How to Use Almost Any Computer Without Leaving a Trace.
Almost everything we do digitally leaves a trace of some kind, and while it can be useful to look back on past actions—for example, to remember where that great coffee shop you stumbled upon is —this kind of constant logging and tracking doesn’t exactly align with privacy and security best practices.
Introducing Tails (The Amnesic Incognito Live System)—a Debian-based Linux distribution that maximizes user security and privacy. It runs from a USB drive , meaning you can plug it into any laptop or desktop with a free port (Mac or PC) and take it back when you’re done, leaving no trace on your borrowed computer. Tails also comes with built-in anonymous browsing via the Tor browser and the Tor network, which redirects your online activity to several private websites. No one will be able to determine who you are or where you are, and you can browse the internet without the tracking and monitoring typically associated with opening a browser.
This is ideal for hiding your identity online and maximizing your privacy and security—not to mention the ability to circumvent government censorship if it applies to you. Here’s what you need to know and how to get started.
What do you get with Tails?
Tails has everything you need for working on a computer, like most Linux distributions: the Tor browser, office applications from LibreOffice, the GIMP image editor, Inkscape graphic design, and a variety of utilities for working with audio and video.
When you first start the operating system from a USB drive, you’ll be prompted to connect to the Tor network. This reroutes your web browsing through several different access points, making it very difficult for websites to determine who you are and where you’re coming from (unless, of course, you connect to them). It also hides your online activity from your ISP, law enforcement, and anyone else who might try to snoop. To ensure maximum security for Tails and the Tor Browser, check out our tips for browsing the dark web .
One of the main differences with Tails is that you can’t save anything by default—this is one of the ways the operating system prioritizes privacy and security. If you want to create a permanent storage space on your USB drive, you need to specifically do so: tap “Applications” > “Tails” > “Persistent Storage,” then follow the instructions. Once complete, simply press the power button (in the upper-right corner), select “Power Off,” disconnect the USB drive, and you’re good to go.
How to start using Tails
To get started, go to the Tails website , click the “Install Tails” link, and then click “Download Tails only (for USB drives).” You’ll receive a file approximately 2 GB in size, which you’ll need to transfer to a USB drive . The drive must be 8 GB or larger and empty (anything already stored on the USB drive will be deleted when you install Tails).
To burn an operating system image to a USB drive, Tails recommends using Rufus for Windows and Etcher for macOS. Both tools are easy to use and free: all you need to do is point these programs to the downloaded Tails file and your USB drive, and they’ll do the rest.
With Rufus, select your USB drive from the “Device” drop-down menu. From there, click “Select” to point the app to the Tails file. You can leave the rest of the program interface settings as is, and click ” Start” to create the bootable USB drive, which should only take a minute or two.
After this, you can boot from the USB drive, either from your computer or from another user’s computer. This should work on most systems, with the exception of Macs using Apple Silicon processors. The Tails team is working on adding compatibility with newer Mac computers, but this is not yet complete, so you’ll likely need a Windows computer to boot from.
The exact steps depend on the computer you’re using, but typically, to select the Tails USB drive instead of your main hard drive, you’ll need to press a key, such as F8 , during boot. Instructions may appear on-screen during startup, but if you’re unsure, consult the documentation that came with your laptop or desktop computer or search online.