How To Get the Tor Browser | Avoid Fake Download Traps

Tor Browser is free; get it from the Tor Project, install the file for your device, then choose Connect on first launch.

A fake installer can turn a privacy tool into the opposite of what you wanted, so learning how to get the Tor Browser starts with one rule: use Tor Project distribution channels. Tor Browser is available for Windows, macOS, Linux, and Android, with the current desktop installers and Android packages supplied by the Tor Project.

The process is short on most devices. Download the build that matches your platform, install or extract it, open Tor Browser, then connect to the Tor network. The details below also cover the two places that cause the most confusion: iPhone availability and what to do when the Tor Project site is blocked.

Getting Tor Browser On Your Device: Use The Official Build

Tor Browser should come from the Tor Project website, Google Play, F-Droid’s Guardian Project repository, an official mirror, or GetTor. Random download portals can repackage software, so they add risk without giving you anything useful.

Tor Project support currently lists Windows 10 and Windows 11, macOS 10.15 or later, modern Linux systems, and Android 5.0 or later. Tor Browser does not have an iOS version, and ChromeOS has no native Tor Browser build.

On iPhone and iPad, Tor Project recommends Onion Browser, but iOS requires browsers to use WebKit, so Tor Project says Onion Browser cannot provide the same privacy protections as Tor Browser. On ChromeOS, the Android build may run, but Tor Project has not audited that setup.

Avoid The Alpha And Expert Bundle Unless You Need Them

Tor Browser users should choose the stable Tor Browser download, not the Tor Expert Bundle or an alpha build. Tor Expert Bundle contains Tor and pluggable-transport binaries for developers who need to bundle Tor with other applications; it is not the normal browser package.

The alpha build exists to test features before a stable release, and some parts may not work properly. For ordinary browsing, choose the regular platform download for Windows, macOS, Linux, or Android.

How Do You Install Tor Browser?

Tor Browser installation is different on each platform, but the official package does not require an account or subscription. Choose the operating-system build that matches your device, then use the matching steps below.

Choose The File That Matches Your Device

Each supported platform uses a different package, and Linux users should favor 64-bit systems because Tor Project plans to end 32-bit Linux support with Tor Browser 16.0. Android users who do not know their device architecture can avoid that choice by installing from an app store.

Once you know which package you need, open the official Tor Browser download page and select your operating system. The regular platform buttons provide the stable browser build described below.

Windows

Windows users download the .exe file, then run the installer. Tor Project lists Windows 10 and Windows 11 as supported.

1. Choose Download for Windows on the Tor Project download page.
2. After the file finishes downloading, double-click the .exe file.
3. Complete the installation wizard.
4. Open the Tor Browser shortcut or the Tor Browser folder created by the installer.

The Connect to Tor window appears when Tor Browser launches for the first time. If you see that screen, the installation finished and the browser is ready to connect.

macOS

Mac users download the .dmg package and complete the installer process. Current Tor Project support starts at macOS 10.15.

1. Choose Download for macOS.
2. Double-click the downloaded .dmg file.
3. Complete the installation process shown on screen.
4. Launch Tor Browser.

A first launch opens the Connect to Tor screen, where you can start the network connection. Reaching that screen confirms the Mac installation completed.

Linux

Linux uses a .tar.xz archive rather than a normal system installer. The graphical method is the simplest choice when your archive manager handles the package correctly.

1. Choose Download for Linux and save the .tar.xz archive.
2. Extract the archive with your archive manager.
3. Open the extracted Tor Browser directory.
4. Run start-tor-browser.desktop.

If the launcher does not run, open a terminal inside the Tor Browser directory and enter chmod +x start-tor-browser.desktop, then run ./start-tor-browser.desktop. The Tor connection screen shows once the browser starts.

Android

Android users can install Tor Browser from Google Play, F-Droid, the Tor Project site, or GetTor. The app-store version is the simpler choice when you do not know whether your phone uses aarch64, Arm, x86_64, or x86.

1. Open Google Play and find Tor Browser from The Tor Project.
2. Tap Install.
3. Open Tor Browser after installation.
4. Tap Connect on the first-run screen.

The connection progress bar appears after you tap Connect. Once the bar starts moving, the app is trying to reach the Tor network.

First Launch And Tor Connection

Tor Browser normally connects with one click, and most users do not need a proxy or bridge. On desktop, the first-run window offers Connect plus connection settings; Android presents the same direct connection choice.

• Select Connect for a normal network.
• Turn on Always connect automatically if you want Tor Browser to reuse the saved connection settings on later launches.
• If Tor is blocked where you are, use Connection Assist or Configure Connection.
• If Connection Assist cannot determine your location, select your region and choose Try a Bridge.

A progress bar shows Tor building the connection. If the bar stalls on a network where Tor is not censored, Tor Project says an incorrect system clock is a common cause, so check your device’s date and time before changing advanced settings.

When The Tor Project Site Is Blocked

Tor Browser can still be obtained through Tor Project alternatives when the main download page is unreachable. Official mirrors and GetTor are designed for this exact situation, so there is no need to use an unknown software portal.

Check The Download Before You Trust It

Tor Project publishes an OpenPGP .asc signature beside its desktop packages so you can verify that a downloaded file came from the Tor Browser developers and was not modified. Signature checking is optional for a normal install, but it is especially useful when you obtained the package through a mirror or another GetTor-hosted location.

The Tor Browser Developers fingerprint published by the Tor Project is EF6E286DDA85EA2A4BA7DE684E2C6E8793298290. If you perform signature verification, compare against the current Tor Project instructions rather than copying an old package name, because release filenames change.

Your First Five Minutes With Tor Browser

Tor Browser works best when you leave its privacy protections intact and use the browser for the traffic you want routed through Tor. Tor Project advises against adding browser plugins or extra add-ons because they can weaken privacy protections, and it also advises against torrenting over Tor.

1. Get the installer or package from a Tor Project distribution channel.
2. Match the file to Windows, macOS, Linux, or Android.
3. Install or extract the package using the platform steps above.
4. Launch Tor Browser and choose Connect.
5. If direct connection fails because Tor is blocked, use Connection Assist and Try a Bridge.
6. Leave Tor Browser’s built-in protections in place rather than adding browser plugins.

Once a Tor connection completes and a browsing window opens, the installation is finished and Tor Browser is ready to use. No Tor account or extra browser plug-in is required.