Tails is designed to be usable without a technical background, but the first boot introduces a few screens and concepts that aren’t obvious if you’ve never used it. Here is exactly what to expect.
Before you start
You’ll need a USB drive of at least 8 GB, dedicated to Tails (anything currently on it will be erased), and a PC that can boot from USB.
Step 1 — Boot from the USB
- Insert the Tails USB and restart the computer.
- At the manufacturer logo, press the boot menu key (commonly F12, F9, or Esc) and select the USB drive.
- Tails boots to the Tails Greeter welcome screen.
Step 2 — The Tails Greeter
Here you can optionally unlock persistent storage (if you’ve set it up previously) and adjust additional settings like an administrator password for that session only. If this is your first time, just click Start Tails to continue with default settings.
Step 3 — Connect to Tor
- Tails prompts you to connect to the Tor network on startup — choose Connect to Tor automatically for normal use (choose the bridge/censored-network option only if you’re in a country that blocks Tor directly).
- Wait for the connection to establish; this typically takes under a minute.
- Once connected, the Tor Browser opens automatically and is ready to use.
Step 4 — Set up persistent storage (optional but recommended)
Without it, everything resets on every reboot — including bookmarks, saved files and settings. To keep specific things between sessions:
- Open Applications › Tails › Persistent Storage.
- Set an encryption passphrase — this protects the persistent data if the USB is ever lost.
- Choose which categories to persist (personal files, browser bookmarks, network settings, etc.) — enable only what you actually need.
Basic safety habits
- Don’t install or enable software that bypasses Tor — it defeats the purpose.
- Be mindful of what you type or upload — anonymized network traffic doesn’t anonymize personal details you voluntarily share.
- Shut down properly when finished so the amnesic reset actually happens as intended.
Skip the download and verification
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Shop Recovery USBsFrequently asked questions
Do I need technical skills to use Tails OS?
No. The Tails Greeter and Tor connection are guided, click-through steps, and the Tor Browser works like any other browser once connected. Persistent storage setup is the only slightly more involved optional step.
What happens if I don't set up persistent storage?
Everything from that session — files, bookmarks, settings — is erased the moment you shut down or restart. This is intentional and is what makes Tails 'amnesic' by default.
How do I know I'm actually connected to Tor in Tails?
The Tor Browser that opens automatically after connecting is pre-configured to only work through Tor, and Tails blocks other applications from bypassing it — if you're online in Tails at all after the connection step, your traffic is going through Tor.