⚠️ WARNING: Tor VPN is beta software.
Do not rely on it for anything other than testing.
It may leak information and should not be relied on for anything sensitive.
Tor
The Tor network network can be understood as 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.
Using the Tor network, makes it difficult to track a user's internet activity by preventing any single point on the network from being able to view both where the traffic originated from and where it is ultimately going to.
It conceals the destination of the traffic (i.e. names and addresses of websites you visit) from your Internet Service Provider (ISP) and anyone watching your connection locally and the operators of the websites and services that you access and anyone watching them will see a connection coming from the Tor network instead of your real Internet (IP) address.
Tor VPN
Tor VPN, a free and open source software developed by the Tor Project, is a Tor-powered app which can be used to route other apps on users' device through the Tor network.
Tor VPN leverages the use of the Tor network routing the traffic through relays in the Tor network.
Some major uses and advantages of using Tor VPN:
Privacy.
The operators of the websites and services that you access, and anyone watching them, will see a connection coming from the Tor network instead of your real Internet (IP) address and geographic location, and will not know who you are unless you explicitly identify yourself.
Stumps surveillance.
Your internet service provider (ISP) or anyone monitoring the network will not be able to track your internet activity.
Censorship resistance.
Tor VPN allows you to access websites and apps in places where they might be blocked and access the free internet in places where government or Internet Service Provider (ISP) has implemented some form of Internet censorship or filtering.
Access to Onion services.
Onion services are services that can only be accessed over the Tor network.
Onion services allow people to browse and to publish anonymously, and are also relied on for metadata-free chat and file sharing like OnionShare, safer interaction between journalists and their sources like with SecureDrop, safer software updates, and more secure ways to reach popular websites.
Tor VPN is free software.
Free, both as in libre software, and, available free of charge.
To make sure you are installing the correct Tor VPN, please only download from the official sources as mentioned below.
Minimum System Requirements
Tor VPN is only available for the Android operating system and requires:
- Android 7.0 or newer.
- Android device supporting Aarch64, Arm, x86_64 or x86 architecture.
Android Tablets and Chromebooks are not supported.
Google Play Store
Tor VPN can be downloaded and installed from the Google Play Store.
Once installed, you can launch Tor VPN from the Play Store by clicking on "Open" or from the list of applications installed on your phone.
On the "Connect" screen, by default, all applications installed on the phone are configured to route through Tor VPN with the option "All apps protected" toggled on.
- Tap on "Connect" to initiate the connection.
- A "Connection request" prompt will open up for Tor VPN to establish a VPN connection.
- Tap on "OK".
Connect Automatically
You can configure Tor VPN to connect to the Tor network automatically with the previously saved connection settings, every time the app is launched.
- When launching Tor VPN, tap on "Configure".
- Toggle on "Connect automatically".
Tor VPN 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 vulnerabilities that can compromise your privacy and anonymity.
You can update Tor VPN from the app store.
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 VPN from the list of apps that need to be updated.
- Tap on 'Update'.
Tor VPN can be uninstalled directly from Google Play or from your mobile device's application settings.
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 VPN from the list of apps installed on your device.
- Tap on 'Uninstall'.
Device settings
- Navigate to the device settings.
- Navigate to the section "Apps" or "Applications".
- Select Tor VPN.
- Tap on "Uninstall".
By default, all applications installed on your phone are configured to route through Tor VPN, except any of the Tor powered apps, like the Tor Browser for Android and Orbot.
It is also possible to permit only certain apps to use Tor VPN and route them through the Tor network.
How to configure Tor connection settings for specific applications
- Tap on the "Apps" option.
Or when launching Tor VPN, tap on "Configure" and then tap on "Apps".
- Toggle off "Protect all apps".
- Toggle on the option to use Tor VPN for each individual app.
While connecting with the Tor network, websites and apps will think you are connecting from the same country as your Tor exit relay.
Exit relay is the final hop in each of your Tor circuits.
You can configure Tor VPN to only choose exit relays from one particular country.
To configure the exit location of the Tor connections:
- Tap on the "Globe" icon from the "Connect" screen.
Or when launching Tor VPN, tap on "Configure" and then tap on "Exit location".
- By default, the option is set to "Random per circuit".
With this option checked, each application configured gets a random Tor circuit.
- Tap and select the country from the list.
The 'Kill switch' can be used to block apps from connecting to the internet if the Tor network cannot be reached.
To activate the 'Kill switch':
- Launch the Tor VPN app and tap on 'Configure'.
- Tap on 'Kill switch'.
- Tap on Tor VPN settings (⚙️).
- Toggle on 'Always-on VPN'.
App icon and name
To change the appearance of the App icon and name of the application:
- After launching Tor VPN, tap on "Configure".
- Tap on "App icon".
- Select from the choices.
- Tor VPN will still be visible on the home screen, from the notifications, search, the App Library and the App store page.
Direct access to the Tor network may sometimes be blocked.
When this happens, Tor VPN can be used with censorship circumvention tools known as Bridges.
After exhausting common troubleshooting steps, if Tor VPN fails to initiate a connection to the Tor network, it is possible that your connection to Tor is censored.
In that case, connecting with one of the built-in censorship circumvention methods might help.
To use bridges:
- Tap on "Connection".
Or when launching Tor VPN, tap on "Configure" and then tap on "Bridges".
- Toggle on "Use a bridge".
Tor VPN ships with two types of built-in bridges:
obfs4: obfs4 makes Tor traffic look like random data, and also prevents censors from finding bridges by Internet scanning.
Snowflake: Snowflake routes your connection through volunteer-operated proxies to make it look like you're placing a video call instead of using Tor.
Depending on where you are, one type of bridge may work better than the other.
If using the built-in censorship circumvention methods does not work, you will have to request other bridges.
Since bridge addresses are not public, you will need to request them yourself directly from the app:
Obtain bridges via the Telegram Bot
- Contact the Telegram Bot @GetBridgesBot
- Tap on "Request bridges".
- Tap on "Give me new bridges".
- After the bridge bot fetches the bridge addresses, tap on "Save bridges".
Obtain bridges via Email
- Email bridges@torproject.org from a Gmail or Riseup email address and copy the bridge addresses received in the email.
Obtain bridges from the Bridges website
- Visit our bridges website.
- Tap on "Get Bridges".
- Then tap on "Just give me bridges!" and copy the bridge lines.
Entering Bridge Addresses
If you have obtained bridges via Email or the Bridges website, you will have to manually add the bridges.
- To use bridges, tap on "Connection".
Or when launching Tor VPN, tap on "Configure" and then tap on "Bridges".
- Toggle on "Use a bridge".
- Tap on "Add new bridges".
- Paste the copied bridge addresses.
- Tap on "Save".
If Tor VPN is unable to connect, you might see a error message:
To troubleshoot, try each of the following:
Check Android settings
Ensure you do not have another VPN app running.
Android does not permit the use of multiple VPN applications at the same time.
Please ensure a network firewall application is not running.
Firewall application usually use a VPN connection and if running, will prohibit Tor VPN from making any connections.
Check on the Tor VPN application
Taking a look at the Tor VPN logs can be helpful in diagnosing the issue.
To fetch the Tor VPN logs:
- Tap on "View Tor logs" from the error message or from the "Connect" screen.
- Tap on "Configure".
- Scroll to the "Advanced" section of the Tor VPN settings.
- Tap on "Tor logs".
Error #1: Check Internet Connectivity
00:00:00:00 W/onionmasq: onion_tunnel::runtime: Arti failed to connect to [2a00:ccc1:1:2c::1]:9000: Network is unreachable (os error 101)
00:00:00:00 W/onionmasq: tor_chanmgr::transport::default: Connection to [scrubbed] failed: error: Network is unreachable (os error 101)
Error #2: Check if Tor is censored in your network.
00:00:00:000 E/onionmasq: onionmasq_mobile::ffi: runProxy() returned error: couldn't start onionmasq proxy
00:00:00:000 CONNECTION_ERROR
00:00:00:000 D/onionmasq: onionmasq_mobile: closing proxy...
In this case, trying one of the censorship circumvention methods might work.
If you encounter an issue that's not answered by our documentation, please try the Troubleshooting steps.
If that does not work, please file a bug report or contact our support team.
When sending us a support request, feedback or reporting a bug, please include as much information possible:
- Android version.
- Tor VPN version.
- Step by step of how you got to the issue, so we can reproduce it.
- A screenshot of the problem.
- Tor logs.
- Country or region you are connecting to Tor from.
- If you know or suspect Tor is censored in your region or network, please mention that.
Feedback and reporting a bug
Tor Forum
On Tor Forum, create an account to submit a new topic.
Please review our discussion guidelines and check the existing topics before posting.
Tor GitLab
If reporting a bug, please report it on our bug tracker.
Please check if the bug has already been reported.
To search and view all bug reports related to Tor VPN, please navigate to the Tor VPN repository.
To create a new bug report, please request a new account to access Tor Project's GitLab instance.
File the bug report in the Tor VPN repository.
Contact Support
- Our user support channels via Email, Telegram, WhatsApp, and Signal are operational through Monday to Thursday.
From Friday to Sunday, the helpline is closed but please rest assured our team will get back to your messages.
- All of our support channels are available in English, Russian and Farsi.
If none of these languages work 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.
- Our support channels on Telegram, WhatsApp and Signal are only available over text messages; videos or calls are not supported.
Telegram
Send us a message on @TorProjectSupportBot.
Email
Send us an email to frontdesk@torproject.org
In the subject line of your email, please tell us what you are reporting.
The more specific your subject line is, 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.
WhatsApp
Send us a message on +447421000612.
Signal
Send us a message on +17787431312.