Tails 7.4, a new version of the privacy-focused Linux distro that routes all internet connections through the Tor network, is now available.
The most notable change is the introduction of persistent language, keyboard layout, and format settings. Users can now save these preferences directly from the Welcome Screen to the USB stick, so they are applied automatically on subsequent boots.
To make this feature practical during early startup, the saved language and format settings are stored unencrypted on the USB stick. This design choice allows users to more easily type the passphrase for their Persistent Storage before decryption is available.
In addition, the Tails developers emphasize that only these basic settings are stored in this way, with no additional personal data included.
Tails 7.4 also updates several core components. Tor Browser has been upgraded to version 15.0.4, while Thunderbird now ships as version 140.6. The underlying system moves to Linux kernel 6.12.63, bringing upstream fixes and security improvements.
On top of that, the Tails project dropped support for BitTorrent downloads. With the broader ecosystem transitioning from BitTorrent v1 to v2, the project concluded that maintaining v2 torrents would introduce additional complexity and long-term maintenance overhead. Direct downloads from official mirrors remain the recommended and typically faster installation method.
Finally, several bugs have been addressed in the update. The release fixes issues with opening GPG-encrypted files in Kleopatra via the file manager, resolves a desktop crash triggered by unlocking VeraCrypt volumes with an incorrect password, and ensures consistent use of the 24-hour time format across the top navigation bar and lock screen.
For those already running Tails 7.0 or later, automatic upgrades to 7.4 are available. However, if the upgrade fails or Tails doesn’t start correctly afterward, the project recommends performing a manual upgrade using their documented method.
For full technical details, refer to the changelog or the release announcement.
