Where Firefox, Google Chrome and Brave focus on everyday browsing, Tor Browser sends your traffic through a network of volunteer relays so sites cannot see where you are and onlookers cannot see what you visit. The Windows build is version 16.0, released on October 29, 2026, and the file comes from archive.torproject.org.
The Tor Project and its Firefox base
Tor Browser is developed by the Tor Project, which publishes it under the MPL-2.0 licence at no cost. Its tags list it as open-source, Gecko-based and cross-platform.
Version 16.0 is the first stable release built on Firefox ESR 153. The team also finished its yearly audit of Firefox changes and addressed over 270 Bugzilla issues that could weaken privacy or security.
Redesigned Settings in version 16.0
The main desktop change is a full redesign of Settings, following a similar Firefox redesign shipped in June. The layout is cleaner, navigation is updated and labels are clearer.
The old General page is gone. Its contents now sit under Appearance, Downloads, Tabs and browsing, Accessibility and Languages. Tor-specific pages such as Connection and Security Level were rebuilt with Firefox's new components so they match the rest of the interface.
Size, price and Windows package details
The Windows build of Tor Browser 16.0 weighs 120.4 MB and is listed under the package ID TorProject.TorBrowser. It costs nothing and is released under the MPL-2.0 license.
Before setting it up on an older machine, look at the Tor Project site for system requirements.
What's new in 16.0
Tor Browser 16.0 is the first stable release based on Firefox ESR 153 and includes a complete redesign of Settings on desktop. The annual ESR transition audit covered over 270 Bugzilla issues.
Tor Browser pros and cons
Pros
- Free under the MPL-2.0 open-source licence
- Routes traffic through a volunteer relay network to hide your location from sites
- Built on Firefox ESR 153 with an audit of over 270 privacy-related issues
- Redesigned Settings with clearer navigation and labels
- Download comes from the official archive.torproject.org server
Cons
- The 120.4 MB download is sizable for a browser
- Windows system requirements are only available from the Tor Project site
- The old General settings page is removed, so existing users must relearn where options live
Is Tor Browser safe?
Tor Browser is made by the Tor Project, and the Windows file is fetched from the project's own server, archive.torproject.org. The code is open source under the MPL-2.0 license, so anyone can inspect it. The app is free, and no scan results are included here.
How to install Tor Browser
- Press the download button to get the official file.
- Run the installer you saved and confirm the Windows security prompt if the publisher matches.
- Follow the setup steps, then start Tor Browser from the Start menu.
