.

- Tap on 'Send me Tor Browser' and choose your operating system. GetTor will respond with a downloadable Tor Browser file and the signature which can be used to verify the download.
- Tap on 'Send me other mirrors for Tor Browser' to download from one of the official mirrors.

#### Get Tor Browser via email

Send an email to gettor@torproject.org, and in the body of the message simply write "windows", "osx", "linux", or "android" (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.

# How to install Tor Browser

Windows Windows macOS macOS Linux Linux Android Android iOS iOS
Windows

### System requirements

Operating Systems (32-bit and 64-bit):

- Windows 10
- Windows 11

### Installation

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.

### Where to locate Tor Browser

If you installed Tor Browser but cannot find it:

- By default, the installer places Tor Browser in your Downloads or Desktop folder.
- The installer also creates a shortcut on your Desktop, unless you deselected that option during installation.
- If you still can't locate it, try installing again and pay attention to the directory path shown in the installer - choose a folder you'll remember easily.
- Once installed, look for the Tor Browser folder in that location.

macOS

### System requirements

- macOS 10.15 and later.

### Installation

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.

Linux

### System requirements

Tor Browser is supported on any modern Linux-based operating system. Please reach out if you encounter any issues while installing.

Note: Support for 32-bit Linux operating systems (i686 architecture) will be discontinued with the next major Tor Browser Release, Tor Browser 16.0. 32-bit Linux (on x86) is no longer widely supported by the vast majority of Linux distributions, and with Firefox dropping support, it is no longer feasible to maintain Tor Browser for the platform. We strongly advise users to install Tor Browser on a 64-bit Linux operating system for latest updates and access to security features provided by Tor Browser.

### Installation

1. Navigate to the Tor Browser download page.
2. Download the Linux `.tar.xz` file.
3. (Recommended) Verify the file's signature.
4. Now follow either the graphical or the command-line method:

#### Graphical method

- When the download is complete, extract the archive using an archive manager.
- Navigate to the Tor Browser directory.
- Click on the `start-tor-browser.desktop` file to launch the browser. Note: If these steps do not work, please try the following command-line method.

#### Command-line method

- When the download is complete, extract the archive with the command `tar -xf [TB archive]`.
- From inside the Tor Browser directory, you can launch Tor Browser by running: `./start-tor-browser.desktop` Note: If this command fails to run, you probably need to make the file executable. From within this directory run: `chmod +x start-tor-browser.desktop`
- To register Tor Browser as a desktop application and have it accessible from the application menus run this command: `./start-tor-browser.desktop --register-app` See here on how to update Tor Browser.

### Note about Chrome OS

Unfortunately, we don't yet have a version of Tor Browser for Chrome OS. You could run Tor Browser for Android on Chrome OS. Note that by using Tor Mobile on Chrome OS, you will view the mobile (not desktop) versions of websites. However, because we have not audited the app in Chrome OS, we don't know if all the privacy features of Tor Browser for Android will work well.

Android

### System requirements

Tor Browser for Android is based on Mozilla Firefox for Android and is available for:

- Android 5.0 or newer.
- Aarch64, Arm, x86_64 and x86 architectures.

Note: If you are unsure of the type of architecture supported by your Android device, it is advised to install Tor Browser for Android only from the app stores, i.e. Google Play Store or F-Droid.

### Download and Install

Tor Browser for Android is available on the Play Store, F-Droid, the Tor Project website and GetTor.

#### Google Play

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

#### F-Droid

The Guardian Project provides Tor Browser for Android on the Guardian Project Official App Repository for F-Droid. To install Tor Browser for Android from F-Droid please follow these steps:

- Download the F-Droid app on your Android device from the F-Droid website.
- Install the F-Droid Android package file and launch the app.
- From the navigation bar on the bottom of the screen, tap on "Settings" (⚙️).
- Under the "My Apps" section, tap on "Repositories".
- Tap on "+" to add a new repository.
- Add the official Guardian Project App Repository.
- It might take a few moments for F-Droid to download the list of apps from the Guardian Project App Repository.
- Confirm by tapping on "Add Repository".
- Navigate back to F-Droid's home page.
- Tap on "Search" (🔍) and query for "Tor Browser for Android".
- Tap on "Tor Browser for Android" and then tap on "Install" to install the app.

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.

# Running Tor Browser for the first time.

Desktop Desktop Android Android
Desktop

### Choose display language

When you launch Tor Browser the display language is set to the default language of your system. Tor Browser is available in multiple languages and you can change the display language by clicking on "Change Language".

In the "Language" settings, select your desired display language from the dropdown menu.

### Connect

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. Toggle on "Always connect automatically" to allow Tor Browser connect to the Tor network automatically with the previously saved connection settings, everytime the browser is launched.

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".

### Connection Assist

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

If Connection Assist is unable to determine your location you can select your region from the dropdown menu and click on 'Try a Bridge'.

### 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.

The first toggle is 'Always connect automatically'. If toggled on, every time you open Tor Browser, it will try to connect with your previously saved connection settings.

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.

### 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".

Android

### Choose display language

When you launch Tor Browser for Android the display language is set to the default language of your system. Tor Browser is available in multiple languages.

To choose your display language:

- Tap on 'Settings' (⚙️).
- Tap on 'Language'.
- Select your desired display language.

#### Connect

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.

- Toggle on "Always connect automatically" to allow Tor Browser connect to the Tor network automatically with the previously saved connection settings, everytime the browser is launched.
- Tap on "Connect" to initiate a connection to the Tor network.
- A progress bar will appear indicating the connection progress.

##### Connection Assist

If your connection is censored and the direct connection to the Tor network fails, Connection Assist might help. Connection Assist is a feature in Tor Browser for Android that when required will offer to automatically apply the censorship circumvention method which works best in your location.

- Tap on 'Try a bridge'.
- If Connection Assist is unable to determine your location you can select your region from the dropdown options and then tap on 'Try a bridge'.

# How to keep Tor Browser up to date

Desktop Desktop Android Android
Desktop

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

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

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.

Android

You can either update Tor Browser for Android from the app stores or manually from the Tor Project website.

#### Update from the Google Play Store

- Open the Google Play Store app.
- At the top right, tap the profile icon.
- Tap on 'Manage apps and devices'.
- Tap on the 'Manage' tab.
- Tap on 'Updates available'
- Tap on Tor Browser for Android from the list of apps that need to be updated.
- Tap on 'Update'.

#### Update from F-Droid store

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

#### Update from the website, Tor mirror site or GetTor

1. Download the latest Tor Browser Android package (`apk`) file from the Tor Project website, one of the official Mirror sites or GetTor.
2. Install the `apk` file.
3. In most cases, this latest version of Tor Browser for Android will install over the older version, thereby upgrading the browser.
4. If doing this fails to update the browser, you may have to uninstall Tor Browser before reinstalling it.

# Running Tor Browser from a USB stick or SD card

Windows Windows macOS macOS Linux Linux
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.

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.

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.

# Getting Tor Browser in your preferred language

Language support

We want everyone to be able to enjoy Tor Browser in their own language. Tor Browser is already available in multiple languages, and we continue to add more with the help of our community. Want to help us translate? Become a Tor translator! Our current list of supported languages is:

Language
العربية (ar)
Català (ca)
česky (cs)
Dansk (da)
Deutsch (de)
Ελληνικά (el)
English (en)
Español (es)
ﻑﺍﺮﺴﯾ (fa)
Suomi (fi)
Français (fr)
Gaeilge (ga-IE)
עברית (he)
Magyar nyelv (hu)
Indonesia (id)
Islenska (is)
Italiano (it)
日本語 (ja)
ქართული (ka)
한국어 (ko)
lietuvių kalba (lt)
македонски (mk)
ﺐﻫﺎﺳ ﻡﻼﻳﻭ (ms)
မြမစ (my)
Norsk Bokmål (nb-NO)
Nederlands (nl)
Polszczyzna (pl)
Português Brasil(pt-BR)
Română (ro)
Русский (ru)
Shqip (sq)
Svenska (sv-SE)
ภาษาไทย (th)
Türkçe (tr)
Український (uk)
Tiếng Việt (vi)
简体中文 (zh-CN)
正體字 (zh-TW)

# How to uninstall Tor Browser

Windows Windows macOS macOS Linux Linux Android Android
Windows

- Locate your Tor Browser folder or application. The default location is the Desktop.
- Delete the Tor Browser folder or application.
- Empty your Trash.

macOS

- Locate your Tor Browser application. The default location is the Applications folder.
- Move the Tor Browser application to Trash.
- Go to your `~/Library/Application Support/` folder.
- Note the Library folder is hidden on newer versions of macOS. To navigate to this folder in Finder, select "Go to Folder..." in the "Go" menu.

- Then type `~/Library/Application Support/` in the window and click Go.

- Locate the TorBrowser-Data folder and move it to Trash.
- Empty your Trash.

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.

Linux

- Locate your Tor Browser folder. On Linux, there is no default location, however the folder will be named "tor-browser".
- Launch a terminal window in the Tor Browser folder and run this command to unregister Tor Browser as a desktop application: `./start-tor-browser.desktop --unregister-app`
- Delete the Tor Browser folder.
- Empty your Trash.

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

Android

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

#### Uninstall from the Google Play store

- Open the Google Play Store app.
- At the top right, tap the profile icon.
- Tap on 'Manage apps and devices'.
- Tap on the 'Manage' tab.
- Tap on Tor Browser for Android from the list of apps installed on your device.
- Tap on 'Uninstall'.

#### Uninstall from F-Droid store

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

#### Uninstalling from the device settings

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

# How to verify Tor Browser's signature

Windows Windows macOS macOS Linux Linux
Windows

Each file on our download page is accompanied by a file labelled "signature" with the same name as the package and the extension ".asc". These .asc files are OpenPGP signatures. They allow you to verify the file you've downloaded is exactly the one that we intended you to get. This will vary by web browser, but generally you can download this file by right-clicking the "signature" link and selecting the "save file as" option.

For example, `tor-browser-windows-x86_64-portable-13.0.1.exe` is accompanied by `tor-browser-windows-x86_64-portable-13.0.1.exe.asc`. These are example file names and will not exactly match the file names that you download.

Please notice that a signature is dated the moment the package has been signed. Therefore every time a new file is uploaded a new signature is generated with a different date. As long as you have verified the signature you should not worry that the reported date may vary.

### Installing GnuPG

First of all you need to have GnuPG installed before you can verify signatures. If you run Windows, download Gpg4win and run its installer. In order to verify the signature you will need to type a few commands in windows command-line, `cmd.exe`.

### Fetching the Tor Developers key

The Tor Browser team signs Tor Browser releases. Import the Tor Browser Developers signing key (0xEF6E286DDA85EA2A4BA7DE684E2C6E8793298290):

    gpg --auto-key-locate nodefault,wkd --locate-keys torbrowser@torproject.org

This should show you something like:

    gpg: key 4E2C6E8793298290: public key "Tor Browser Developers (signing key) <torbrowser@torproject.org>" imported
    gpg: Total number processed: 1
    gpg:               imported: 1
          EF6E286DDA85EA2A4BA7DE684E2C6E8793298290
    uid           [ unknown] Tor Browser Developers (signing key) <torbrowser@torproject.org>

NOTE: Your output may deviate somewhat from the above (eg. expiration dates), however you should see the key correctly imported.

If you get an error message, something has gone wrong and you cannot continue until you've figured out why this didn't work. You might be able to import the key using the Workaround (using a public key) section instead.

After importing the key, you can save it to a file (identifying it by its fingerprint here):

    gpg --output ./tor.keyring --export 0xEF6E286DDA85EA2A4BA7DE684E2C6E8793298290

This command results in the key being saved to a file found at the path `./tor.keyring`, i.e. in the current directory. If `./tor.keyring` doesn't exist after running this command, something has gone wrong and you cannot continue until you've figured out why this didn't work.

### Verifying the signature

To verify the signature of the package you downloaded, you will need to download the corresponding ".asc" signature file as well as the installer file itself, and verify it with a command that asks GnuPG to verify the file that you downloaded.

The examples below assume that you downloaded these two files to your "Downloads" folder. Note that these commands use example file names and yours will be different: you will need to replace the example file names with exact names of the files you have downloaded.

#### For Windows users (change x86_64 to i686 if you have the 32-bit package):

    gpgv --keyring .\tor.keyring Downloads\tor-browser-windows-x86_64-portable-13.0.1.exe.asc Downloads\tor-browser-windows-x86_64-portable-13.0.1.exe

The result of the command should contain:

    gpgv: Good signature from "Tor Browser Developers (signing key) <torbrowser@torproject.org>"

If you get error messages containing 'No such file or directory', either something went wrong with one of the previous steps, or you forgot that these commands use example file names and yours will be a little different.

#### Refreshing the PGP key

Run the following command to refresh the Tor Browser Developers signing key in your local keyring from the keyserver. This will also fetch the new subkeys.

    gpg --refresh-keys EF6E286DDA85EA2A4BA7DE684E2C6E8793298290

#### Workaround (using a public key)

If you encounter errors you cannot fix, feel free to download and use this public key instead. Alternatively, you may use the following command:

    curl -s https://openpgpkey.torproject.org/.well-known/openpgpkey/torproject.org/hu/kounek7zrdx745qydx6p59t9mqjpuhdf |gpg --import -

Tor Browser Developers key is also available on keys.openpgp.org and can be downloaded from https://keys.openpgp.org/vks/v1/by-fingerprint/EF6E286DDA85EA2A4BA7DE684E2C6E8793298290. You may also want to learn more about GnuPG.

macOS

Each file on our download page is accompanied by a file labelled "signature" with the same name as the package and the extension ".asc". These .asc files are OpenPGP signatures. They allow you to verify the file you've downloaded is exactly the one that we intended you to get. This will vary by web browser, but generally you can download this file by right-clicking the "signature" link and selecting the "save file as" option.

For example, `tor-browser-macos-14.5.6.dmg` is accompanied by `tor-browser-macos-14.5.6.dmg.asc`. These are example file names and will not exactly match the file names that you download.

Please notice that a signature is dated the moment the package has been signed. Therefore every time a new file is uploaded a new signature is generated with a different date. As long as you have verified the signature you should not worry that the reported date may vary.

### Installing GnuPG

First of all you need to have GnuPG installed before you can verify signatures. If you are using macOS, you can install GPGTools.

In order to verify the signature you will need to type a few commands in the Terminal (under "Applications").

### Fetching the Tor Developers key

The Tor Browser team signs Tor Browser releases. Import the Tor Browser Developers signing key (0xEF6E286DDA85EA2A4BA7DE684E2C6E8793298290):

    gpg --auto-key-locate nodefault,wkd --locate-keys torbrowser@torproject.org

This should show you something like:

    gpg: key 4E2C6E8793298290: public key "Tor Browser Developers (signing key) <torbrowser@torproject.org>" imported
    gpg: Total number processed: 1
    gpg:               imported: 1
          EF6E286DDA85EA2A4BA7DE684E2C6E8793298290
    uid           [ unknown] Tor Browser Developers (signing key) <torbrowser@torproject.org>

NOTE: Your output may deviate somewhat from the above (eg. expiration dates), however you should see the key correctly imported.

If you get an error message, something has gone wrong and you cannot continue until you've figured out why this didn't work. You might be able to import the key using the Workaround (using a public key) section instead.

After importing the key, you can save it to a file (identifying it by its fingerprint here):

    gpg --output ./tor.keyring --export 0xEF6E286DDA85EA2A4BA7DE684E2C6E8793298290

This command results in the key being saved to a file found at the path `./tor.keyring`, i.e. in the current directory. If `./tor.keyring` doesn't exist after running this command, something has gone wrong and you cannot continue until you've figured out why this didn't work.

### Verifying the signature

To verify the signature of the package you downloaded, you will need to download the corresponding ".asc" signature file as well as the installer file itself, and verify it with a command that asks GnuPG to verify the file that you downloaded.

The examples below assume that you downloaded these two files to your "Downloads" folder. Note that these commands use example file names and yours will be different: you will need to replace the example file names with exact names of the files you have downloaded.

#### For macOS users:

    gpgv --keyring ./tor.keyring ~/Downloads/tor-browser-macos-13.0.1.dmg.asc ~/Downloads/tor-browser-macos-13.0.1.dmg

The result of the command should contain:

    gpgv: Good signature from "Tor Browser Developers (signing key) <torbrowser@torproject.org>"

If you get error messages containing 'No such file or directory', either something went wrong with one of the previous steps, or you forgot that these commands use example file names and yours will be a little different.

#### Workaround (using a public key)

If you encounter errors you cannot fix, feel free to download and use this public key instead. Alternatively, you may use the following command:

    curl -s https://openpgpkey.torproject.org/.well-known/openpgpkey/torproject.org/hu/kounek7zrdx745qydx6p59t9mqjpuhdf |gpg --import -

Tor Browser Developers key is also available on keys.openpgp.org and can be downloaded from https://keys.openpgp.org/vks/v1/by-fingerprint/EF6E286DDA85EA2A4BA7DE684E2C6E8793298290. The key can also be fetched by running the following command:

    gpg --keyserver keys.openpgp.org --search-keys EF6E286DDA85EA2A4BA7DE684E2C6E8793298290

You may also want to learn more about GnuPG.

Linux

Each file on our download page is accompanied by a file labelled "signature" with the same name as the package and the extension ".asc". These .asc files are OpenPGP signatures. They allow you to verify the file you've downloaded is exactly the one that we intended you to get. This will vary by web browser, but generally you can download this file by right-clicking the "signature" link and selecting the "save file as" option.

For example, `tor-browser-linux-x86_64-14.5.6.tar.xz` is accompanied by `tor-browser-linux-x86_64-14.5.6.tar.xz.asc`. These are example file names and will not exactly match the file names that you download.

Please notice that a signature is dated the moment the package has been signed. Therefore every time a new file is uploaded a new signature is generated with a different date. As long as you have verified the signature you should not worry that the reported date may vary.

### Installing GnuPG

If you are using GNU/Linux, then you probably already have GnuPG in your system, as most GNU/Linux distributions come with it preinstalled.

In order to verify the signature you will need to type a few commands in a terminal window. How to do this will vary depending on your distribution.

### Fetching the Tor Developers key

The Tor Browser team signs Tor Browser releases. Import the Tor Browser Developers signing key (0xEF6E286DDA85EA2A4BA7DE684E2C6E8793298290):

    gpg --auto-key-locate nodefault,wkd --locate-keys torbrowser@torproject.org

This should show you something like:

    gpg: key 4E2C6E8793298290: public key "Tor Browser Developers (signing key) <torbrowser@torproject.org>" imported
    gpg: Total number processed: 1
    gpg:               imported: 1
          EF6E286DDA85EA2A4BA7DE684E2C6E8793298290
    uid           [ unknown] Tor Browser Developers (signing key) <torbrowser@torproject.org>

NOTE: Your output may deviate somewhat from the above (eg. expiration dates), however you should see the key correctly imported.

If you get an error message, something has gone wrong and you cannot continue until you've figured out why this didn't work. You might be able to import the key using the Workaround (using a public key) section instead.

After importing the key, you can save it to a file (identifying it by its fingerprint here):

    gpg --output ./tor.keyring --export 0xEF6E286DDA85EA2A4BA7DE684E2C6E8793298290

This command results in the key being saved to a file found at the path `./tor.keyring`, i.e. in the current directory. If `./tor.keyring` doesn't exist after running this command, something has gone wrong and you cannot continue until you've figured out why this didn't work.

### Verifying the signature

To verify the signature of the package you downloaded, you will need to download the corresponding ".asc" signature file as well as the installer file itself, and verify it with a command that asks GnuPG to verify the file that you downloaded.

The examples below assume that you downloaded these two files to your "Downloads" folder. Note that these commands use example file names and yours will be different: you will need to replace the example file names with exact names of the files you have downloaded.

#### For GNU/Linux users (change x86_64 to i686 if you have the 32-bit package):

    gpgv --keyring ./tor.keyring ~/Downloads/tor-browser-linux-x86_64-13.0.1.tar.xz.asc ~/Downloads/tor-browser-linux-x86_64-13.0.1.tar.xz

The result of the command should contain:

    gpgv: Good signature from "Tor Browser Developers (signing key) <torbrowser@torproject.org>"

If you get error messages containing 'No such file or directory', either something went wrong with one of the previous steps, or you forgot that these commands use example file names and yours will be a little different.

#### Refreshing the PGP key

Run the following command to refresh the Tor Browser Developers signing key in your local keyring from the keyserver. This will also fetch the new subkeys.

    gpg --refresh-keys EF6E286DDA85EA2A4BA7DE684E2C6E8793298290

#### Workaround (using a public key)

If you encounter errors you cannot fix, feel free to download and use this public key instead. Alternatively, you may use the following command:

    curl -s https://openpgpkey.torproject.org/.well-known/openpgpkey/torproject.org/hu/kounek7zrdx745qydx6p59t9mqjpuhdf |gpg --import -

Tor Browser Developers key is also available on keys.openpgp.org and can be downloaded from https://keys.openpgp.org/vks/v1/by-fingerprint/EF6E286DDA85EA2A4BA7DE684E2C6E8793298290. The key can also be fetched by running the following command:

    gpg --keyserver keys.openpgp.org --search-keys EF6E286DDA85EA2A4BA7DE684E2C6E8793298290

You may also want to learn more about GnuPG.

# Censorship circumvention

## Topics

- Unblocking Tor
- Using bridges
- Getting bridges
- Connecting to Tor from censored regions

# What to do if access to Tor is blocked?

Pluggable Transport

### Types of Pluggable Transport

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

Pluggable Transport | Description
--- | ---
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 makes it look like you are using a web site from a CDN or cloud provider.
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

In Tor Browser, Lyrebird is the name of Tor's program that implements several pluggable transport protocols, including obfs4, meek, Snowflake, and WebTunnel. It also implements the ability to request bridges and supports Connection Assist.

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, click on "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 and click on "OK". Your settings will automatically be saved once you close the tab.

### What are 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. Bridges help you securely access the Tor network in places where Tor is blocked.

Using bridges in combination with pluggable transports helps circumvent blocks against 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.

### 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, webtunnel, snowflake, or meek.

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.

Read the Getting bridges section to learn how to obtain them.

# Configure Tor Browser to use bridges

Desktop Desktop Android Android
Desktop

If you're starting Tor Browser for the first time, click on "Configure Connection" to open the Tor settings window. In the "Bridges" section, from the option "Enter bridge addresses you already know" click on "Add new bridges" 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. In the "Bridges" section, from the option "Enter bridge addresses you already know" click on "Add new bridges" and enter each bridge address on a separate line. Your settings will automatically be saved once you close the tab.

If the connection fails, the bridges you received may be down. Please use one of the methods to obtain more bridges, 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.

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

Android

If you're starting Tor Browser for the first time:

1. Tap on "Configure Connection" or tap on 'Settings' (⚙️), scroll down to the "Connection" section and tap on "Config Bridge".
2. Toggle on "Use a Bridge".
3. Tap on "Provide a Bridge I know".
4. Paste the bridge addresses in the input prompt.

Or, if you have Tor Browser running:

1. Tap on "Settings" (⚙️) and then scroll to the "Connection" section of the settings.
2. Tap on "Config Bridge".
3. Toggle on "Use a Bridge" and select "Provide a Bridge I know".
4. Enter the bridge address.

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

# Where to find Tor bridges?

Moat Moat Website Website Telegram Bot Telegram Bot Email Email
Moat

#### Request bridges from within Tor Browser

If you're starting Tor Browser for the first time, click on "Configure Connection" to open the Tor settings window. In the "Bridges" section, locate the option to "Find more bridges" and click on "Request bridges" for Tor Project 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 the option to "Find more bridges" and click on "Request bridges" for Tor Project to provide a bridge. Complete the Captcha and click "Submit". Your setting will automatically be saved once you close the tab.

Website

#### Obtain bridges from the Bridges website

1. Visit our bridges website.
2. Click on 'Just give me bridges!' and copy the bridge lines.
3. Or use advanced options to select the type of pluggable transport and only get bridges with a IPv6 address.

Telegram Bot

#### Obtain bridges via Telegram Bot

1. Send a message to @GetBridgesBot on Telegram.
2. Tap on 'Start' or write `/start` in the chat.
3. To get bridges, type `/obfs4` or `/webtunnel`.
4. Copy the bridge addresses.

Email

#### Obtain bridges via Email

Email bridges@torproject.org from a Gmail or Riseup email address and copy the bridge addresses received in the email.

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

China China Russia Russia Turkmenistan Turkmenistan Belarus Belarus
China

### 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

### 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

### 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

### 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.

# Features

## Topics

- Fingerprinting protections
- Managing identities
- Secure connections
- Security levels
- Plugins
- Onion services
- Default search engine

# How Tor Browser protects you against browser fingerprinting

Fingerprinting protections

## Understanding browser fingerprinting

Browser fingerprinting is the systematic collection of information about the web browser to make educated guesses about its identity or characteristics. Each browser's settings and features create a "browser fingerprint". Most browsers inadvertently create a unique fingerprint for each user, which can be tracked across the internet. For more in-depth information on browser fingerprinting, refer to these articles on the Tor Blog: Browser Fingerprinting: An Introduction and the Challenges Ahead and Tor Browser: a legacy of advancing private browsing innovation.

### Why browser fingerprinting threatens online privacy?

First, there is no need to ask for permissions from the user to collect this information. Any script running in the browser can silently build a fingerprint of the device without users even knowing about it.

Second, if one attribute of the browser fingerprint is unique or if the combination of several attributes is unique, the device can be identified and tracked online. This means that even without cookies, a device can be tracked using its fingerprint.

### How Tor Browser mitigates fingerprinting

Tor Browser is specifically engineered to minimize the uniqueness of each user's fingerprint across various metrics. While it is practically impossible to make all Tor Browser users identical, the goal is to reduce the number of distinguishable "buckets" for each metric. This approach makes it harder to track individual users effectively.

Certain attributes, like the operating system and language, are necessary for functionality and cannot be completely hidden or spoofed. Instead, Tor Browser limits the variety within these attributes to reduce distinctiveness. For example, it limits font enumeration and applies character fallback, standardizes screen and window sizes using letterboxing, and restricts the variety of requested languages to a small, predefined set.

The key goal of Tor Browser's anti-fingerprinting protections is to make it significantly more challenging to gather enough information to uniquely identify users, thereby enhancing privacy without compromising necessary functionality.

### Anti-fingerprinting features in Tor Browser

#### Letterboxing

To prevent fingerprinting based on screen dimensions, Tor Browser starts with a content window rounded to a multiple of 200px x 100px. The strategy here is to put all users in a couple of buckets to make it harder to single them out. That works so far until users start to resize their windows (e.g. by maximizing them or going into fullscreen mode). Tor Browser ships with a fingerprinting defense for those scenarios as well, which is called Letterboxing, a technique developed by Mozilla and presented in 2019. It works by adding margins to a browser window so that the window is as close as possible to the desired size while users are still in a couple of screen size buckets that prevent singling them out with the help of screen dimensions.

In simple words, this technique makes groups of users of certain screen sizes and this makes it harder to single out users on basis of screen size, as many users will have same screen size.

#### User-Agent and Operating System spoofing

The User-Agent string is a value websites can use to identify details about your browser, operating system (OS), CPU architecture, vendor, and version. Since this information can reveal which OS or device a user is using, it has been a vector for browser fingerprinting, allowing websites or trackers to potentially single out users.

Tor Browser addresses this by spoofing the User-Agent. Users cannot choose a specific operating system or attempt to imitate every possible platform. Instead, Tor Browser standardizes User-Agent values to reduce uniqueness and avoid creating a false sense of privacy:

- All Windows appear as Windows 10.
- All macOS appear as OS X 10.15.
- All Android as Android 10.
- All other systems like all Linux distributions (including Tails and Qubes), *BSD and other operating systems are grouped together and reported as "Linux running X11".
- All the other details (such as the architecture) are also normalized per-platform.

In this case, the fingerprint resistance strategy in Tor Browser is to protect real values of the User-Agent by spoofing, but also have a large enough user set.

User-Agent is sent to websites as an HTTP header, and it is available to JavaScript as `navigator.userAgent`. Inconsistencies in these values can trigger anti-bot and anti-fraud systems into categorizing Tor users as a bot, and deny their requests, which in turn affects usability for Tor Browser users.

Some privacy tools or users suggest that making all users appear as Windows would offer the best cover. However, perfectly spoofing across all browser contexts is not possible and active fingerprinting methods (using fonts, features, behavior, with or without JavaScript, etc.) can often be used to infer aspects of the hardware or operating system.

Tor Browser does not let users select which OS they appear to be. This is intentional: any option to choose would only make users more unique and thus easier to fingerprint. The small set of standardized options is key to keeping users blended together, maximizing privacy for everyone.

### Other anti-fingerprinting features

In addition to letterboxing, Tor Browser employs many other features to mitigate browser fingerprinting and protect user privacy. These features include Canvas image extraction blocking, NoScript integration, and first-party isolation. For a complete list of features, please read the Tor Browser design and implementation document.

# Managing identities and preventing linkability in Tor Browser

Managing identities

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.

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 Understanding guard relays article.

### 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:

- See the Secure Connections page for important information on how to secure your connection when logging in.
- Tor Browser often makes your connection appear as though it is coming from an entirely different part of the world. Some websites, such as banks or email providers, might interpret this as a sign that your account has been hacked or compromised, and lock you out. The only way to resolve this is by following the site's recommended procedure for account recovery, or contacting the operators and explaining the situation.

### Changing identities and circuits

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.

### FAQ

#### Can I pick which country I'm exiting from?

Modifying the way that Tor creates its circuits is strongly discouraged. You get the best security that Tor can provide when you leave the route selection to Tor; overriding the entry/exit nodes can compromise your anonymity. If the outcome you want is simply to be able to access resources that are only available in one country, you may want to consider using a VPN instead of using Tor. Please note that VPNs do not have the same privacy properties as Tor, but they will help solve some geolocation restriction issues.

#### Does using Tor Browser protect other applications on my computer?

Only Tor Browser's traffic will be routed over the Tor network. Any other application on your system (including other browsers) will not have their connections routed over the Tor network, and will not be protected. They need to be configured separately to use Tor. If you need to be sure that all traffic will go through the Tor network, take a look at the Tails live operating system which you can start on almost any computer from a USB stick or a DVD.

# Enforcing encrypted browsing with HTTPS-Only Mode

HTTPS-Only

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.

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:

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.

### Cryptocurrency safety

Tor Browser presents a security prompt if a cryptocurrency address has been copied from an insecure HTTP website. The cryptocurrency address could have been modified and should not be trusted. Clicking 'Reload Tab with a New Circuit' will attempt to load a secure version of the website with a new Tor circuit.

If you click 'Dismiss' you accept the risk and the cryptocurrency address will be copied to the clipboard.

HTTPS and Tor work together to enhance your privacy and anonymity

Learn more

# Adjusting security levels in Tor Browser to balance privacy and usability

Desktop Desktop Android Android
Desktop

### 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. This in turn might stop some web pages from functioning properly, so you should weigh your security needs against the degree of usability you require. You can undo the changes at any time by adjusting your Security Level and restarting the browser.

###### Standard

- At this level, all Tor Browser and website features are enabled.
- Tor Browser, by default, is set to the "Standard" Security Level.

###### Safer

- This level disables website features that are often dangerous. This may cause some sites to lose functionality.
- JavaScript is disabled on all non-HTTPS sites.
- Some fonts and math symbols are disabled.
- Audio and Video (HTML5 media) are click-to-play.

###### Safest

- This level only allows website features required for static sites and basic services. These changes affect images, media, and scripts.
- Javascript is disabled by default on all sites.
- Some fonts, icons, math symbols, and images are disabled.
- Audio and Video (HTML5 media) are click-to-play.

### Changing the security level

Android

Security levels 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 Tor Browser for Desktop. You can modify the security level by following given steps:

- Tap on the "kebab menu" i.e. the 3 vertical dots in navigation bar.
- Scroll down to the "Privacy and security" section and tap on "Security Level".
- Tor Browser for Android, by default, is set to the "Standard" Security Level.
- You can now select a Security Level i.e. Standard, Safer or Safest.
- Tap on "Save and restart" prompting the browser to restart.

# Can I use plugins, add-ons, or extensions in Tor Browser?

Desktop

### 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 "Add-ons and themes" on the hamburger menu (≡). Locate the NoScript add-on and click on it to open a panel where you can customize its settings.

In the panel, next to the Toolbar button, select 'Show'. This will display the NoScript button to the right of the browser address bar. This button enables you to manage JavaScript and other scripts on web pages, allowing you to control their execution individually or block them 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.

### FAQ

#### Why does Tor Browser ship with JavaScript enabled?

We configure NoScript to allow JavaScript by default in Tor Browser because many websites will not work with JavaScript disabled. Most users would give up on Tor entirely if we disabled JavaScript by default because it would cause so many problems for them. Ultimately, we want to make Tor Browser as secure as possible while also making it usable for the majority of people, so for now, that means leaving JavaScript enabled by default.

For users who want to have JavaScript disabled on all HTTP sites by default, we recommend changing your Tor Browser's Security Levels option. This can be done by clicking on the Security level icon (the shield right next to the URL bar) and then clicking on "Settings...". The "Standard" level allows JavaScript, the "Safer" level blocks JavaScript on HTTP sites and the "Safest" level blocks JavaScript altogether.

#### Should I install a new add-on or extension in Tor Browser, like AdBlock Plus or uBlock Origin?

It's strongly discouraged to install new add-ons in Tor Browser, because they can compromise your privacy and security.

Installing new add-ons may affect Tor Browser in unforeseen ways and potentially make your Tor Browser fingerprint unique. If your copy of Tor Browser has a unique fingerprint, your browsing activities can be deanonymized and tracked even though you are using Tor Browser.

Each browser's settings and features create what is called a "browser fingerprint". Most browsers inadvertently create a unique fingerprint for each user which can be tracked across the internet. Tor Browser is specifically engineered to have a nearly identical (we're not perfect!) fingerprint across its users. This means each Tor Browser user looks like many other Tor Browser users, making it difficult to track any individual user.

There's also a good chance a new add-on will increase the attack surface of Tor Browser. This may allow sensitive data to be leaked or allow an attacker to infect Tor Browser. The add-on itself could even be maliciously designed to spy on you.

Tor Browser already comes installed with one add-on - NoScript - and adding anything else could deanonymize you.

# Understanding and using onion services in Tor Browser

Onion Services

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

- Onion services' location and IP address are hidden, making it difficult for adversaries to censor them or identify their operators.
- All traffic between Tor users and onion services is end-to-end encrypted, so you do not need to worry about connecting over HTTPS.
- The address of an onion service is automatically generated, so the operators do not need to purchase a domain name.
- Because of the cryptography involved, the .onion URL lets Tor ensure that it is connecting to the right location and that the connection is not being tampered with.

### 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 service by clicking on the onion icon and the adjacent Circuit Display in the address bar.

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 Icon

When browsing an Onion Service, Tor Browser displays different onion icons in the address bar indicating the security of the current webpage.

An onion means either that:

- The Onion Service is served over HTTPS with an Extended Validation certificate. That means a Certificate Authority (CA) has checked that the site really belongs to the entity it claims to belong.
- The Onion Service is served over HTTPS with a Domain Validated (DV) certificate. That means the HTTPS certificate was issued by a Certificate Authority (CA), but without checking if the site really belongs to the entity it claims to belong, i.e, the onion icon does not provide the information that you're on the "right site".
- The Onion Service is served over HTTP. This is not a security issue, since the Onion Service protocol is already end-to-end encrypted. In this case, the icon does not provide information that you're connected to the "right site".

An onion with a red slash means:

- The Onion Service is served with a script from an insecure URL.

An onion with a caution sign means:

- The Onion Service is served over HTTPS with a Self-Signed certificate. The certificate was not signed by a Certificate Authority (CA) that is recognized as a "trusted" authority, and the certificate provides no information about whether the site really belongs to the entity it claims to belong.
- The Onion Service is served over HTTPS with an expired Certificate.
- The Onion Service is served over HTTPS with a wrong Domain.
- The Onion Service is served with a mixed form over an insecure URL.

### 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.

### 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.

# Why is DuckDuckGo the default search engine in Tor Browser?

DuckDuckGo

Starting with Tor Browser 6.0.6, DuckDuckGo became the default search engine. Previously, Tor Browser used Disconnect, a meta search engine that let users choose between providers. But when Disconnect lost access to Google's results, it fell back to Bing, which provided lower-quality results.

DuckDuckGo does not log, collect or share the user's personal information or their search history, and therefore is best positioned to protect your privacy. Most other search engines store your searches along with other information such as the timestamp, your IP address, and your account information if you are logged in.

If you're having a problem with DuckDuckGo, please see the DuckDuckGo support portal.

### DuckDuckGo onion service

DuckDuckGo also operates an onion service for private search over Tor.

In Tor Browser, clicking the “Onionize” option in DuckDuckGo will automatically switch you to the onion version of their search engine.

# Encountering issues

## Topics

- Troubleshooting
- Known issues
- Antivirus blocking Tor Browser
- Gmail account warning
- Editing the torrc file
- CAPTCHAs and warning messages
- Website account lockouts
- Reading Tor log errors
- Problem reaching an onion site
- "Proxy server is refusing connection" error

# Troubleshooting connection and usage issues in Tor Browser

Desktop Desktop Android Android
Desktop

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.

The Connection Assist informs you about the state of your Internet connection.

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.

#### Check browser version

It is often important to know what version of Tor Browser you are using, to help you troubleshoot a problem or just to know if Tor Browser is up to date. This is important information to share when raising a support ticket.

- When you have Tor Browser running, click on "Settings" in the hamburger menu (≡).
- Scroll down to the "Tor Browser Updates" section where the version number is listed.

### Quick fixes

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

- Your computer's system clock must be set correctly, or Tor will not be able to connect.
- Make sure another Tor Browser or instance of 'Tor' is not already running on your system. If you're not sure if Tor Browser is running, restart your computer.
- Make sure that any antivirus program you have installed is not preventing Tor from running. You may need to consult the documentation for your antivirus software if you do not know how to do this.
- Temporarily disable your firewall.
- If Tor Browser was working before and is not working now your system may have been hibernating. A reboot of your system will solve the issue.
- Delete Tor Browser and install it again. If updating, do not just overwrite your previous Tor Browser files; ensure they are fully deleted beforehand.

### 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]`

Please refer to 'Reading Tor log errors' in order to troubleshoot common errors from the Tor logs.

### 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.

Android

#### Check browser version

From the app:

- When you have Tor Browser for Android running, tap on 'Settings'.
- Scroll to the bottom of the page.
- Tap on 'About Tor Browser'.
- The version number should be listed on this page.

From Android menu:

- Navigate to Android's Settings.
- Tap on 'Apps' to open the list of apps installed on your device.
- Find 'Tor Browser' from the list of apps.
- Tap on 'Tor Browser'.
- Scroll down to the very bottom of the page where the version number will be listed.

#### View Tor Logs

- Tap on the settings icon or "Configure connection" when on the "Connect to Tor" screen.
- Navigate to the "Connection" section of the Settings.
- Tap on "Tor Logs".
- To copy the Tor logs to the clipboard, tap on the "Copy" button at the bottom of the screen.

Please refer to 'Reading Tor log errors' in order to troubleshoot common errors from the Tor logs.

# Known issues and limitations in Tor Browser

Desktop Desktop Android Android
Desktop

- Tor needs your system clock (and your time zone) set to the correct time.
- Antivirus or malware protection blocking users from accessing Tor Browser. Sometimes these also pop up with false positives regarding malware and/or vulnerabilities. The following antivirus and firewall software have been known to interfere with Tor and may need to be temporarily disabled:
  - Webroot SecureAnywhere
  - Kaspersky Internet Security 2012
  - Sophos Antivirus for Mac
  - Microsoft Security Essentials
  - Avast Antivirus
- VPNs also tend to interfere with Tor and need to be disabled. We also do not recommend using VPN and Tor together unless you're an advanced user who knows how to configure both in a way that doesn't compromise your privacy. You can find more detailed information about Tor + VPN at our wiki.
- Videos that require Adobe Flash are unavailable. Flash is disabled for security reasons.
- Tor can not use a bridge if a proxy is set.
- If Tor Browser was working before and is not working now (especially after a re-install or an update), your system may have been hibernating. A reboot of your system, in that case, will solve the issue.
- Tor won't start on Windows when the folder path contains non-ascii characters.
- BitTorrent is not anonymous over Tor.
- Web Authentication (WebAuthn) and Universal 2nd Factor (U2F) (i.e. YubiKey) support is disabled in Tor Browser.
- Images uploaded on Tor Browser (Desktop and Android) are randomized.
- Running multiple instances of Tor Browser at the same time is not recommended. On many platforms this may not work as expected and can cause errors or unexpected behavior.
- Issues with making Tor Browser your default browser. There are methods for setting Tor Browser as your default browser, but those methods may not work always or in every operating system. Tor Browser works hard to isolate itself from the rest of your system, and the steps for making it the default browser are unreliable. This means sometimes a website would load in Tor Browser, and sometimes it would load in another browser. This type of behavior can be dangerous and break anonymity.

### Issues in the latest stable release

Whenever we release a new stable version of Tor Browser, we publish a blog post that details new features and known issues. If you started experiencing problems after an update, check blog.torproject.org for the post about the latest stable release.

If your issue isn't listed there:

- Check the Tor Browser issue tracker.
- If it hasn't been reported, please open a GitLab issue describing what you're experiencing.

Android

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.

- You can't see your Tor circuit. #200
- Tor Browser for Android does not connect when moved to the SD Card. #31814
- You can't open onion addresses that requires Client Authorization #201
- 'New Identity' feature is not available on Tor Browser for Android. #28800
- 'Onion-Location' feature is not available on Tor Browser for Android. #151

# My antivirus or malware protection is blocking me from accessing Tor Browser.

Desktop

Some antivirus software will pop up malware and/or vulnerability warnings when Tor Browser is launched. If you downloaded Tor Browser from our main website or used GetTor, and verified it, these are false positives and you have nothing to worry about. Some antiviruses consider that files that have not been seen by a lot of users as suspicious. To make sure that the Tor program you download is the one we have created and has not been modified by some attacker, you can verify Tor Browser's signature. You may also want to permit certain processes to prevent antiviruses from blocking access to Tor Browser.

### Allowing Tor Browser processes

Please open your antivirus or malware protection software and look in the settings for an "allowlist" or something similar. Next, include the following processes:

- For Windows
  - firefox.exe
  - tor.exe
  - lyrebird.exe
- For macOS
  - TorBrowser
  - tor.real
  - lyrebird Finally, restart Tor Browser. This should fix the issues you're experiencing. Please note that some antivirus clients, like Kaspersky, may also be blocking Tor at the firewall level.

# Gmail warns me that my account may have been compromised

Gmail

Sometimes, after you've used Gmail over Tor, Google presents a pop-up notification that your account may have been compromised. The notification window lists a series of IP addresses and locations throughout the world recently used to access your account.

In general, this is a false alarm: Google saw a bunch of logins from different places, as a result of running the service via Tor, and decided it was a good idea to confirm the account was being accessed by its rightful owner.

Even though this may be a byproduct of using the service via Tor, that doesn't mean you can entirely ignore the warning. It is probably a false positive, but it might not be since it is possible for someone to hijack your Google cookie.

Cookie hijacking is possible by either physical access to your computer or by watching your network traffic. In theory, only physical access should compromise your system because Gmail and similar services should only send the cookie over an SSL link. In practice, alas, it's way more complex than that.

And if somebody did steal your Google cookie, they might end up logging in from unusual places (though of course they also might not). So the summary is that since you're using Tor Browser, this security measure that Google uses isn't so useful for you, because it's full of false positives. You'll have to use other approaches, like seeing if anything looks weird on the account, or looking at the timestamps for recent logins and wondering if you actually logged in at those times.

More recently, Gmail users can turn on 2-Step Verification on their accounts to add an extra layer of security.

# I'm supposed to "edit my torrc". What does that mean?

General General Windows Windows macOS macOS Linux Linux
General

⚠️ Warning: Do not follow random advice telling you to edit your `torrc`. Malicious or incorrect configurations can weaken your security and anonymity. The default `torrc` provided with Tor Browser is safe and should work for most users.

`torrc` is a plain-text configuration file that tells Tor how to behave. Tor Browser applies its own safe defaults, so most `torrc` edits will either have no effect or reduce your safety.

Have a look at the sample `torrc` file for hints on common configurations. For other configuration options you can use, see the Tor manual page.

Remember, all lines beginning with `#` in torrc are treated as comments and have no effect on Tor's configuration.

Windows

On Windows, the `torrc` file is located here: `Browser\TorBrowser\Data\Tor\torrc`.

Make sure to close Tor Browser before editing the file, or your changes may be overwritten.

macOS

On macOS, the `torrc` file is found here: `~/Library/Application Support/TorBrowser-Data/Tor/torrc`

📌 Note: The `Library` folder is hidden on newer macOS versions.

To navigate there in Finder:

1. Click on the Go menu.
2. Select Go to Folder….
3. Enter: `~/Library/Application Support/` Close Tor Browser before editing.

Linux

On Linux, the `torrc` file is located here: `Browser/TorBrowser/Data/Tor/torrc`.

Close Tor Browser before making any edits. Many options won't work because Tor Browser overrides them with command-line settings.

# Why do websites make me solve CAPTCHAs or warn me about spyware when using Tor?

Captchas

When you use Tor Browser, your traffic exits through shared Tor exit relays. Thousands of users around the world may be using the same relay IP address at the same time.

Websites often interpret this as unusual activity, for example:

- Many automated requests or logins from a single IP address.
- Traffic patterns that resemble bots, crawlers, or malware.

As a result, some sites present CAPTCHAs, temporary blocks, or even display warnings about “suspicious” or “infected” traffic.

### What you can do

- Try a new circuit: In Tor Browser, choose "New Circuit for this Site" to get a different exit relay (and therefore a different IP address).
- Wait and try later: These warnings are often temporary, and usually clear up when traffic levels at a relay return to normal.
- Use alternative services: Some search engines and websites (like DuckDuckGo) are friendlier to Tor users and rarely trigger CAPTCHAs.

### Important to know

- These warnings do not mean Tor Browser is spyware or that your device is infected.
- Websites are responding to the shared nature of exit relays, not your individual activity.
- To our knowledge, most large websites are not specifically trying to block Tor - their automated abuse detection systems simply can't tell Tor traffic apart from suspicious traffic.

# A website (bank, email provider, etc.) locks me out whenever I use Tor. What can I do?

Website account lockouts

Tor Browser often makes your connection appear as though it is coming from an entirely different part of the world. Some websites, such as banks or email providers, might interpret this as a sign that your account has been compromised, and lock you out.

The only way to resolve this is by following the site's recommended procedure for account recovery, or contacting the operators and explaining the situation.

You may be able to avoid this scenario if your provider offers 2-factor authentication, which is a much better security option than IP-based reputations. Contact your provider and ask them if they provide 2FA.

# How to read and troubleshoot common Tor log errors

Tor logs

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.

#### Common log error #1: Proxy connection failure

    2017-10-29 09:23:40.800 [NOTICE] Opening Socks listener on 127.0.0.1:9150
    2017-10-29 09:23:47.900 [NOTICE] Bootstrapped 5%: Connecting to directory server
    2017-10-29 09:23:47.900 [NOTICE] Bootstrapped 10%: Finishing handshake with directory server
    2017-10-29 09:24:08.900 [WARN] Proxy Client: unable to connect to xx..xxx..xxx.xx:xxxxx ("general SOCKS server failure")

In some cases, the Tor bridge you are using may be offline or blocked by a censor, which can also trigger this error. Request new bridges and update your configuration if the issue persists.

Alternatively, if your Tor log shows lines like these, it may also indicate a failure to connect to a SOCKS proxy. If a SOCKS proxy is required for your network setup, then please make sure you've entered your proxy details correctly. If a SOCKS proxy is not required, or you're not sure, please try connecting to the Tor network without a SOCKS proxy.

#### Common log error #2: Can't reach guard relays

    11/1/2017 21:11:43 PM.500 [NOTICE] Opening Socks listener on 127.0.0.1:9150
    11/1/2017 21:11:44 PM.300 [NOTICE] Bootstrapped 80%: Connecting to the Tor network
    11/1/2017 21:11:44 PM.300 [WARN] Failed to find node for hop 0 of our path. Discarding this circuit.
    11/1/2017 21:11:44 PM.500 [NOTICE] Bootstrapped 85%: Finishing handshake with first hop
    11/1/2017 21:11:45 PM.300 [WARN] Failed to find node for hop 0 of our path. Discarding this circuit.

If you see lines like these in your Tor log, it means your Tor failed to connect to the first node in the Tor circuit. This could mean that you're on a network that's censored.

Please try connecting with bridges, and that should fix the problem.

#### Common log error #3: Failed to complete TLS handshake

    13-11-17 19:52:24.300 [NOTICE] Bootstrapped 10%: Finishing handshake with directory server
    13-11-17 19:53:49.300 [WARN] Problem bootstrapping. Stuck at 10%: Finishing handshake with directory server. (DONE; DONE; count 10; recommendation warn; host [host] at xxx.xxx.xxx.xx:xxx)
    13-11-17 19:53:49.300 [WARN] 10 connections have failed:
    13-11-17 19:53:49.300 [WARN]  9 connections died in state handshaking (TLS) with SSL state SSLv2/v3 read server hello A in HANDSHAKE
    13-11-17 19:53:49.300 [WARN]  1 connections died in state connect()ing with SSL state (No SSL object)

If you see lines like this in your Tor log, it means that Tor failed to complete a TLS handshake with the directory authorities. Using bridges will likely fix this.

#### Common log error #4: Clock skew

    19.11.2017 00:04:47.400 [NOTICE] Opening Socks listener on 127.0.0.1:9150
    19.11.2017 00:04:48.000 [NOTICE] Bootstrapped 5%: Connecting to directory server
    19.11.2017 00:04:48.200 [NOTICE] Bootstrapped 10%: Finishing handshake with directory server
    19.11.2017 00:04:48.800 [WARN] Received NETINFO cell with skewed time (OR:xxx.xx.x.xx:xxxx): It seems that our clock is behind by 1 days, 0 hours, 1 minutes, or that theirs is ahead. Tor requires an accurate clock to work: please check your time, timezone, and date settings.

If you see lines like this in your Tor log, it means your system clock is incorrect. Please make sure your clock is set accurately, including the correct timezone. Then restart Tor.

# What to do if you can't reach an onion site

Problem reaching an onion site

If you cannot reach the onion service you desire, make sure that you have entered the 56-character onion address correctly; even a small mistake will stop Tor Browser from being able to reach the site. If the address you have is shorter than 56 characters, it belongs to the older v2 onion format, which is no longer supported by the Tor network and the site is effectively gone. If you are still unable to connect to the onion service, please try again later. There may be a temporary connection issue, or the site operators may have allowed it to go offline without warning.

You can also ensure that you're able to access other onion services by connecting to DuckDuckGo's onion service or Tor Project's onion service.

# How to fix the "Proxy Server Is Refusing Connection" error in Tor Browser

Proxy server error

Proxy server errors can occur for a variety of reasons. You may try one or more of the following activities in case you encounter this error:

- If you have an antivirus, it may be interfering with the Tor service. Disable the antivirus and restart the browser.
- You should not move the Tor Browser folder from its original location to a different location. If you did this, revert the change.
- You should also check the port that you are connecting with. Try a different port from the one currently in use, such as 9050 or 9150.
- When all else fails, reinstall the browser. This time, make sure to install Tor Browser in a new directory, not over a previously installed browser.

If the error persists, please get in touch with us.

# General

## Topics

- Cost to use Tor Browser
- Manage bookmarks in Tor Browser
- Tor Browser and Incognito mode
- Website blocking access over Tor
- Tor Browser speed
- Google shows foreign languages
- Tor Browser with VPN

# Are there any paid versions of Tor Browser?

Cost to use Tor

Any browser forcing you to pay and is claiming to be Tor Browser is fake. To make sure you are downloading the right Tor Browser visit our download page. After downloading, you can make sure that you have the official version of Tor Browser by verifying the signature. If you are not able to access our website, then visit downloading section to get information about alternate way of downloading Tor Browser.

If you have paid for a fake app claiming to be Tor Browser, you can try to request a refund from the Apple or Play Store, or you can contact your bank to report a fraudulent transaction. We cannot refund you for a purchase made to another company.

You can report fake Tor Browsers on frontdesk@torproject.org.

# How can I export and import bookmarks in Tor Browser?

Desktop Desktop Android Android
Desktop

Bookmarks in Tor Browser for Desktop can be exported, imported, backed up, restored as well as imported from another browser. The instructions are similar on Windows, macOS and Linux. In order to manage your bookmarks in Tor Browser, go to:

- Hamburger menu >> Bookmarks >> Manage bookmarks (below the menu)
- From the toolbar on the Library window, click on the option to 'Import and Backup'.

If you wish to export bookmarks

- Choose Export Bookmarks to HTML
- In the Export Bookmarks File window that opens, choose a location to save the file, which is named bookmarks.html by default. The desktop is usually a good spot, but any place that is easy to remember will work.
- Click the Save button. The Export Bookmarks File window will close.
- Close the Library window.

> Your bookmarks are now successfully exported from Tor Browser. The bookmarks HTML file you saved is now ready to be imported into another web browser.

If you wish to import bookmarks

- Choose Import Bookmarks from HTML
- Within the Import Bookmarks File window that opens, navigate to the bookmarks HTML file you are importing and select the file.
- Click the Open button. The Import Bookmarks File window will close.
- Close the Library window.

> The bookmarks in the selected HTML file will be added to your Tor Browser within the Bookmarks Menu directory.

If you wish to backup

- Choose Backup
- A new window opens and you have to choose the location to save the file. The file has a .json extension.

If you wish to restore

- Choose Restore and then select the bookmark file you wish to restore.
- Click okay to the pop up box that appears and hurray, you just restored your backup bookmark.

Import bookmarks from another browser

Bookmarks can be transferred from Firefox to Tor Browser. There are two ways to export and import bookmarks in Firefox: HTML file or JSON file. After exporting the data from the browser, follow the above steps to import the bookmark file into your Tor Browser.

Android

Currently, on Tor Browser for Android, there is no good way to export and import bookmarks. Bug #31617

# What is the difference between using Tor Browser and Incognito mode or private tabs?

Desktop

Chrome and Firefox offer 'Incognito mode' and 'private tabs,' which erase all local information from your device related to a browsing session once it is closed. However, these modes do not provide any protection against online tracking and have no measures in place to hide your activity or digital fingerprint online. This means that an observer can collect your traffic just as easily as any regular browser.

Tor Browser provides the same amnesic features as private tabs, while also hiding your source IP address, browsing habits, and details about a device that can be used to fingerprint activity across the web. This allows for a truly private browsing session, fully obfuscated from end-to-end.

For more information regarding the limitations of Incognito mode and private tabs, see Mozilla's article on Common Myths about Private Browsing.

# A website I am trying to reach is blocking access over Tor.

Blocking Tor

The Tor network is public, and websites can always detect when connections are coming from Tor. The best success we've had in getting sites to unblock Tor users is getting users to contact the site administrators directly. Something like this might do the trick:

> "Hi! I tried to access your site xyz.com while using Tor Browser and discovered that you don't allow Tor users to access your site. I urge you to reconsider this decision; Tor is used by people all over the world to protect their privacy and fight censorship. By blocking Tor users, you are likely blocking people in repressive countries who want to use a free internet, journalists and researchers who want to protect themselves from discovery, whistleblowers, activists, and ordinary people who want to opt out of invasive third party tracking. Please take a strong stance in favor of digital privacy and internet freedom, and allow Tor users access to xyz.com. Thank you."

In the case of banks, and other sensitive websites, it is also common to see geography-based blocking. For example, if a bank knows you generally access their services from one country, and suddenly you are connecting from an exit relay on the other side of the world, your account may be locked or suspended.

If you are unable to connect to an onion service, please follow these steps to troubleshoot.

# How can I make Tor run faster? Is Tor Browser slower than other browsers?

Tor Browser speed

Using Tor Browser can sometimes be slower than other browsers. The Tor network has over a million daily users, and just over 6000 relays to route all of their traffic, and the load on each server can sometimes cause latency. And, by design, your traffic is bouncing through volunteers' servers in various parts of the world, and some bottlenecks and network latency will always be present. You can help improve the speed of the network by running your own relay, or encouraging others to do so. For the much more in-depth answer, see Roger's blog post on the topic and Tor's Open Research Topics: 2018 edition about Network Performance.

You can also checkout our blog post Tor Network Defense Against Ongoing Attacks, which discusses the Denial of Service (DoS) attacks on the Tor Network. Furthermore, we have introduced a Proof-of-Work Defense for Onion Services to help mitigate some of these attacks. That said, Tor is much faster than it used to be and you may not actually notice any change in speed from other browsers.

# Why does Google show up in foreign languages?

Foreign languages

Google uses "geolocation" to determine where in the world you are, so it can give you a personalized experience. This includes using the language it thinks you prefer, and it also includes giving you different results on your queries.

If you really want to see Google in English you can click the link that provides that. But we consider this a feature with Tor, not a bug --- the Internet is not flat, and it in fact does look different depending on where you are. This feature reminds people of this fact.

Note that Google search URLs take name/value pairs as arguments and one of those names is "hl". If you set "hl" to "en" then Google will return search results in English regardless of what Google server you have been sent to. The changed link might look like this:

https://encrypted.google.com/search?q=online%20anonymity&hl=en

Another method is to simply use your country code for accessing Google. This can be google.be, google.de, google.us and so on.

# Using Tor Browser with a VPN

Tor Browser with VPN

Generally speaking, we don't recommend using a VPN with Tor unless you're an advanced user who knows how to configure both in a way that doesn't compromise your privacy.

You can find more detailed information about Tor + VPN at our wiki.

# Security

## Topics

- Using Tor with other browsers
- Tor Browser best practices
- Understanding guard relays
- Tracker warnings in Tor Browser for Android
- Tor Browser legacy OS support

# Can I use Tor with a browser besides Tor Browser?

Tor

Using Tor in another browser can leave you vulnerable without the privacy protections of Tor Browser.

Using Tor in another browser is unsafe because those browsers are not designed with Tor's privacy protections in mind. Even if you manage to connect them through the Tor network, they can still reveal identifying information such as:

- Your real IP address, through DNS leaks or WebRTC.
- Your operating system details, fonts, and plugins, which can be used for fingerprinting.
- Tracking cookies and cache that remain after browsing sessions.

Tor Browser is carefully developed and modified to prevent these kinds of leaks and to make Tor users look alike, which greatly improves anonymity. Other browsers lack these defenses, so using them with Tor can make you easier to identify and track.

### Is it safe to run Tor Browser and another browser at the same time?

If you run Tor Browser and another browser at the same time, it won't affect Tor's performance or privacy properties. However, be aware that when using Tor and another browser at the same time, your Tor activity could be linked to your non-Tor (real) IP from the other browser, simply by moving your mouse from one browser into the other.

Or you may simply forget and accidentally use that non-private browser to do something that you intended to do in Tor Browser instead.

# Am I totally anonymous if I use Tor Browser?

Tor Browser

Generally it is impossible to have perfect anonymity, even with Tor. Though there are some things you can practice to improve your anonymity while using Tor and offline.

### Use Tor Browser and software specifically configured for Tor

Tor does not protect all of your computer's Internet traffic when you run it. Tor only protects applications that are properly configured to send their Internet traffic through Tor.

### Control what information you provide through web forms

If you visit a website using Tor Browser, they don't know who you are or your true location. Unfortunately many sites ask for more personal information than they need through web forms. If you sign in to that website, they still don't know your location but they know who you are. Further, if you provide: name, email, address, phone number, or any other personal information, you are no longer anonymous to that website. The best defense is to be vigilant and extremely cautious when filling out web forms.

### Don't torrent over Tor

Torrent file-sharing applications have been observed to ignore proxy settings and make direct connections even when they are told to use Tor. Even if your torrent application connects only through Tor, you will often send out your real IP address in the tracker GET request, because that's how torrents work. Not only do you deanonymize your torrent traffic and your other simultaneous Tor web traffic this way, you also slow down the entire Tor network for everyone else.

### Don't enable or install browser plugins

Tor Browser will block browser plugins such as Flash, RealPlayer, Quicktime, and others: they can be manipulated into revealing your IP address. Similarly, we do not recommend installing additional addons or plugins into Tor Browser, as these may bypass Tor or otherwise harm your anonymity and privacy.

### Use HTTPS versions of websites

Tor will encrypt your traffic to and within the Tor network, but the encryption of your traffic to the final destination website depends on that website. To help ensure private encryption to websites, Tor Browser includes HTTPS-Only Mode to force the use of HTTPS encryption with websites that support it. However, you should still watch the browser URL bar to ensure that websites you provide sensitive information to display a padlock or onion icon in the address bar, include https:// in the URL, and display the proper expected name for the website. Also see EFF's interactive graphic explaining how Tor and HTTPS relate.

### Don't open documents downloaded through Tor while online

Tor Browser will warn you before automatically opening documents that are handled by external applications. DO NOT IGNORE THIS WARNING. You should be very careful when downloading documents via Tor (especially DOC and PDF files, unless you use the PDF viewer that's built into Tor Browser) as these documents can contain Internet resources that will be downloaded outside of Tor by the application that opens them. This will reveal your non-Tor IP address. If you must work with files downloaded via Tor, we strongly recommend either using a disconnected computer, or using dangerzone to create safe PDF files that you can open. Under no circumstances is it safe to use BitTorrent and Tor together, however.

### Find company

Tor tries to prevent attackers from learning what destination websites you connect to. However, by default, it does not prevent somebody watching your Internet traffic from learning that you're using Tor. If this matters to you, you can reduce this risk by configuring Tor to use a bridge rather than connecting directly to the Tor network. Ultimately the best protection is a social approach: the more Tor users there are near you and the more diverse their interests, the less dangerous it will be that you are one of them. Convince other people to use Tor, too!

Be smart and learn more. Understand what Tor does and does not offer. This list of pitfalls isn't complete, and we need your help identifying and documenting all the issues.

# Why does the first IP address in my Tor circuit always stay the same?

Guard relay

That is normal Tor behavior. The first relay in your circuit is called an "entry guard" or "guard". It is a fast and stable relay that remains the first one in your circuit for 2-3 months in order to protect against a known anonymity-breaking attack. The rest of your circuit changes with every new website you visit, and all together these relays provide the full privacy protections of Tor. For more information on how guard relays work, see this blog post and paper on entry guards.

# Why Tor Browser for Android is being reported to have trackers?

Tor Browser for Android

The tracking code being reported is carried over from Firefox for Android as Tor Browser is based on Firefox. Privacy-scanning tools like Exodus Privacy detect these libraries through static analysis, but this only shows that the code exists in the app package, not whether it's active. All of the tracking code is disabled by default in Tor Browser for Android. Additionally, a complete removal of the tracking code is planned.

# Why did Tor Browser drop support for legacy operating systems?

Tor Browser

Legacy operating systems are unsupported versions of operating systems. They no longer receive security updates and may have known security vulnerabilities. For instance, Microsoft ended official support for Windows 7, 8, and 8.1 in January 2023.

### 32-bit Linux operating systems

Support for 32-bit Linux operating systems (i686 architecture) will be discontinued with the next major Tor Browser Release, Tor Browser 16.0. 32-bit Linux (on x86) is no longer widely supported by the vast majority of Linux distributions, and with Firefox dropping support, it is no longer feasible to maintain Tor Browser for the platform. We strongly advise users to install Tor Browser on a 64-bit Linux operating system for latest updates and access to security features provided by Tor Browser.

### Windows 7, 8, 8.1 and macOS 10.12, 10.13, 10.14

Support for Windows 8.1 or lower and macOS 10.14 or lower has been discontinued with the release of Tor Browser 14 (based on Firefox 128 ESR). Users on Windows 7, 8, 8.1, and macOS 10.12 through 10.14 remained on Tor Browser 13.5, based on Firefox 115 ESR. Over the past several years we have maintained Tor Browser 13.5 and backported security patches from Mozilla. However, due to the maintenance burden on the team as well as the growing incompatibilities between legacy Firefox ESR 115 and latest, Tor developers have decided to end support as of March 2026 with Tor Browser version 13.5.29.

Users on legacy operating systems are strongly advised to upgrade their operating system to obtain the latest stable version of Tor Browser with all the security fixes and new features.

- Windows: users are recommended to upgrade to Windows 10 or 11.
- macOS: users are recommended to upgrade to macOS 10.15 (Catalina) or later.
- Linux: most recent distributions that use glibc 2.17 or higher are compatible. Note Tor Browser 16.0 (the current alpha and the next stable version, scheduled for mid 2026) drops support for 32-bit x86 platforms.

In some cases, newer hardware may be required to support the newer operating system.

Please refer to the Tor Browser installation page for a complete and up-to-date list of requirements.

# How to contact the Tor Project team to report bugs, security issues, or share feedback

Reporting issues

Tor relies on the support of users and volunteers around the world to help us improve our software and resources, so your feedback is extremely valuable to us (and to all Tor users).

### Feedback template

When sending us feedback or reporting a bug, please include as many of these as possible:

- Operating System you are using
- Tor Browser version
- Tor Browser Security Level
- 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 (i) icon, then my browser crashed)
- A screenshot of the problem
- The log

### How to Reach Us

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

#### Tor Forum

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

#### 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. Or you can report bugs or send us feedback anonymously through Anon Ticket without needing to create an account. 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.

#### Telegram

If you need help installing or troubleshooting Tor Browser and the Tor Forum is blocked or censored where you are, you can reach out to us on Telegram https://t.me/TorProjectSupportBot. A Tor support specialist will assist you.

#### 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 contact our team by sending a text message to our Signal number, +17787431312, or Signal username, `@torsupport.89`. Signal is a free and privacy-focused messaging app. This 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, Spanish, 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.

#### Blog post comments

You can always leave comments on the blog post related to the issue or feedback you want to report. If there is not a blog post related to your issue, please contact us another way.

#### Matrix/IRC

You can find us in the #tor channel on OFTC or on #tor:matrix.org to give us feedback or report bugs/issues. 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 OFTC servers.

#### Email Lists

For reporting issues or feedback using email lists, we recommend that you do so on the one that is related to what you would like to report. A complete directory of our mailing lists can be found here.

For feedback or issues related to running a Tor relay: tor-relays

### Report a security issue

If you've found a security issue, please email security@torproject.org.

If you want to encrypt your mail, you can get the OpenPGP public key for this address from keys.openpgp.org. Here is the current fingerprint:

     835B 4E04 F6F7 4211 04C4  751A 3EF9 EF99 6604 DE41

If you wish to participate in our bug bounty program, please be aware, submitting a security issue to a third-party website carries certain risks that we cannot control, as a result we'd prefer the report directly.

# How to get help, report a bug or give feedback to the Tor Project

User support

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?

#### Tor user support team office hours

Monday to Thursday: our user support channels on email, Telegram, WhatsApp, and Signal are operational.

Friday to Sunday: the helpline is closed. Please rest assured our team will get back to your messages on Monday.

### 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 English, Russian and Farsi. 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 contact our team by sending a text message to our Signal number, +17787431312, or Signal username, `@torsupport.89`. Signal is a free and privacy-focused messaging app. Currently, our support channel is available in English, Russian, Farsi 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, Farsi, 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.