Official .onion Addresses, Verified (2026)

Which onion addresses are official?

The list covers ProPublica, the CIA, Proton Mail, the Internet Archive, the Tor Project, Debian and the SecureDrop tip lines of The New York Times, The Guardian and The Washington Post, among others. Every row links to the page where the organisation itself publishes the address. For news tip lines we used the SecureDrop directory, which Freedom of the Press Foundation checks against each newsroom's own landing page SecureDrop directory (checked 11 Oct 2026). If an organisation changes its address, its own page wins over this table.

Found an address elsewhere? Check it against this list ↓

Official onion addresses, verified 2026-10-11
Organisation and type	Onion address	Where the organisation publishes it, and notes	Verified
News and press-freedom tip lines
ProPublicaMain websiteNews	`p53lf57qovyuvwsc6xnrppyply3vtqm7l6pcobkmyqsiofyeznfu5uqd.onion`	ProPublica Nerd Blog post on its onion siteProPublica says recent Tor Browser and Brave versions tell you about its .onion when you visit propublica.org.	2026-10-11
ProPublicaSecureDrop tip lineNews · SecureDrop	`33xu4yhum2eiisxm6fntaslayop76fvaqgt3ak5dakdm3t7cub25cead.onion`	ProPublica tips pageOnion name propublica.securedrop.tor.onion. The same address is in the SecureDrop directory.	2026-10-11
The New York TimesSecureDrop tip lineNews · SecureDrop	`ej3kv4ebuugcmuwxctx5ic7zxh73rnxt42soi3tdneu2c2em55thufqd.onion`	SecureDrop directory entry (landing page: nytimes.com/tips)Onion name nytimes.securedrop.tor.onion. This is the tip line, not the news site.	2026-10-11
The GuardianSecureDrop tip lineNews · SecureDrop	`xp44cagis447k3lpb4wwhcqukix6cgqokbuys24vmxmbzmaq2gjvc2yd.onion`	SecureDrop directory entry (landing page: theguardian.com/securedrop)Onion name theguardian.securedrop.tor.onion. This is the tip line, not the news site.	2026-10-11
The Washington PostSecureDrop tip lineNews · SecureDrop	`vfnmxpa6fo4jdpyq3yneqhglluweax2uclvxkytfpmpkp5rsl75ir5qd.onion`	SecureDrop directory entry (landing page: washingtonpost.com/securedrop)Onion name washingtonpost.securedrop.tor.onion. This is the tip line, not the news site.	2026-10-11
Freedom of the Press Foundationsecuredrop.org websitePress freedom	`sdolvtfhatvsysc6l34d65ymdwxcujausv7k5jk4cy5ttzhjoi6fzvyd.onion`	securedrop.org footer ("Tor address")The site that runs the SecureDrop directory.	2026-10-11
Government
CIAMain websiteGovernment	`ciadotgov4sjwlzihbbgxnqg3xiyrg7so2r2o3lt5wz5ypk4sxyjstad.onion`	CIA story "CIA’s Latest Layer: An Onion Site"The CIA Contact page also carries an onion-location tag pointing to this address.	2026-10-11
Email, VPN and browser
ProtonProton MailEmail	`protonmailrmez3lotccipshtkleegetolb73fuirgj7r4o4vfu7ozyd.onion`	Proton blog post on Tor and emailProton gives it with https:// and publishes the certificate fingerprints on the same page.	2026-10-11
Riseupriseup.net websiteEmail · collective	`vww6ybal4bd7szmgncyruucpgfkqahzddi37ktceo3ah7ngmcopnpyyd.onion`	Riseup Tor page (PGP-signed list)Riseup publishes its onion list as a PGP-signed message. help.riseup.net uses the same address.	2026-10-11
Riseupmail.riseup.net (webmail and mail servers)Email · collective	`5gdvpfoh6kb2iqbizb37lzk2ddzrwa47m6rpdueg2m656fovmbhoptqd.onion`	Riseup Tor page (PGP-signed list)Riseup lists ports 25, 80, 110, 143, 465, 587, 993 and 995 for this address.	2026-10-11
Mullvadmullvad.net websitePrivacy (VPN)	`o54hon2e2vj6c7m3aqqu6uyece65by3vgoxxhlqlsvkmacw6a7m7kiad.onion`	Mullvad blog post, and the mullvad.net footerChanged in 2021 when Mullvad moved to v3. Mullvad says the current address is always in its site footer.	2026-10-11
Bravebrave.com websiteSoftware (browser)	`brave4u7jddbv7cyviptqjc7jusxh72uik7zt6adtckl5f4nwy2v72qd.onion`	Brave blog post on its onion serviceBrave says its address "has been updated" to this one, so older Brave onion links are out of date.	2026-10-11
Privacy software and operating systems
Tor Projectwww.torproject.orgSoftware	`2gzyxa5ihm7nsggfxnu52rck2vv4rvmdlkiu3zzui5du4xyclen53wid.onion`	onion.torproject.orgThe Tor Project lists every onion service it runs on onion.torproject.org.	2026-10-11
Tor Projectsupport.torproject.orgSoftware	`rzuwtpc4wb3xdzrj3yeajsvm3fkq4vbeubm2tdxaqruzzzgs5dwemlad.onion`	onion.torproject.orgTor Browser help and FAQ.	2026-10-11
Tailstails.netSoftware (OS)	`tzoz3bensgxyzs7da7lpgsn3a74h7hlbm4wa6ytq2tg6ktd57w22vqqd.onion`	onion.torproject.orgListed on the Tor Project’s list of the onion services it runs.	2026-10-11
Debianwww.debian.orgSoftware (OS)	`5ekxbftvqg26oir5wle3p27ax3wksbxcecnm6oemju7bjra2pn26s3qd.onion`	onion.debian.orgDebian lists its other onion services, including the ftp.debian.org package archive, on the same page.	2026-10-11
Qubes OSqubes-os.org websiteSoftware (OS)	`qubesosfasa4zl44o4tws22di6kepyzfeqv3tg4e3ztknltfxqrymdad.onion`	qubes-os.org footer ("Tor onion service")Qubes pages also carry an onion-location tag pointing to this address.	2026-10-11
Whonixwhonix.org websiteSoftware (OS)	`dds6qkxpwdeubwucdiaord2xgbbeyds25rbsgr73tbfpqpt4a6vjwsyd.onion`	Whonix wiki: Forcing .onion on ProjectWhonix says whonix.org sets the Onion-Location header.	2026-10-11
Archives and human rights
Internet Archivearchive.orgArchive	`archivep75mbjunhxc6x4j5mwjmomyxb573v42baldlqu56ruil2oiad.onion`	Internet Archive Help CenterThe same address is on the Internet Archive blog (11 Mar 2026).	2026-10-11
Amnesty Internationalamnesty.orgHuman rights	`amnestyl337aduwuvpf57irfl54ggtnuera45ygcxzuftwxjvvmpuzqd.onion`	Amnesty news release on its Tor launchAmnesty gives it as https://www. followed by the address.	2026-10-11

Missing BBC News, Facebook, DuckDuckGo or the main New York Times site? See why they are not in the table yet.

Is this onion address on the list?

Paste a full address, a link (with or without http://, www. or a path) or a SecureDrop onion name such as nytimes.securedrop.tor.onion.

The checker recomputes the v3 checksum with the same engine as our Onion Page Pivot Extractor, which can also check every onion address in a saved page at once. A valid checksum only proves the address is well-formed. It does not prove who runs it, so the list comparison is what matters.

Why use an official list instead of an onion link directory?

Organisations run onion versions of their sites so readers can reach them through Tor. That helps where the normal site is blocked or watched, and it hides the reader's location from the site. The catch is that onion addresses can't be checked the way domain names can. Tor's own help page says "the address of an onion service is automatically generated, so the operators do not need to purchase a domain name" Tor Browser support (checked 11 Oct 2026). There is no registrar, so nobody can tell you who owns an address.

That makes copies cheap. Anyone can set up a lookalike page on a fresh address and post it in a link directory. Many of these copy the first few characters of the real address, because most people only glance at the start. The fix is to take the address from the organisation's own HTTPS site, or from a list like this one that links to it, and compare all 56 characters. The steps are in the next section.

For investigators: our Tor and onion OpSec guide covers setting up Tor Browser, Tails or Whonix safely. The dark web OSINT guide covers researching onion sites. To check whether an IP address is a Tor relay or exit node, use the Tor Relay Lookup.

How do I check an onion address is real?

Start from the organisation's normal HTTPS website. Type the web address yourself or use a bookmark, not a search result. Then look for its onion address in the footer, a help page or a tips page. SecureDrop's guidance calls HTTPS "the number-one security requirement" for these pages SecureDrop docs: landing page (checked 11 Oct 2026).
Look for ".onion available" in Tor Browser. When a site advertises its onion version, "a purple suggestion pill will prompt at the URL bar in Tor Browser displaying '.onion available'" Tor Browser support (checked 11 Oct 2026). Clicking it takes you to the onion site the real domain points to. More on this below.
Compare all 56 characters. "An onion address consists of 56 letters and numbers, followed by '.onion'" Tor Browser support (checked 11 Oct 2026). Check the middle as well as the start and end. Paste it into the checker above: it flags look-alikes of the addresses on this page and highlights the characters that differ.
Check the checksum. The last characters of a v3 address include a checksum, so a single wrong character almost always makes it invalid. The checker above and the Onion Pivot Extractor both test it. A pass only means the address is well-formed, not that it is the right one.
Use a signed or second official source when there is one. Riseup publishes its onion list as a PGP-signed message Riseup (checked 11 Oct 2026). You can check the signature with our PGP Key Inspector. The Tor Project Tor Project onion list (checked 11 Oct 2026) and Debian Debian onion list (checked 11 Oct 2026) each keep a full list of the onion services they run.
Treat 16-character addresses as dead. Tor says the older v2 format no longer works on today's Tor network Tor Browser support (checked 11 Oct 2026). A list that still offers v2 links hasn't been checked in years.
Bookmark it once you have checked it. Then use the bookmark, and don't search for the address again each time. If an organisation moves to a new address, it announces it on its own site. Mullvad Mullvad (8 Jul 2021) and Brave Brave (5 Oct 2020, updated) both did this.

Why do news sites run onion services?

The organisations on this list give their reasons on the pages we link to. Three recur: getting around censorship, protecting readers' privacy, and giving sources a safe way to get in touch.

Reader privacy. ProPublica wrote: "Our readers should never need to worry that somebody else is watching what they're doing on our site." It launched its onion site partly because it reports on "media censorship, digital privacy and surveillance" ProPublica (updated 15 Dec 2021).
Censorship. Amnesty International launched its onion site to reach people where "government censorship and digital surveillance are rife" Amnesty International (5 Dec 2023). Proton said "censorship of Proton Mail in certain countries is not a matter of if, but a matter of when" Proton (19 Jan 2017).
Reaching people at risk. The CIA said its global mission "demands that individuals can access us securely from anywhere" CIA (7 May 2019). Brave wanted to reach users "who could be in a situation where learning about and retrieving Brave browser is problematic" Brave (5 Oct 2020, updated).
Protecting metadata. Brave noted that onion services "protect users' metadata, such as their real location" Brave (5 Oct 2020, updated). Whonix adds that its onion service gives end-to-end encryption that doesn't depend on "TLS certificate authorities and the mainstream Domain Name System" Whonix wiki (checked 11 Oct 2026).
Anonymous tips. "SecureDrop is an open-source whistleblower submission system that media organizations can install to securely accept documents from anonymous sources" SecureDrop directory (checked 11 Oct 2026). Sources reach it as an onion service. The directory warns: "If the .onion address information on The Guardian's landing page below does not match our records, do not contact this SecureDrop" SecureDrop directory (checked 11 Oct 2026).

What is Onion-Location?

Onion-Location is how a normal website tells Tor Browser where its onion version lives. The Tor Project calls it "an easy way to advertise an onion site to the users" Tor Project: Onion-Location (checked 11 Oct 2026). A site can send it as an HTTP header or as an HTML meta tag Tor Project: Onion-Location (checked 11 Oct 2026).

It works as a check because of two rules. "The webpage defining the Onion-Location header must be served over HTTPS", and it "must not be an onion site" Tor Project: Onion-Location (checked 11 Oct 2026). So the pointer comes from the organisation's real, encrypted domain, and a link directory can't fake it. When Tor Browser sees it, the purple ".onion available" pill appears Tor Browser support (checked 11 Oct 2026). Whonix notes that Tor Browser 9.5 and later also has an opt-in setting to use onion sites automatically for participating websites Whonix wiki (checked 11 Oct 2026).

On our list, Whonix documents that it sets the header Whonix wiki (checked 11 Oct 2026). ProPublica says Tor Browser and Brave "automatically let you know about our .onion URL" ProPublica (updated 15 Dec 2021). The page source of the CIA's Contact page CIA Contact page source (checked 11 Oct 2026) and of the Qubes OS site Qubes OS site footer (checked 11 Oct 2026) includes an onion-location meta tag naming the same address as in the table.

What are onion names like nytimes.securedrop.tor.onion?

They are short aliases for SecureDrop tip lines. SecureDrop's documentation describes them as "short, memorable addresses that visitors can use to access an onion service", in the form organization.securedrop.tor.onion SecureDrop docs: onion names (checked 11 Oct 2026). Tor Browser converts the name to the full address using "a custom, signed ruleset" that it updates automatically SecureDrop docs: onion names (checked 11 Oct 2026).

Freedom of the Press Foundation only gives onion names to SecureDrop instances that use v3 onion services and are in the SecureDrop directory SecureDrop docs: onion names (checked 11 Oct 2026). Two limits apply. "Onion names are currently not supported by the mobile version of Tor Browser, or by any other browser." And the name doesn't replace the full address: SecureDrop recommends that newsrooms list both on their landing page SecureDrop docs: onion names (checked 11 Oct 2026). The checker above understands the four onion names on this list.

Why aren’t BBC News, Facebook or DuckDuckGo on this list?

Because we only list an address we could read on the organisation's own page and copy exactly. A blank is safer than a wrong address. On 11 October 2026:

BBC News and The New York Times main site. Both have announced onion sites, but our verification reader could not open their pages, so we didn't copy the addresses. The New York Times tip line is in the table, sourced from the SecureDrop directory SecureDrop directory (checked 11 Oct 2026).
Facebook. We found no page on a Meta site that we could read and that prints the address.
DuckDuckGo. Its help page says it offers "a Tor onion service", but doesn't print the address DuckDuckGo Help (checked 11 Oct 2026).
DW (Deutsche Welle). We found no DW page giving the address.

The Tor Project's Onion Services page features onion sites from BBC News, Facebook and DW, among others Tor Project: Onion Services (checked 11 Oct 2026). Until we can confirm those addresses on the organisations' own pages, use the Tor Project's page as a second opinion. Better still, open the organisation's normal website in Tor Browser and look for the ".onion available" pill.

Sources

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need Tor Browser to open a .onion address?

Yes, or another browser that connects through Tor, such as a Brave private window with Tor. Onion services are only reachable through the Tor network, so a normal browser cannot open a .onion link. SecureDrop onion names such as nytimes.securedrop.tor.onion only work in desktop Tor Browser.

Why are onion addresses 56 characters long?

A v3 onion address is the service’s 32-byte ed25519 public key, a 2-byte checksum and a version byte of 3, written in base32. That comes to 56 characters before .onion. Because the address is the key, nobody else can run a service at the same address, but anyone can make a new address that looks similar.

What happened to the short 16-character onion addresses?

Those were v2 onion addresses. The Tor Project says the v2 format no longer works on the Tor network, so a 16-character link cannot be opened. If a list still offers v2 links, it has not been checked in years.

Can an official onion address change?

Yes. Mullvad changed its address in 2021 when it moved to v3 onion services, and Brave announced an updated address on its blog. SecureDrop tip lines can also move. Always confirm on the organisation’s own site, and treat old bookmarks and link lists, including this one, as a starting point.

Is the onion version of a site safer than the normal HTTPS site?

It protects different things. Your traffic stays inside Tor and the site does not learn your IP address or location, and the connection does not rely on certificate authorities or DNS. It does not make you anonymous if you log in or share identifying details, and a fake onion site is as dangerous as a fake website.

Does the checker on this page contact the onion site?

No. It runs entirely in your browser. It recomputes the v3 SHA3-256 checksum locally and compares the address with the list embedded in this page. Nothing you paste is sent anywhere, and the onion site is never contacted.

Is it legal to visit these official onion sites?

The sites on this list are the onion versions of public websites run by news organisations, companies, open-source projects and a government agency. Whether using Tor is allowed depends on where you are, and some countries block or restrict it. Check local law if you are unsure. This page is not legal advice.

How often is this list checked?

Every address on this page was read on the organisation’s own page and checksum-tested on 11 October 2026, the date shown in each row. When we re-check, the date changes and a note says what changed. If an address here ever differs from the organisation’s own page, trust the organisation.