Install Tails OS on a USB Flash drive

Walkthrough: How to Install Tails OS on a USB Pendrive

Step 1: Download Tails OS

1. Go to the Tails official website and download the latest version of Tails OS.

2. Choose the right download option for your system (Direct Download or Torrent).

3. Once downloaded, verify the integrity of the ISO file (optional but recommended for security).

Step 2: Prepare a USB Pendrive

1. Get a USB pendrive with at least 8GB of space.

2. Backup all important files from the USB because installing Tails will erase all data.

Step 3: Install Tails Using a Tails Installer (On an existing Tails OS or Linux)

1. If you already have Tails or another Linux system:

Insert the USB into your machine.

Open the Tails Installer from the applications menu.

In the "Target Device" section, select your USB pendrive.

Click "Install" and wait for the process to complete.

Step 4: Install Tails Using Etcher (On Windows, macOS, or Linux)

1. Download Etcher from the Etcher website.

2. Install and run Etcher.

3. Click "Flash from file", then select the Tails ISO you downloaded.

4. Choose your USB drive as the target.

5. Click "Flash" to start the installation.

Wait for the flashing process to complete (this may take a few minutes).

Step 5: Booting into Tails from the USB Pendrive

1. Insert the USB into your computer.

2. Restart your computer and enter the BIOS/UEFI settings.

To access BIOS, you usually need to press a specific key (like F2, F12, ESC, or DEL) right after powering on your computer.

3. In BIOS/UEFI, locate the boot order settings.

4. Set your USB pendrive as the primary boot device.

5. Save changes and exit the BIOS/UEFI.

Step 6: Start Using Tails OS

1. After restarting, your computer should now boot into Tails OS from the USB.

2. Follow the initial Tails setup (choose your language, configure your settings).

3. You are now running Tails OS with all the privacy and anonymity features it provides.

Optional: Persistent Storage Setup

1. Tails allows you to set up persistent storage on your USB drive.

Open the Tails Persistence Setup from the applications menu.

Follow the on-screen instructions to set up an encrypted persistent partition, allowing you to save certain files and settings across sessions.

2. Restart Tails and enable persistent storage during login.