GlowLinksWhat is Tor?
Tor is a free network run by volunteers. Tor Browser sends your traffic through three relays before it reaches a site, so no single relay knows both who you are and where you are going. GlowLinks works in any browser, and Tor is there when you want extra privacy or need the onion mirror.
Private browsing
Websites see a Tor exit relay instead of your own address.
Onion addresses
.onion sites only open inside Tor and stay encrypted from end to end.
Not magic
Tor hides your location, not what you type. Logging in to personal accounts can still identify you.
Step by step
Tick each step as you finish it. Your progress is saved on this device.
Download Tor Browser
Only download from the official site, torproject.org/download. Copies from anywhere else can be tampered with.
- On the download page choose Windows and save the installer.
- Open the file and follow the installer.
- Start Tor Browser from the folder or shortcut it created.
- Choose macOS and download the disk image.
- Open it and drag Tor Browser into Applications.
- If macOS warns about an unknown developer, right-click the app and choose Open.
- Choose Linux and download the archive.
- Extract it, open the folder and run
start-tor-browser.desktop, or./start-tor-browser.desktopfrom a terminal. - Your distribution may also offer a
torbrowser-launcherpackage.
- Install Tor Browser from Google Play, F-Droid, or the official download page.
- Open it and tap Connect.
- There is no official Tor Browser for iPhone or iPad.
- The Tor Project recommends Onion Browser, available on the App Store.
- Open it and let it connect to Tor.
Open it and press Connect
The first time you open Tor Browser you will see a Connect button. Press it and wait while Tor builds a circuit. This usually takes under a minute. If it does not connect, jump to If Tor is blocked.
Check that Tor works
In Tor Browser, open check.torproject.org. A congratulations message means you are using Tor. Open it in Tor Browser itself, because a normal browser will say you are not.
Open GlowLinks
Type glowlinks.net into the Tor Browser address bar and press Enter. To use the onion mirror, copy its address from the GlowLinks home page and paste it into the address bar. Onion addresses usually start with http://, and that is normal (see HTTP vs HTTPS). If the site offers an onion version, Tor Browser may show a purple .onion available button in the address bar.
Choose a security level
Click the shield icon in the toolbar and open Security Settings. Standard is the most comfortable, Safer turns off some risky features, and Safest blocks most scripts but breaks many pages. Safer is a good starting point.
Onion address checker
Paste an address to check its format. Current onion addresses are 56 letters and digits followed by .onion.
This only checks the format. It cannot tell you whether a site is safe or genuine, so always copy addresses from the GlowLinks home page. Onion links usually begin with http://, not https://, and that is normal.
If Tor is blocked
Some networks block Tor. Bridges are relays that are harder to block, and Tor Browser has them built in.
Use a bridge
- Open Tor Browser and press Configure Connection instead of Connect.
- Under Bridges, turn on Use a bridge and pick a built-in option such as Snowflake or obfs4.
- Press Connect. If one type fails, try the other.
- Still blocked? Ask for custom bridges at bridges.torproject.org and paste them into the bridge box.
Stay safe on Tor
Use HTTPS on normal sites
On clearnet sites, look for the padlock. Tor Browser tries to upgrade them to HTTPS for you.
No personal logins
Do not sign in to accounts tied to your real name unless you have to.
Skip extra add-ons
Extensions can make your browser easier to recognize. Use it as it comes.
Keep the window size
Do not maximize the window. A standard size helps you blend in with other users.
Update regularly
Install Tor Browser updates as soon as they appear. They fix security bugs.
Careful with downloads
Do not open downloaded files while online, and avoid torrenting over Tor.
New identity
Use the menu's New Identity to close everything and start fresh.
Know your laws
Tor is legal in most countries. Follow the rules where you live.
Why .onion sites use http:// and not https://
Seeing http:// on an onion address is normal. Onion services are already encrypted and authenticated by Tor itself, so most of them skip the HTTPS certificates that normal websites use. HTTPS matters when you visit a normal website, one that does not end in .onion, through Tor.
.onion sites
http://youraddress.onion- Traffic is encrypted from your browser all the way to the site inside Tor. No exit relay is involved.
- The address comes from the site's own key, so reaching the right address means you reached the right site. The address is the identity.
- Most use plain
http://. You will not see a padlock, and Tor Browser shows an onion symbol instead. - A few do offer HTTPS, but you do not need it.
Clearnet sites
https://example.com- Your traffic leaves Tor at an exit relay run by a volunteer, then travels the open internet to the site.
- Without HTTPS, that exit relay can read and even change what you send and receive.
- Always look for
https://and the padlock. - Tor Browser upgrades sites to HTTPS automatically when it can.
Check pgp.txt to see if a site was tampered with
A PGP-signed file is a short text, often called pgp.txt, that lists the real addresses of a site and carries a digital signature. If anyone changes even one character after it was signed, the check fails. This is how you spot a fake mirror or a swapped onion address.
- Install a PGP tool. Windows: Gpg4win (includes Kleopatra). macOS: GPG Suite. Linux: install
gnupg, it is often already there. Android: OpenKeychain. - Get the site's public key and its fingerprint. Download the key from the site, then compare the fingerprint (40 letters and numbers) on at least two other independent places, such as the onion mirror and another Glow site. If they do not all match, stop. A key from a single source proves nothing.
- Import the key and read its fingerprint.
gpg --import publickey.ascgpg --fingerprint - Save pgp.txt and verify it. Do not open and re-save it in an editor, because a single added space breaks the signature. For a file that contains its own signature:
For a separate signature file:
gpg --verify pgp.txtIn Kleopatra, choose Decrypt/Verify and pick the file.gpg --verify pgp.txt.sig pgp.txt - Read the result.
Good signature from ... and the key fingerprint matches what you checked: the file is unchanged since it was signed.BAD signature: the file was altered or the wrong key was used. Do not trust anything in it.No public key: import the right key first, then verify again.Key is not certified with a trusted signature: this is normal if you have not personally trusted the key. What matters is that the fingerprint matches.Expired key or signature: look for a newer key or file from the site.
- Compare what it says. The onion address in the signed text must be the same as the one in your address bar, letter for letter. Check the date in the message too, so an old signed file cannot be replayed as a new one.
Signed message inspector
Paste the contents of pgp.txt to check its structure and pull out the addresses. This runs only in your browser. It does not verify the signature, so you still need GnuPG or Kleopatra for that.
A valid signature proves the text came from whoever holds that private key and was not changed. It does not prove the key belongs to who you think, which is why you compare the fingerprint in several places. Do the check on your own device, not inside the page you are trying to verify.
Troubleshooting
Tor will not connect
Check that your device clock is correct, then try a bridge (see above). A firewall or antivirus can also block Tor, so try turning it off for a moment, or use another network.
Pages load very slowly
That is normal on Tor. Try the menu's New Tor circuit for this site, and lower the security level only if a page needs it.
A site looks broken
Safer and Safest turn off some features. If you trust the site, try Standard for that visit, then switch back.
An onion address will not open
Check that you copied the whole address with nothing added. Make sure you are using Tor Browser, because normal browsers cannot open .onion sites. If it still fails, the mirror may be down, so try again later.
check.torproject.org says I am not using Tor
Make sure you opened the page inside Tor Browser and that it finished connecting.
Tor vs VPN
They sound similar, but they solve different problems. A VPN moves your trust to one company. Tor spreads trust across several relays so nobody sees the whole picture.
| VPN | Tor | |
|---|---|---|
| Who you must trust | One company | No single party. Volunteer relays |
| Who sees your real IP | The VPN provider | Only the first relay (the guard) |
| Who sees the sites you visit | The VPN provider | The last relay (the exit) for normal sites. Nobody in the middle for onion sites |
| What it covers | Your whole device and every app | Tor Browser traffic only, unless you set up more |
| Speed | Close to normal | Slower, because of three hops |
| Cost | Usually paid. Free ones often sell your data | Free |
| Streaming and geo-unblocking | Often works | Poor. Slow, and many sites block Tor exits |
| Anonymity from websites | Weak. One shared IP, and your account, cookies and browser still identify you | Strong by design. The browser also fights fingerprinting |
| Onion sites | No | Yes |
| Hiding the tool from your ISP | ISP sees you use a VPN | ISP sees you use Tor, unless you use a bridge |
| Accounts and payment trail | Account and payment records | No account needed |
How a VPN works
Your device builds an encrypted tunnel to the provider's server. Websites see the provider's address instead of yours, and your internet provider sees only the tunnel. The provider, though, can see your real address and where you go. A "no-logs" promise is just a promise, so independent audits and a good track record matter.
How Tor works
Tor Browser wraps your request in three layers of encryption and sends it through a guard, a middle relay and an exit. Each relay peels off one layer and learns only the step before and after it. The guard knows you but not your destination. The exit knows the destination, and for plain HTTP even the content, but not who you are.
Should you use both?
Most people do not need to. Tor over VPN, where you connect the VPN first and then open Tor Browser, hides Tor use from your internet provider, but the VPN can then see you connecting to Tor. If hiding Tor use is the goal, bridges are usually the better choice. Sending a VPN through Tor is complicated and easy to get wrong.
The honest limits
Neither tool protects you if you log in to an account with your real name, install risky software or reuse identifying details. A VPN also cannot stop sites recognizing your browser. Tor is slower and some sites block it. Use the one that fits the job.
"A VPN makes me anonymous"
It makes your internet provider and the sites you visit see a different address, nothing more. The VPN company still knows who you are, and your logins, cookies and browser fingerprint still identify you.
"A no-logs VPN can be fully trusted"
You cannot check a no-logs claim yourself. Look for independent audits, a clear jurisdiction and a record of the claim holding up, and still assume the provider could see your traffic.
"Tor is only for criminals"
Tor is built and funded for privacy and is used by journalists, researchers, activists and ordinary people. Being private is not suspicious.
"If I use Tor I do not need HTTPS"
For normal websites you do. The exit relay can see traffic to them, so HTTPS keeps the content hidden from it. .onion sites are different: Tor already encrypts and authenticates them, so plain http:// is normal there.
Frequently asked questions
Is it legal to use Tor?
Tor is legal in most countries and is used by journalists, researchers and everyday people for privacy. Laws differ by country, so check the rules where you live.
Do I need Tor to use GlowLinks?
No. GlowLinks works in a normal browser at glowlinks.net. Tor is optional and is only needed for the .onion mirrors or for extra privacy.
What is a .onion address?
A .onion address is a website address that only works inside the Tor network. Current addresses are 56 characters long followed by .onion.
Can I use Tor on my phone?
Yes. Tor Browser is available for Android. On iPhone and iPad, the Tor Project recommends Onion Browser.
Why is Tor slow?
Your traffic is passed through three relays around the world, which adds delay. Pages load more slowly than usual, and that is normal.
Is Tor the same as a VPN?
No. A VPN routes your traffic through one provider you have to trust. Tor sends it through three volunteer relays so no single relay sees both who you are and where you go. See the full comparison in Tor vs VPN.
How do I check a pgp.txt file for tampering?
Install GnuPG, import the site's public key and confirm its fingerprint from more than one independent source, then run gpg --verify pgp.txt. A Good signature message with a matching fingerprint means the file was not changed after signing. BAD signature means it was altered. The full steps are above.
Should I use a VPN together with Tor?
Most people do not need to. Tor over VPN hides Tor use from your internet provider but adds a company that can see you connect to Tor. If you only need to hide Tor use, bridges are usually the better choice.
Why do .onion sites use http:// instead of https://?
Onion services are already encrypted and authenticated by Tor, so most use plain http:// and that is normal. HTTPS matters for normal (clearnet) sites that do not end in .onion, because the exit relay could otherwise read your traffic. See HTTP vs HTTPS above.