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To integrate Thunderbird with Tor Browser on Linux, the simplest method is to use browser extensions. One such extension, Torbirdy, is particularly effective on Linux, ensuring secure email communication via the Tor network.
For further instructions on installing the Torbirdy extension and integrating Thunderbird with Tor Browser on Linux, refer to the following Mytour article.
Integrating Thunderbird with Tor Browser on Linux
Note: If Thunderbird is not installed yet, you can visit here to download and install the application.
Download Thunderbird for Linux here: Thunderbird for Linux
Using VPN with Thunderbird and Torbirdy
Tor is a browser primarily focused on user privacy, suitable for those concerned about avoiding government censorship, etc. In simple terms, Tor is the safest browser; however, to ensure privacy and security, the ideal solution is to use VPN in combination with the service.
ExpressVPN is one of the top VPNs available today and works well on the Linux platform.
Download and install ExpressVPN on your machine here: ExpressVPN
Installing the Tor browser package
The Torbirdy extension for Mozilla Thunderbird lacks options and does not connect to the Tor network automatically. Therefore, before using the extension, we need to download and install the Tor browser package for Linux.
To download the latest Tor browser package, visit here: Tor
Next, open a Terminal window by pressing Ctrl + Shift + T or Ctrl + Alt + T.
In the Terminal window, enter the following command to move the session from the Home (-/) directory to the new -/Download directory:
cd -/Downloads
Use the Tar command to extract the Tar browser package in the new directory:
Alternatively:
tar xJvf tor-browser-linux32-*_en-US.tar.xz
Once the extraction process is complete, use the mv command to move the Tor browser files from the Download directory to another directory, such as -/Documents:
mv tor-browser_en-US -/Documents
Finally, close the Terminal window and open the file manager. In the window displayed on the screen, locate and click on Documents, then select tor-brower_en-US.
In the Tor browser directory, double-click on start-tor-browser.desktop to launch the connection tool. Within the Tor browser connection tool, use the UI to log in to the browser.
Note: You need to perform this step before accessing Thunderbird through Torbirdy.
Installing Torbirdy on Thunderbird
Installing Torbirdy on Thunderbird is similar to installing add-ons. First, open your Thunderbird email application, then click on menu =>Add-ons =>Add-ons to open the Extensions window.
In the Thunderbird Extensions window, find and click on the Get Add-ons option. Click on the Install button to be redirected to the official Mozilla Thunderbird Extensions page.
Access the Up & Coming menu, find and click on the see all button to access the search page.
On the search page, type Torbirdy into the search bar and press Enter. Click on the Add to Thunderbird button to add the extension to your application.
Click on the icon displayed in the Thunderbird window, a warning about installing the extension will appear on the screen.
Ignore the warning and click the Install button to add Torbirdy to Thunderbird. Then, go back to the add-on manager window by accessing menu => Add-ons => Add-ons and click the Restart button within the Torbirdy extension.
After the Thunderbird email application restarts, make sure the Tor connection software is running and connected to the network, and you can send emails directly through the Tor network.
Uninstalling the Torbirdy Extension
If you prefer not to use the Torbirdy extension, you can easily remove it by accessing the extension menu, finding Torbirdy, and clicking Remove to uninstall the extension. Alternatively, to disable Torbirdy, click Disable.
This article from Mytour has just guided you on integrating Thunderbird into the Tor browser on Linux. If you have any queries or questions that need clarification, readers can leave their comments below the post.
