# Administrator vs root and Tor Browser
**URL:** https://forum.torproject.org/t/administrator-vs-root-and-tor-browser/2954
**Category:** Tor Browser Desktop
**Created:** [April 12, 2022, 4:25am UTC](https://forum.torproject.org/t/administrator-vs-root-and-tor-browser/2954 "2022-04-12T04:25:30Z")
**Posts on this page:** 6
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@for\_merlin](https://forum.torproject.org/u/for_merlin)
#### Post date: [April 12, 2022, 4:25am UTC](https://forum.torproject.org/t/administrator-vs-root-and-tor-browser/2954/1 "2022-04-12T04:25:30Z")
I have used TOR for more than 15 years on Windows since XP and several versions of Linux starting with Red Hat 6.1. I have always wondered why running Tor Browser on all versions of Windows since XP as Administrator works out of the box. Yet every version of Linux does not. Tor Browser will not run on Linux as root. WHY?? AFAICT Windows Administrator and Linux root are both at the top of their respective user trees.
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### Author:  [@lepton](https://forum.torproject.org/u/lepton)
#### Post date: [April 14, 2022, 10:09am UTC](https://forum.torproject.org/t/administrator-vs-root-and-tor-browser/2954/2 "2022-04-14T10:09:16Z")
Running a web browser, or indeed any non-admin tool, as root, is absolutely not recommended.
Why do you need to run the Tor browser as root?
(maybe you have another problem, and you think the solution requires running Tor browser as root).
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### Author:  [@for\_merlin](https://forum.torproject.org/u/for_merlin)
#### Post date: [April 19, 2022, 9:09pm UTC](https://forum.torproject.org/t/administrator-vs-root-and-tor-browser/2954/3 "2022-04-19T21:09:26Z")
I did NOT ask what was or was not recommended. But, since you brought it up as I am the ONLY user of my computer(s) cellphones etc. why does Tor force me to create a lower privileged account just to run Tor?? The more accounts on a system the more opportunities for penetration.
I asked why I have been allowed to run Tor as the system Administrator in ALL versions of Windows since XP and am NOT allowed to runTor as root in a Linux.
Merlin
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> **From:** lepton via Tor Project Forum [notifications@torproject1.discoursemail.com](mailto:notifications@torproject1.discoursemail.com)
> **Sent:** Thursday, April 14, 2022 3:19 AM
> **To:** [for\_merlin@msn.com](mailto:for_merlin@msn.com) [for\_merlin@msn.com](mailto:for_merlin@msn.com)
> **Subject:** [Tor Project Forum] [Support/Tor Browser Desktop] Administrator vs root and Tor Browser
>
> |  | [lepton](https://forum.torproject.org/u/lepton)
> April 14 |
> | --- | --- |
>
> Running a web browser, or indeed any non-admin tool, as root, is absolutely not recommended.
>
> Why do you need to run the Tor browser as root?
> (maybe you have another problem, and you think the solution requires running Tor browser as root).
>
> [Visit Topic](https://forum.torproject.org/t/administrator-vs-root-and-tor-browser/2954/2) or reply to this email to respond.
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### Author:  [@atari](https://forum.torproject.org/u/atari)
#### Post date: [April 20, 2022, 4:41am UTC](https://forum.torproject.org/t/administrator-vs-root-and-tor-browser/2954/4 "2022-04-20T04:41:49Z")
Tor & Linux as well stick to the principle of least privilege and you should try to do so too:
> **[Principle of least privilege](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Principle_of_least_privilege)**
>
> In information security, computer science, and other fields, the principle of least privilege (PoLP), also known as the principle of minimal privilege (PoMP) or the principle of least authority (PoLA), requires that in a particular abstraction layer of a computing environment, every module (such as a process, a user, or a program, depending on the subject) must be able to access only the information and resources that are necessary for its legitimate purpose.
> The principle means giving any users...
But good thing is, both are open source and if you have the inexplicable desire to run everything like you are on an isolated 80s personal computer, you can do so by “fixing” it…
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### Author:  [@lepton](https://forum.torproject.org/u/lepton)
#### Post date: [April 24, 2022, 11:30am UTC](https://forum.torproject.org/t/administrator-vs-root-and-tor-browser/2954/5 "2022-04-24T11:30:23Z")
You should not confuse Windows Administrator with Linux root. They are not the same, and if you don’t understand the differences then you won’t understand why it will not work.
It’s not about Tor or Tor Browser. Most modern linux distributions do everything they possibly can to prevent root from running X programs and even from running the X server as root. So your question/problem is not even about Tor Browser.
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### Author:  [@system](https://forum.torproject.org/u/system)
#### Post date: [April 25, 2022, 1:53pm UTC](https://forum.torproject.org/t/administrator-vs-root-and-tor-browser/2954/6 "2022-04-25T13:53:43Z")
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