# How to install and use Electrum over Tor on macOS [![How to install and use Electrum over Tor on macOS](how-to-install-and-use-electrum-over-tor-on-macos.png)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQsAu-9brYY "How to install and use Electrum over Tor on macOS") ## Requirements - Computer running macOS Big Sur or Monterey ## Caveats - When copy/pasting commands that start with `$`, strip out `$` as this character is not part of the command - Press ctrl+c to stop running command before closing “Terminal” app ## Setup guide ### Step 1: install [Homebrew](https://brew.sh/) ```console $ /bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/master/install.sh)" $ uname -m | grep arm64 && echo 'export PATH=$PATH:/opt/homebrew/bin' >> ~/.zshrc && source ~/.zshrc ``` ### Step 2: disable Homebrew analytics ```shell brew analytics off ``` ### Step 3: install [GnuPG](https://gnupg.org/) ```shell brew install gnupg ``` ### Step 4: install [Electrum](https://electrum.org/#home) #### Import ThomasV’s PGP public key ```console $ curl https://raw.githubusercontent.com/spesmilo/electrum/master/pubkeys/ThomasV.asc | gpg --import % Total % Received % Xferd Average Speed Time Time Time Current Dload Upload Total Spent Left Speed 100 4739 100 4739 0 0 29073 0 --:--:-- --:--:-- --:--:-- 29073 gpg: key 0x2BD5824B7F9470E6: public key "Thomas Voegtlin (https://electrum.org) " imported gpg: Total number processed: 1 gpg: imported: 1 ``` imported: 1 👍 #### Download Electrum release Go to https://electrum.org/#download and download latest release and associated PGP signature to `~/Downloads` folder. #### Verify Electrum release (learn how [here](../how-to-verify-pgp-digital-signatures-using-gnupg-on-macos/README.md)) > Heads-up: replace `4.2.1` with [latest release](https://electrum.org/#download) semver. ```console $ gpg --verify ~/Downloads/electrum-4.2.1.dmg.asc gpg: assuming signed data in '/Users/sunknudsen/Downloads/electrum-4.2.1.dmg' gpg: Signature made Sun 27 Mar 12:31:59 2022 EDT gpg: using RSA key 637DB1E23370F84AFF88CCE03152347D07DA627C gpg: Can't check signature: No public key gpg: Signature made Sun 27 Mar 09:55:54 2022 EDT gpg: using RSA key 0EEDCFD5CAFB459067349B23CA9EEEC43DF911DC gpg: Can't check signature: No public key gpg: Signature made Sun 27 Mar 01:57:04 2022 EDT gpg: using RSA key 6694D8DE7BE8EE5631BED9502BD5824B7F9470E6 gpg: Good signature from "Thomas Voegtlin (https://electrum.org) " [unknown] gpg: aka "ThomasV " [unknown] gpg: aka "Thomas Voegtlin " [unknown] gpg: WARNING: This key is not certified with a trusted signature! gpg: There is no indication that the signature belongs to the owner. Primary key fingerprint: 6694 D8DE 7BE8 EE56 31BE D950 2BD5 824B 7F94 70E6 ``` Good signature 👍 #### Install Electrum Double-click “electrum-4.2.1.dmg” and drag-and-drop “Electrum” into “Applications” folder. ### Step 5: install [Tor Browser](https://www.torproject.org/) (used to connect to Electrum public servers over Tor) > Heads-up: using public servers can [compromised privacy of wallet](https://sunknudsen.com/self-hosting-bitcoin-full-node-on-raspberry-pi-updated/) (learn how to self-host Bitcoin node [here](../how-to-self-host-hardened-bitcoin-node/README.md)). #### Import “Tor Browser Developers (signing key)” PGP public key ```console $ gpg --keyserver hkps://keys.openpgp.org --recv-keys 0x4E2C6E8793298290 gpg: key 0x4E2C6E8793298290: public key "Tor Browser Developers (signing key) " imported gpg: Total number processed: 1 gpg: imported: 1 ``` imported: 1 👍 #### Download “Tor Browser” release Go to https://www.torproject.org/download/ and download latest release and associated PGP signature to `~/Downloads` folder. #### Verify “Tor Browser” release (learn how [here](../how-to-verify-pgp-digital-signatures-using-gnupg-on-macos/README.md)) > Heads-up: replace `11.0.10` with [latest release](https://www.torproject.org/download/) semver. ```console $ gpg --verify ~/Downloads/TorBrowser-11.0.10-osx64_en-US.dmg.asc gpg: assuming signed data in '/Users/sunknudsen/Downloads/TorBrowser-11.0.10-osx64_en-US.dmg' gpg: Signature made Tue 5 Apr 20:06:23 2022 EDT gpg: using RSA key 0xE53D989A9E2D47BF gpg: Good signature from "Tor Browser Developers (signing key) " [unknown] gpg: WARNING: This key is not certified with a trusted signature! gpg: There is no indication that the signature belongs to the owner. Primary key fingerprint: EF6E 286D DA85 EA2A 4BA7 DE68 4E2C 6E87 9329 8290 Subkey fingerprint: 6131 88FC 5BE2 176E 3ED5 4901 E53D 989A 9E2D 47BF ``` Good signature 👍 #### Install “Tor Browser” Double-click “TorBrowser-11.0.10-osx64_en-US.dmg” and drag-and-drop “Tor Browser” into “Applications” folder. 👍 --- ## Usage guide ### Step 1: start Tor SOCKSv5 proxy ```console $ /Applications/Tor\ Browser.app/Contents/Resources/TorBrowser/Tor/tor Jun 21 08:20:47.065 [notice] Tor 0.4.5.8 (git-27e5e33d2ca35de8) running on Darwin with Libevent 2.1.11-stable, OpenSSL 1.1.1k, Zlib 1.2.11, Liblzma N/A, Libzstd N/A and Unknown N/A as libc. Jun 21 08:20:47.065 [notice] Tor can't help you if you use it wrong! Learn how to be safe at https://www.torproject.org/download/download#warning Jun 21 08:20:47.065 [notice] Configuration file "/var/tmp/dist/tor/etc/tor/torrc" not present, using reasonable defaults. Jun 21 08:20:47.067 [notice] Opening Socks listener on 127.0.0.1:9050 Jun 21 08:20:47.067 [notice] Opened Socks listener connection (ready) on 127.0.0.1:9050 Jun 21 08:20:47.000 [notice] Bootstrapped 0% (starting): Starting Jun 21 08:20:47.000 [notice] Starting with guard context "default" Jun 21 08:20:48.000 [notice] Bootstrapped 5% (conn): Connecting to a relay Jun 21 08:20:48.000 [notice] Bootstrapped 10% (conn_done): Connected to a relay Jun 21 08:20:48.000 [notice] Bootstrapped 14% (handshake): Handshaking with a relay Jun 21 08:20:49.000 [notice] Bootstrapped 15% (handshake_done): Handshake with a relay done Jun 21 08:20:49.000 [notice] Bootstrapped 75% (enough_dirinfo): Loaded enough directory info to build circuits Jun 21 08:20:49.000 [notice] Bootstrapped 90% (ap_handshake_done): Handshake finished with a relay to build circuits Jun 21 08:20:49.000 [notice] Bootstrapped 95% (circuit_create): Establishing a Tor circuit Jun 21 08:20:51.000 [notice] Bootstrapped 100% (done): Done ``` Done 👍 ### Step 2: start Electrum using Tor SOCKSv5 proxy > Heads-up: append `--testnet` for Testnet. ```shell /Applications/Electrum.app/Contents/MacOS/run_electrum --proxy socks5:127.0.0.1:9050 ```