Tor Browser 13.5 Introduces Enhancements for Android and Desktop Users

The Tor Project has released Tor Browser 13.5, featuring significant improvements for both Android and desktop versions. This update introduces a new connection experience for Android users and continues to refine fingerprinting protections and bridge settings for desktop users.

Major changes for Android

The latest release marks a milestone for Tor Browser on Android, with a complete overhaul of the connection experience. The new “native” connection screens are a foundational step towards the future integration of Connection Assist, a feature designed to automatically circumvent censorship of the Tor network. These screens offer Android users full access to settings before connecting and a new permanent home for Tor logs. Users can now configure the browser to connect automatically using the last-used connection settings, improving ease of use and consistency with the desktop version.

The relocation of Tor logs to the “Connection Settings” menu means users can access logs at any time, simplifying troubleshooting and support interactions. This change addresses a previous limitation where logs were only accessible during the connection process, enhancing the overall user experience.

Enhancements for Desktop

On the desktop side, Tor Browser 13.5 builds on the fingerprinting protections introduced in version 13.0 by refining the letterboxing feature. Letterboxing helps protect against fingerprinting by rounding the inner content window to the nearest hundred pixels, thus grouping users into common “buckets”. The update includes a polished visual design and new settings options, such as remembering the last used window size and adjusting letterbox alignment.

Bridge settings have also been significantly improved. The redesign of bridge cards offers a more compact and user-friendly interface, complete with labels indicating the source of each bridge. A new “Find more bridges” section provides users with additional channels for obtaining bridges, such as Telegram, the “Get Bridges” website, and email, enhancing accessibility for censored users.

Tor Browser 13.5 also addresses the design of onion site error messages, making them consistent with other network error messages. This change aims to reduce user confusion and provide a more streamlined browsing experience within the Tor network.

End of support

This release is the last major version of Tor Browser to support Windows 8.1 and older, as well as macOS 10.14 and older. Users on these platforms are strongly encouraged to update to supported versions to continue receiving critical updates for privacy, security, and anonymity. The upcoming Tor Browser 14.0, set to release in Q4 this year, will no longer support these older systems.