How to download and install Tor Browser on Mac
Tor Browser is a free browser from the Tor Project that sends your traffic through the Tor network, so sites don’t see where you connect from. Here is where to get it, how to install it, connect for the first time and use it safely.
Tor Browser
- macOS 10.15 or later
- One file for Apple Silicon and Intel
- Free
Or the installer straight from the developer’s server:
The links go to the developer’s website (download.torproject.org, torproject.org). MacWashing is not affiliated with the developer and keeps no installers.
Open Terminal (Applications › Utilities) and run:
brew install --cask tor-browserHomebrew downloads the app from the developer’s server, checks the file and puts the app in Applications.
No Homebrew yet? How to install Homebrew: one command from brew.sh.
Before you download
Tor Browser is built on Firefox and made by the Tor Project, a non-profit. One disk image works on Apple Silicon and Intel Macs and includes all its languages: Tor Browser uses the language of your Mac.
Tor Browser needs macOS 10.15 Catalina or later. Download it only from torproject.org. The Tor Project recommends checking the download’s signature: the Sig file sits next to each download, and its support site explains how to check it.
How to install Tor Browser
- Open
tor-browser-macos-….dmgin your Downloads folder. - In the window that opens, drag Tor Browser to the Applications folder.
- Eject the Tor Browser disk: click the eject button next to it in the Finder sidebar.
- Open Tor Browser from Applications and click Open when macOS asks about an app downloaded from the internet.
- Click Connect: Tor Browser connects to the Tor network and opens a window.
The first connection can take a minute. If Tor is blocked where you are, choose Configure Connection instead of Connect and set up a bridge.
How to use Tor Browser safely
- No extra add-ons. The Tor Project advises against installing extensions: they can reveal who you are.
- No torrents over Tor. File-sharing apps can leak your real address, and they slow the network down for everyone.
- No separate VPN. The Tor Project advises not to combine Tor Browser with another VPN.
- Security level. The shield icon in the toolbar switches between Standard, Safer and Safest. Higher levels turn off risky site features.
- The installer. Move the
.dmgfrom Downloads to the Trash once Tor Browser runs.
If Tor Browser won’t install or connect
- «Tor Browser is damaged and can’t be opened». The download was incomplete. Delete it and download it again from the Tor Project’s website.
- Tor Browser doesn’t connect. Check that your Mac’s date and time are right, then try Configure Connection and a bridge.
- Nothing helps. Remove Tor Browser completely and install it again: see how to uninstall Tor Browser on Mac.
Alternatives to Tor Browser
Keep your Mac tidy
System Junk in MacWashing finds the caches apps build up over time and shows how much space they take. And if you no longer need Tor Browser, the Uninstaller removes it with its files.
Free trial · macOS 14 or later
Questions and answers
Is Tor Browser free?
Yes. Tor Browser is free and open source. The Tor Project, a non-profit, lives on donations.
Is Tor Browser in the Mac App Store?
No. Tor Browser for Mac comes only from the Tor Project’s website. Apps with similar names in the App Store are made by other developers.
Does Tor Browser make me fully anonymous?
It hides your address from the sites you visit and blocks tracking between them, but you can still give yourself away, for example by signing in to your accounts. Follow the Tor Project’s tips on its download page.