How to use Tails: a private computer on a USB stick

Tails is a free operating system that you start from a USB stick instead of the computer's own system. It is made by the Tor Project and is used by journalists, activists and anyone who needs to use a computer without leaving traces.

What Tails does

• Leaves no trace. Tails runs from the USB stick and memory only. When you shut it down, everything you did is forgotten, and nothing is written to the computer's hard drive.
• Sends everything through Tor. Websites and your internet provider cannot easily see who you are or what you visit. Anything that tries to connect without Tor is blocked.
• Comes with safe apps: Tor Browser, Thunderbird email, KeePassXC passwords, OnionShare file sharing, document tools and metadata cleaning.
• Optional Persistent Storage: an encrypted area on the USB stick for files and settings you choose to keep.

What you need

• A USB stick of 8 GB or more (everything on it will be erased). A fast USB 3 stick works best.
• A 64-bit computer with an Intel or AMD processor that can start from USB. Apple computers with Apple chips (M1 and newer) cannot run Tails.
• About an hour the first time.

Step 1: Download Tails

1. Go to the official website, tails.net, and choose Download and install. Only download Tails from tails.net.
2. Choose your current system (Windows, macOS or Linux) and follow the steps. The website checks that your download is genuine and has not been tampered with. Do not skip this check.

Step 2: Put Tails on the USB stick

• Windows or Mac: install balenaEtcher (linked from tails.net), choose the Tails file, choose the USB stick, and click Flash.
• Linux: use Disks: select the USB stick, open the menu and choose Restore Disk Image.

Step 3: Start the computer from the USB stick

1. Plug in the USB stick and restart the computer.
2. Straight away, press the boot menu key repeatedly. It is usually F12, F11, F9, Esc or F2, depending on the brand. On an Intel Mac, hold Option (⌥).
3. Choose the USB stick from the list.

If the computer starts normally instead, try another key, or turn off Secure Boot / Fast Startup in its settings. tails.net has instructions for most brands.

Step 4: The Welcome Screen

1. Choose your language and keyboard.
2. The first time, leave everything else as it is and click Start Tails.

Step 5: Connect to Tor

1. Connect to Wi-Fi from the top-right menu.
2. The Tor Connection window opens. Choose:
   • Connect to Tor automatically for most people, or
   • Hide to my local network that I'm connecting to Tor if using Tor could get you into trouble where you are. This uses Tor bridges.
3. When it says you are connected, open Tor Browser from Applications.

Step 6 (optional): Create Persistent Storage

1. Open Applications > Tails > Persistent Storage.
2. Choose a long passphrase. If you forget it, the storage cannot be opened.
3. Turn on only what you need, such as Persistent Folder, Tor Bridge or Wi-Fi Connections.
4. Restart Tails. On the Welcome Screen, enter the passphrase to unlock the storage.

Shutting down

Click the top-right menu and choose Shut Down, or simply pull out the USB stick: Tails shuts down immediately and clears the memory.

Staying safe with Tails

• Keep your identities apart. Do not log in to your personal accounts in the same session as anonymous work. Restart Tails between them.
• Tails updates itself when a new version is out. Install updates as soon as you are asked.
• Tails cannot protect you from a computer that has been physically tampered with, such as a hidden keyboard logger. Use a computer you trust.
• Websites can still see that you use Tor, and documents you download can still contain tracking. Open untrusted documents offline.