How to use Tor, safely

Tor hides where you are and what you visit. It takes five minutes to set up and a few habits to use well.

Tor sends your traffic through three volunteer-run relays around the world, wrapped in layers of encryption. The site you visit doesn't see your IP. Your internet provider sees that you use Tor, but not what you do on it.

Install it

Download Tor Browser from the official Tor Project website, and only from there. It's available for Windows, Mac, Linux and Android. On iPhone, the Tor Project recommends Onion Browser.

Connect

Open it and click Connect. If Tor is blocked where you are, use a bridge: Tor Browser has built-in options in its connection settings.

Use it right

Don't log into accounts tied to your real name in the same session as things you want private.
Don't resize the window to unusual sizes. Tor Browser keeps windows at standard sizes so you look like everyone else.
Don't install add-ons. They make your browser unique.
Don't open downloaded files while online. Documents can reach out to the internet and reveal your real IP.
Use the security level setting if you want more protection. "Safer" and "Safest" turn off risky features.

Onion sites

Some sites run directly inside the Tor network, at addresses ending in .onion. Connecting to them never leaves Tor at all. Many privacy-minded services, including LateLune, offer one. See what is an onion site.

FAQ

Is Tor legal?

In most countries, yes. Journalists, activists and ordinary people use it every day.

Is Tor slow?

A bit slower than normal browsing, but fine for reading and chatting.

Try LateLune free. No email, no phone number. You get an account number and a password, and that's it. Pick a character or make your own.

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