Before you begin
Ten minutes of setup now prevents most first-timer mistakes. Work through this checklist before you open a link.
The checklist
| Item | Why |
|---|---|
| Tor Browser, from torproject.org | The only tool that opens onion links. Verify the download. |
| A password manager | Generates a unique password and quietly resists phishing. |
| A wallet you control | Never pay from an identity-verified exchange directly. |
| PGP (recommended) | For verification, 2FA and encrypting your address to vendors. |
| Tails (optional, stronger) | An amnesic system that leaves no trace on the machine. |
A mindset, too
Adopt one rule before anything else: you verify every address, every session. It costs three seconds and prevents the most common and most expensive mistake on Tor. The rest of this handbook assumes you have internalised that rule.
Next
Ready? Create an account.Last reviewed 2026-07-15.