Why do websites make me solve CAPTCHAs or warn me about spyware when using Tor?
Some websites require Tor users to solve CAPTCHAs or display warnings about unusual activity. This happens because many people share the same Tor exit relays, not because Tor itself is unsafe.
When you use Tor Browser, your traffic exits through shared Tor exit relays. Thousands of users around the world may be using the same relay IP address at the same time.
Websites often interpret this as unusual activity, for example:
- Many automated requests or logins from a single IP address.
- Traffic patterns that resemble bots, crawlers, or malware.
As a result, some sites present CAPTCHAs, temporary blocks, or even display warnings about “suspicious” or “infected” traffic.
What you can do
- Try a new circuit: In Tor Browser, choose "New Circuit for this Site" to get a different exit relay (and therefore a different IP address).
- Wait and try later: These warnings are often temporary, and usually clear up when traffic levels at a relay return to normal.
- Use alternative services: Some search engines and websites (like DuckDuckGo) are friendlier to Tor users and rarely trigger CAPTCHAs.
Important to know
- These warnings do not mean Tor Browser is spyware or that your device is infected.
- Websites are responding to the shared nature of exit relays, not your individual activity.
- To our knowledge, most large websites are not specifically trying to block Tor - their automated abuse detection systems simply can't tell Tor traffic apart from suspicious traffic.