How to Get Tor Bridge Addresses Securely

Tor bridges are unlisted relays that enable users to bypass censorship and connect to the Tor network from regions where access is actively blocked. This guide outlines the most secure, official methods to acquire Tor bridge lines without exposing your traffic to adversaries or falling victim to malicious relay providers.

1. Request Bridges Directly Inside Tor Browser

The easiest and most secure method is requesting a bridge directly through the Tor Browser interface. This reduces the risk of third-party interception or visiting spoofed websites.

1. Open Tor Browser.
2. Navigate to Settings (or Preferences on macOS) and click on Connection in the left sidebar.
3. Locate the Bridges section.
4. Under the option Request a bridge from torproject.org, click Request a Bridge….
5. Complete the CAPTCHA prompt. The browser will automatically obtain and configure the bridge for you.

2. Use the Official BridgeDB Website

If you cannot access the built-in request feature, you can retrieve bridge addresses directly from the official Tor Project BridgeDB service over HTTPS.

1. Using a secure browser, visit https://bridges.torproject.org/.
2. Click Get Bridges (or Step 2).
3. Select an advanced pluggable transport (such as obfs4 or webtunnel) if your network employs deep packet inspection (DPI).
4. Solve the CAPTCHA.
5. Copy the generated bridge lines and manually paste them into the Provide a bridge section within your Tor Browser connection settings.

3. Request Bridges via Encrypted Email

If the Tor website is blocked in your jurisdiction, you can request bridge lines using email. The Tor Project operates an automated email responder.

1. Draft an email to bridges@torproject.org.
2. In the body of the message, write get transport obfs4 (or simply get bridges).
3. Send the email using a Gmail or Riseup address. Tor requires these providers to mitigate spam and mass scraping by censors.
4. You will receive an automated reply containing usable bridge lines.

4. Use the Official Telegram Bot

For users who have access to Telegram when web endpoints are blocked, the Tor Project maintains an automated bot.

1. Open Telegram and search for the verified bot username: @GetBridgesBot.
2. Start a conversation with the bot by sending the command /bridges.
3. The bot will reply with a set of bridge lines you can copy and paste into Tor Browser.

Security Best Practices

• Only Use Official Sources: Never source bridge addresses from unofficial forums, social media posts, or untrusted third-party sites, as rogue bridges can compromise your anonymity.
• Select the Right Pluggable Transport: Standard bridges hide the IP address of the Tor node, but pluggable transports like obfs4, Snowflake, and WebTunnel also disguise Tor traffic as regular web browsing to circumvent sophisticated firewalls.
• Keep Bridges Confidential: Do not share your acquired bridge addresses publicly. Censors monitor public channels to identify and block active bridge IPs.