How to Use Tor Browser on a Chromebook

You can use Tor Browser on a Chromebook by enabling ChromeOS’s Linux development environment, installing Flatpak and the Tor Browser Launcher, then connecting from the browser. This installs the Linux desktop version in the Chromebook’s Linux container; Tor Browser is not a native ChromeOS app.

Before you begin

Check that your Chromebook supports Linux. Google notes that a work- or school-managed device may block the feature. The Linux environment uses a Debian container, and its setup can take 10 minutes or more. Linux applications share a ChromeOS sandbox, so files you share with Linux are available to every Linux app in that environment. Keep sensitive files out of shared folders unless an app needs them. See Google’s Chromebook Linux setup instructions for supported devices and current settings.

The interface images below are representative; labels and layout can vary by ChromeOS release. The commands are the important part. Run them in the Linux Terminal’s Penguin tab, one at a time, and wait for each command to finish.

Install Tor Browser on a Chromebook

1. Turn on the Linux development environment

   Select the time in the lower-right corner, open Settings, then go to About ChromeOS > Developers. Next to Linux development environment, select Set up and follow the prompts. When setup completes, ChromeOS opens Terminal. If you do not see the setup option, your device may not support Linux or an administrator may have disabled it.

   

2. Refresh Debian’s package list

   In Terminal, select Penguin if asked, then run:

   sudo apt update

   This checks the configured Debian repositories for current package information. Enter your Linux password if prompted; Linux may not show characters while you type it.

   

3. Apply available package updates

   Run:

   sudo apt upgrade -y

   This updates installed packages in the container. The -y option accepts APT’s confirmation prompt automatically. If you want to review the proposed changes first, use sudo apt upgrade without -y.

   

4. Install Flatpak

   Flatpak provides the package format used for the launcher. Install it with:

   sudo apt install flatpak

   Confirm the installation if APT asks, and wait for the prompt to return.

   

5. Add Flathub to your Linux user

   Flathub hosts the launcher package. Add its repository using the current ChromeOS setup command:

   flatpak --user remote-add --if-not-exists flathub https://dl.flathub.org/repo/flathub.flatpakrepo

   The --user option keeps this remote in your Linux account. If a command reports that Flathub already exists, you can continue. This matches Flathub’s ChromeOS setup guide.

   

6. Install the Tor Browser Launcher

   Install the app ID currently documented by the Tor Project:

   flatpak install --user flathub org.torproject.torbrowser-launcher

   Review the runtime and app details, then confirm when Flatpak asks. Older guides may show a different launcher ID; use the Tor Project’s maintained launcher instructions if you need to check the current command.

   

7. Download the Tor Browser bundle

   Open the Chromebook Launcher and look under Linux apps for Tor Browser Launcher. If it is not listed, run this in Terminal:

   flatpak run org.torproject.torbrowser-launcher

   In the launcher window, select Install Tor Browser and let the download finish. The launcher obtains the current browser bundle and verifies its signature before installing it.

   

8. Connect to Tor

   Open Tor Browser from the Linux apps menu. On first launch, select Connect to Tor and wait for the connection to complete. If your network blocks Tor or the connection does not start, choose Configure Connection and follow the Tor Project’s official bridge instructions.

   

Use Tor Browser with the right expectations

Tor Browser sends its own browsing traffic through the Tor network. It does not route Chrome, Android apps, or all Chromebook traffic through Tor, so do not treat this setup as a device-wide VPN. The Tor Project also notes that signing in to an account can identify you to that service even when you use Tor. For stronger privacy, keep your browsing in Tor Browser, avoid adding extensions, and do not use it for torrents. Read the project’s Tor Browser safety recommendations before relying on it for sensitive activity.

If installation or startup fails, first confirm the Linux container has internet access, reopen Terminal, and rerun sudo apt update. Check that Flathub was added for the same Linux user and that you used org.torproject.torbrowser-launcher. For a connection issue, use the browser’s connection settings and Tor’s bridge guide rather than installing an unrelated browser or extension.