Tor launcher fails with the 'Tor' exited during startup error on Arch Linux

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When reporting a bug, please include as many of these as possible:

  • Operating System you are using: Arch Linux
  • Tor Browser version: 14.5.8 - October 08 2025
  • Tor Browser Security Level: N.A.
  • Step by step of how you got to the issue, so we can reproduce it (e.g. I opened the browser, typed a url, clicked on (i) icon, then my browser crashed):
$ sudo systemctl start --now tor
$ # Navigate to the directory where Tor browser was untarred
$ ./start-tor-browser.desktop

I am on the latest version of Arch Linux and I have tried to install Tor Browser in 2 ways:

  1. As given in the Arch Linux Wiki:
    1. sudo pacman -S torbrowser-launcher
    2. Edit the /etc/tor/torrcfile
    3. systemctl start --now tor
    4. Launch it from the .desktop file in /etc/share/applications.
  2. As given on the Torproject website
    1. Download the .tar.xz file from the website
    2. Untar it and navigate to the untarred directory
    3. systemctl start –-now tor
    4. Start tor browser from the .desktop file

This seems to be the persistent error in both cases. For my torrc file, I have kept it as it is and appended the following lines to the end of it as given on the Torproject website:

Nickname      <my-name>  # Change "myNiceRelay" to something you like
ContactInfo   <my-email>  # Write your e-mail and be aware it will be published
ORPort        443          # You might use a different port, should you want to
ExitRelay     0
SocksPort     0
Log notice    syslog
DataDirectory /var/lib/tor
User          tor

Having used the Tor Browser on Windows and Ubuntu previously, I’ve never had to do any setup beyond just installing the browser and launching it, so I admit I do not know of any other tweaks which need to be done manually.

Thanks for the help in fixing the issue!

1 Like
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I don’t understand what you’re trying to achieve here. Are you trying to use Tor Browser to browse webpages or are you setting up Tor relays on your computer? The torproject website instruction you cited are for setting up Tor relays and they should no be necessary (nor being applied) for Tor browser to work.

If you only want to browse the web, just unzip the tor browser archive file (.tar.xz) downloaded from torproject download page and launch the .desktop file.

1 Like
3

I just wish to browse the web, don’t wish to set up the relay or anything. I followed the unzip and execute instruction initially but it failed, which led me to believe that setting up relays was necessary.

1 Like
4

This should not be necessary.

Can you try uninstall tor package from the system (using pacman, iirc?), remove all configurations (especially torrc) + former tor browser install folders, and redo the unzip and execute instruction? Maybe even try creating a new linux user and unzip+exec using the new user?

5

It seems a little random. I get this error sometimes. I haven’t used Pacman, I just downloaded the tarball and without installing anything.

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I don’t understand, since you tried to start Tor with systemctl command and tried to edit torrc saved in /etc , that means you have to have installed tor as a system package before?