Opening the onion links is very easy from the Tor browser, which you need to download and install in advance. To search for onion links for any website on the surface web, just copy-paste the URL in a Tor browser window. It will display a message, Onion available, if onions are available for the website. You can also search for onion links on DuckDuckGo’s onion page by clicking Onionize.
MGM Grand Market
- Instead, they are designed using a cryptographic key and can be accessed only through software like the Tor browser.
- The anonymity that onion routing provides slows down your internet considerably.
- Browsing onion sites safely requires using the Tor Browser, which anonymizes your internet traffic.
- Tor’s default search engine, DuckDuckGo, does not fetch you results from .onion sites, and that’s exactly why you need a dark web search engine like Haystak.
Douglas was invited by the EFF to help host a livestream session in support of net neutrality. At Proton, Douglas continues to explore his passion for privacy and all things VPN. For maximum anonymity, you should never install additional Firefox add-ons, and should use the default browser window size. By doing these things, you make your Tor Browser look like every other Tor Browser, minimizing websites’ ability to fingerprint(new window) you. Dark websites, on the other hand, can only be accessed with Tor (or something similar).
What To Do If You See Something Illegal
Neither DuckDuckGo’s dark nor normal versions keep a log of your web activity. The dark web may be the Wild West of the internet — a place without rules, gatekeepers, or censorship — but there are still reasons to visit. Check out our list of the best dark web links and how to navigate onion and Tor sites safely. Then get a VPN to help protect your privacy on dark web websites or wherever you browse online. While you don’t need to log in to access any of the dark web links listed here, you can’t find them with a search engine like Google. The only way to access the dark web is by using the correct browser and knowing the URLs of the pages you want to visit.
How To Hide IP Address In 2025 (A Comprehensive Guide)
Using the ProtonMail .onion site offers security and privacy advantages. Moreover, the company also uses HTTPS and SSL encryption on the Onion site for extra protection. This makes it even harder for third parties to see your email traffic.
Unfortunately, it requires you to have an invitation code to create an account. This means you have to know someone who is already using the platform. Even without the code, you can visit the security section to get tips on improving your daily life privacy.
Search Code, Repositories, Users, Issues, Pull Requests
Torch is one of the oldest search engines on the dark web, offering a larger index but fewer filters, which means users must navigate with caution. Haystak offers a more advanced experience, including metadata previews and paid access to deep datasets. These engines are crucial for researchers and privacy advocates looking to explore the dark web beyond popular directories. The Hidden Wiki is a longstanding directory of dark web sites that offers a way to browse onion services.
Is It Legal To Access Dark Websites?
For this reason, it is always better to use a trustworthy VPN for Tor while accessing the Dark Web, as this will provide a robust additional layer of privacy. The Tor network is designed to provide you with privacy and anonymity. That said, most experts agree that at least some nodes on the Tor network have been compromised by intelligence agencies like the CIA and the NSA.
First and foremost, you want a search engine that is private and secure, as well as one that can be used anonymously. Explore the best onion links of 2024 and learn how to navigate the dark web safely while protecting your privacy. These markets sell a range of illegal goods and services, including drugs, weapons, stolen data, and counterfeit items, and they typically require special software like Tor for access. Tor was designed specifically to provide anonymity on the internet, and Tor Onion Services address one of the Tor network’s biggest weaknesses (Tor exit nodes). Using Tor Onion Services is the most anonymous way yet devised to access the world wide web.
Best Tor Websites In 2025 (Dark Web Links)
Set Tor Browser’s security level to “Safest” for critical dark web activity. This disables potentially dangerous features like JavaScript that could reveal your identity. NoScript and HTTPS Everywhere extensions provide additional protection against malicious scripts and unsecured connections.
Some are looking for illegal stuff they can’t buy elsewhere, like drugs or counterfeit documents. As of 2020, nearly 57% of the dark web was estimated to contain illegal content, including violence and extremist platforms. Whether you’re looking for personal advice while shopping on the dark web or you want to discuss a wide range of topics, Dread has you covered.
Ahmia’s .onion link is a search engine that indexes hidden services on the Tor network, allowing users to find .onion sites safely and efficiently. It filters out harmful and illegal content, focusing on legitimate resources and services. Ahmia has become a trusted tool for navigating the Dark Web, with thousands of users relying on it for its transparency and user-reporting features. Ahmia is one of the most respected dark web search engines available today. It filters out illegal and scammy content while indexing only verified .onion links. Built with privacy in mind, Ahmia lets users explore dark web sites without exposing them to risky or harmful pages.
Today, many organizations exist that are created only to handle these reports anonymously and effectively. They know how to process the information and get it to the correct law enforcement agencies internationally. Immediately close your entire Tor Browser window (not just that active tab). Note that engaging with the content in any way is not only distressing but could also put you at legal risk.
It’s also a good idea to set up a VPN for an extra layer of protection. You can access onion sites only through the Tor browser or special network configurations. On the Tor network, the onion domain name reflects the fact that, like the layers of an onion, the Tor browser consists of layers of protection. Tor encrypts traffic, masks your IP address, blocks trackers and browser fingerprinting, and doesn’t store a record of your activity. The best dark web websites provide access to educational materials, host secure services, or bypass censorship.
On average, the marketplace consists of more than 11,000 items and 1000 vendors. Besides this, it supports wallet-less transactions and accepts payments through Bitcoins, Litecoin, Monero, and Zcash. However, you must wait some time to reassess this marketplace because it’s been shut down.
