Okay, so today I wanted to get Tor running on my M1 Mac. It turned out to be a little more involved than I initially thought, so I figured I’d document the whole process here, just in case anyone else is running into the same hurdles.
Step 1: Downloading the Tor Browser
First things first, I grabbed the Tor Browser. Pretty straightforward. I went to the usual Tor Project website and found the download section. Made sure to pick the version for macOS.
Step 2: Dealing with the Installation
I’m used to just dragging apps to the Applications folder, but with Tor, it’s a bit different. I opened the downloaded .dmg file, and inside was the Tor Browser app. So I dragged that into my Applications folder, just like I would with any other app.
Step 3: First Run Hiccups
So, I tried to launch Tor Browser, and… boom. Got a security warning. Something about the developer not being verified. This is pretty common with apps downloaded from outside the App Store, so no big deal. I went to System Preferences, then clicked on Security & Privacy.
Under the General tab, I saw a message about Tor Browser being blocked. There was a button that said “Open Anyway”. I clicked that, and then another confirmation window popped up. I clicked “Open” on that one too.
Step 4: Configuring Tor
Finally, Tor Browser launched! I got a window asking if I wanted to connect directly to the Tor network or configure things. Most of the time, connecting directly works fine, so I just clicked “Connect”.
It took a little bit to connect – Tor’s not exactly known for speed – but eventually, the browser window opened up, and I was good to go.
Step 5:Making Sure Everything Works (Optional)
I always like to double-check that Tor is actually working. The easiest way to do that is just to visit a site that tells you your IP address. If it shows a different IP than your usual one, you’re all set. I am used to visting a website to check if my ip is exposed. The website showed that my ip had been changed.
That’s pretty much it! It’s not overly complicated, but those security warnings can throw you off if you’re not expecting them. Hope this helps someone out there!
