Tor Browser Debuts on Android to Let You Browse the Web Anonymously

Tor Browser has now debuted on Android and is available in alpha through Google Play. The fresh development comes a long time after The Tor Project brought its proxy app Orbot and the standalone Orbot-powered Web browser Orfox. Unlike a traditional Web browser, Tor Browser by default blocks your identity while browsing the Web. It also helps you block access to your current location passes the traffic over the Tor network. Initially, you need to install the Orbot app on your Android device to connect the browser with the Tor network. The community is, however, aiming to abandon the requirement of the Orbot app in the stable release of Tor Browser for Android.

Similar to the existing experience on Linux, Mac, and Windows, Tor Browser of Android delivers a private Web browsing experience. It lets you browse your favourite websites anonymously. Further, the browser automatically clears stored cookies when you're done browsing the Web. It is also touted that your traffic through the Tor Browser "is encrypted three times" as it passes over the Tor network. But you need to separately install the Orbot app on your device to leverage the Tor network.

The Tor Browser for Android is based on Firefox version 60. Also, it comes with NoScript 10.1.9.1 and HTTPS Everywhere extensions.

The interface of the Tor Browser for Android is similar to any Firefox browser. There is a Homepage that by default includes top sites such as Facebook and Wikipedia and comes with a Highlights section that is designed to show articles, videos, and webpages that you've visited received or bookmarked on the browser. For bookmark management, there is a dedicated Bookmarks tab. The browser also has a History tab to provide you with all your Web browsing history.

You can browse the Web on the Tor Browser in multiple tabs, and for enhanced privacy, there is an option to open new private tabs as well. The browser also lets you enable a guest session that hides all your browsing history and bookmarks. Furthermore, you can add new add-ons to the browser by visiting the Mozilla site.

Being available through an alpha channel, the Tor Browser for Android presently has some bugs. These could be fixed in the next release. However, you need to wait at least for the early next year to get the stable release of Tor Browser on your Android device.

You can download the alpha release of Tor Browser for Android directly from Google Play. The app is 32MB in size and requires Android 4.1 Jelly Bean and later. Alternatively, you can download its APK file from APK Mirror.