Obtain it from the project
Use the Tor Project’s official website or another distribution method documented by the project. Avoid installers supplied by directories, file-sharing pages, advertisements, or unknown app publishers.
The current Tor Browser documentation covers supported platforms, installation, updates, and signature verification: Tor Browser support.
Keep the browser current
Browser vulnerabilities and outdated components can undermine the privacy benefits of the network. Install updates promptly and restart when the browser requests it.
Do not continue using an old copy merely because a particular page works better in it. Compatibility is not a reliable measure of safety.
Avoid unnecessary customization
Tor Browser is designed so many users share similar browser characteristics. Adding extensions, changing advanced preferences, or installing unusual fonts can make one browser more distinctive.
Use built-in controls before adding third-party software. The Tor Project’s security-level setting can disable or restrict browser features that increase attack surface, although higher levels may break complex websites: Tor Browser security levels.
Understand what Tor hides—and what it does not
Tor can prevent the destination from seeing the visitor’s ordinary IP address. It cannot stop a user from identifying themselves through an account, a reused username, personal writing details, a payment, or an uploaded document containing metadata.
Tor also does not make an untrustworthy site trustworthy. Phishing, deceptive downloads, and misleading claims remain possible.
Treat downloads separately
Documents can contain external links, active content, macros, tracking elements, or identifying metadata. Opening a downloaded file in another application may create network connections outside Tor.
For simple research, avoid downloads unless they are necessary and come from a source you have independently verified. Do not install software merely because an onion page recommends it.
Use a new identity deliberately
Tor Browser can create a new identity that closes tabs, clears browser state, and establishes new circuits. This is useful when separating unrelated sessions, but it does not erase information already disclosed to a website or another person.
Mobile limitations
The Tor Project publishes Tor Browser for supported desktop systems and Android. The project explains that iOS requires a different browser engine and therefore cannot provide an identical Tor Browser implementation. Check current platform guidance before relying on a mobile workflow.
A minimum session checklist
- Confirm the browser came from an official source.
- Install pending updates.
- Define the research objective.
- Verify the exact onion address.
- Avoid accounts, payments, and downloads unless essential.
- Do not copy sensitive data into unrelated applications.
- End the session when the objective is complete.
Tor Browser is a privacy tool, not a guarantee of anonymity under every behavior or threat model.