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Tor and onion contacts

Tor routing is available on native desktop and mobile builds (not the web/wasm app). It lets you check Tor status and, when configured, reach onion contacts.

What you'll need​

  • A desktop or mobile Glitr build (Tor is hidden on the web app).
  • Basic familiarity with Tor — see the glossary entry for Tor / onion.

Open Tor status​

  1. Open Settings.
  2. Tap Tor status (only listed on native builds).
  3. Read whether Tor is starting, ready, or unavailable.

Wait until status is ready before you rely on onion paths.

Onion contacts​

  1. Add or open a contact that uses an onion address when your build supports it.
  2. Prefer Tor transport for that contact under Transport preferences.
  3. Keep Tor status ready while you chat.

Onion contacts are an advanced privacy option. Prefer Talk now or a normal git mailbox if you are still learning Glitr.

What you should see​

  • Settings → Tor status on native builds.
  • No Tor row on the web app (by design).

If something goes wrong​

  • Tor never becomes ready: check network and restart the app — Troubleshooting.
  • Web build missing Tor: use a desktop/mobile package — Install.

Next steps​

For the curious

Native builds integrate Tor (Arti / SOCKS paths depending on package). The web client omits Tor because browser networking cannot host the same stack. See Technical → Threat model → Tor for assumptions and residual risks.