Orbot (Android)

Orbot (Android)

Objective

In this guide I will show you how to install Orbot app to your Android device.

Using Orbot you can route the connections of the apps through the Tor network. This way, you can anonymize the connection between your Android device and the servers that these apps connect to. This way,

you can hide your IP-address from the apps
you can hide your connection to these apps from your internet service provider
you can route-around the local internet censorship

In this guide CalyxOS 5.2.0 (which runs Android 14) is used for demonstration.

Setup

Install the software

You can use fdroid to install Orbot. In order to do that, you first need to enable the Guardian Project Official Releases software repository inside the fdroid app store.

First, start fdroid. Then, on the bottom menu, tap on the Settings button. On the settings screen tap on the Repositories button.

Tap on Settings

Tap on Repositories

On the Repositories screen, enable the slider for Guardian Project Official Releases option. Then, go back to the main user interface of fdroid and pull the screen down. This will refresh the local cache of the apps available inside fdroid store.

Enable Guardian Project Repo

Refresh Fdroid

On the search bar, type in orbot. Tap on the app with the name Orbot: Proxy with Tor. On its fdroid page tap on the INSTALL button.

Search Orbot

Tap on Install

Android will ask you whether to install Orbot app or not. Tap on the INSTALL button. After the installation completes, tap on the OPEN button that appears on Orbot's fdroid screen.

Tap on Install

Tap on Open

Run the software

When Orbot starts the first time, it will ask for a notification permission. Tap on the Allow button. Next, tap on the More button on the bottom menu.

Allow notifications

Tap on More

In the new screen, tap on the Settings button. Here, enable the Power User Mode option. This way, we can be selective about the apps we want to route through Tor network.

Tap on Settings

Allow Power User Mode

On the same screen scroll down. Under the Connectivity header, enable the following options:

Isolate destination addresses
Isolate destination ports
Isolate client protocols

Then, navigate back to the main user interface of Orbot app, and then tap on the CONNECT button.

Connectivity Settings

Tap on Connect

Wait for Orbot to establish its connection. Once it's done, you will see Connected to the Tor network notification on your notification bar.

Connecting

Connected

Orbot Notification

If there are some apps on your Android device that you would like to pass them through the Tor network, then, select those under More > Choose apps screen. These apps will be forced to send their connections through the Tor network.

Choose apps

Choose apps

In addition to this method, there exists another way to make some specific apps use Orbot's Tor connection. Some apps themselves offer this option in their own settings.

One such app is fdroid. As an example, we will get fdroid use Orbot to reach the internet. For this, start fdroid app, and tap on the Settings button from its bottom menu. Scroll down to the header Proxy, and then enable the Use Tor slider option.

Fdroid proxy settings

Conclusion

In this guide I showed you how to install Orbot app to your Android device. Using Orbot you can anonymize the internet connections of your apps. This way, you can protect your privacy from your internet service providers, you can route-around the unjust internet censorship of your local governments.

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