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Asked: 2024-09-24T22:59:35+05:30 In:

How can I create a shortcut for the Tor Browser that is accessible from both the application menu and the run dialog in Ubuntu?

I’ve been trying to figure out how to create a shortcut for the Tor Browser on my Ubuntu system, and I’m hitting a bit of a wall here. So, I thought I’d reach out and see if anyone could help me out. I’m looking for a way to make the Tor Browser accessible not just from the application menu but also through the run dialog. I mean, it’s kind of a hassle to navigate through the menus every time I want to launch it, especially when I often need to access it quickly.

I’ve tried creating a desktop entry file in the applications folder but ran into some issues with permissions. I also played around with the settings in the run dialog, but it seems like it only shows those applications that are already part of the system or installed in a certain way. Ugh! There has to be a straightforward way to do this, right? I’m sure many of you have figured this out already, and I’d really appreciate any insights you might have!

It’s worth mentioning that I’ve got the Tor Browser installed, and it’s running fine. My main thing right now is just wanting to set up that shortcut. I know the command to launch it – that’s not the problem – it’s more about the accessibility aspect. I just want to be able to type something like “Tor” in the run dialog (you know, hitting Alt + F2 is so quick) and have it pop up without any hassle.

If you’ve done this before, what steps did you take? Are there any specific locations where I should be placing files or any special commands I should be using? I’m relatively new to customizing things on Ubuntu, so I’m not entirely sure how flexible I can be with configurations. Any help or tips would be awesome! Thanks a ton in advance!

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    1. How to Create a Tor Browser Shortcut on Ubuntu

      Creating a Tor Browser Shortcut

      So, you’re looking to make it easier to launch the Tor Browser on your Ubuntu system? I totally get it; having to dig through menus can be a pain!

      Here’s a simple way to create a desktop entry for the Tor Browser that should work for you:

      1. First, you need to create a new desktop entry file. Open your terminal and type the following command:
        2. nano ~/.local/share/applications/torbrowser.desktop
      2. Now, when that opens up, you’ll want to copy and paste this into the file:
        3. [Desktop Entry]
Version=1.0
Name=Tor Browser
Comment=Browse the Internet anonymously
Exec=/path/to/tor-browser_en-US/start-tor-browser
Terminal=false
Icon=/path/to/tor-browser_en-US/Browser/chrome/icons/default/default128.png
Type=Application
Categories=Network;WebBrowser;

        (Make sure to replace /path/to/tor-browser_en-US with the actual path where you installed the Tor Browser!)

      3. After you’ve added that, save the file by pressing CTRL + X, then Y, and hit Enter.
      4. You may need to give it execute permissions. In the terminal, run:
        5. chmod +x ~/.local/share/applications/torbrowser.desktop
      5. Now, try hitting Alt + F2 and type in torbrowser. It should pop up!

      If it still doesn’t show up, you might want to check the “Permissions” and make sure the file is executable. You can right-click on the file in your file manager, go to “Properties,” then the “Permissions” tab, and check the box for “Allow executing file as program.”

      And that should do it! Now you can quickly launch Tor Browser from the run dialog. Let me know if this works or if you hit any snags!


    2. To create a shortcut for the Tor Browser on your Ubuntu system that allows you to launch it quickly from the run dialog (Alt + F2), you’ll need to create a `.desktop` file. This file needs to be placed in either the `~/.local/share/applications/` directory for user-specific applications, or the `/usr/share/applications/` directory for system-wide availability. To create a new `.desktop` file, open a terminal and navigate to the appropriate directory. Use a text editor to create a new file named `tor-browser.desktop` and add the following content:

      [Desktop Entry]
Version=1.0
Name=Tor Browser
Comment=Browse the Internet anonymously
Exec=/path/to/tor-browser/start-tor-browser
Terminal=false
Icon=/path/to/tor-browser/Browser/Icons/mozicon128.png
Type=Application
Categories=Network;WebBrowser;

      Make sure to replace `/path/to/tor-browser/` with the actual path where the Tor Browser is installed. After saving the file, you’ll want to ensure that it has executable permissions. You can do this by running `chmod +x ~/.local/share/applications/tor-browser.desktop` in the terminal. Once this is done, you should be able to search for “Tor” in the run dialog to launch it quickly. If you encounter any issues related to permissions, double-check that your user has the necessary rights to access the `.desktop` file and consider reinstalling the Tor Browser if needed.

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