Tails 7.11 is the latest Tails OS release checked on August 22, 2026. For a new normal installation, use the official USB image workflow. Use the ISO when the official instructions call for a virtual machine or DVD, and use Tails Upgrader or the current manual upgrade guide when you already have a working Tails USB. Always verify the download before writing or booting it.
What is the latest Tails OS version?
The latest release is Tails 7.11, published on August 5, 2026. The official release note describes it as a security release that updates the Linux kernel to 6.12.100 and addresses CVE-2026-64560. It also updates Expat to 2.8.2, corresponding to DSA-6404-1. These details explain why the version matters, but they do not change the basic download decision: use the official Tails page and the file type required by your workflow.
The official download page currently presents USB and ISO images at about 1.8 GB for the amd64/x86-64 platform. Treat that size as a page-level reference, not a checksum. File size, hashes, mirrors, and supported hardware can change, so compare the live official page again immediately before downloading.
Tails 7.11 also makes the USB image and automatic upgrade data smaller than earlier releases. A smaller package can reduce transfer time, but it does not make an interrupted download trustworthy. A completed download still needs the official verification step before it is written to a USB or attached to a virtual machine.
- Current checked release: Tails 7.11.
- Release date: August 5, 2026.
- Security-related updates include Linux kernel and Expat fixes.
- Check the live official page for current size, hashes, and file links.
This page records the official pages checked on August 22, 2026. If tails.net shows a newer release later, use that release as the authority and do not rely on an older filename or image size copied from a guide.
Choose the correct Tails download
The most common mistake is choosing a file based on its name instead of the job you need to complete. A new physical installation, a virtual machine test, and an upgrade of an existing USB are different workflows. The table below keeps the boundary clear and points each case to the matching guide on this site.
For a normal Tails session, a dedicated USB remains the default path. The USB image is written to removable media and then started from the computer's one-time boot menu. An ISO is useful for a virtual machine, a DVD, or a specific advanced workflow, but a virtual machine changes the security boundary because the host operating system and hypervisor remain part of the environment.
If you already have a working Tails USB, do not erase it simply because a new image exists. Read the current upgrade documentation, back up important Persistent Storage data, and use the automatic or manual path supported for the installed release.
| Your goal | Use | Next step |
|---|---|---|
| Create a new physical Tails USB | Official USB image and installer | Follow the Tails OS USB guide |
| Run Tails in a VM or use a DVD | Official ISO when supported | Read the Tails OS ISO and VM limits |
| Keep an existing Tails USB current | Tails Upgrader or manual upgrade | Back up Persistent Storage first |
| Check a file before writing it | Official verification flow | Do not boot or write an unverified image |
A bootable Tails workflow writes the image using the method described by the official instructions. Dragging an ISO into a USB folder does not create the same bootable media.
How to update an existing Tails USB
A new release does not automatically mean that you should rebuild a working drive. Start by opening the official upgrade documentation and comparing the installed version with the supported upgrade path. Connect to a reliable network, let Tor finish connecting, and read the displayed release information before accepting an automatic upgrade.
Back up important files from Persistent Storage to a separate protected device before updating. Supported upgrade methods are designed to preserve persistent data, but a failing flash drive, a power interruption, an incomplete write, or a mistaken device choice can still cause loss. The backup is what gives you room to stop and recover without guessing.
If Tails Upgrader does not offer the path, the installed release is too old, or the USB reports errors, switch to the current manual instructions. Do not download a similarly named file from an advertisement or forum, and do not bypass verification just to finish faster.
- 1
Check the official release
Compare the version displayed in Tails with the current release and upgrade notes on tails.net.
- 2
Back up Persistent Storage
Copy important files to a separate device and confirm that the backup can be opened before changing the USB.
- 3
Try the supported automatic path
Connect to Tor, review the updater prompt, keep power connected, and let the download and verification complete.
- 4
Use the manual path when needed
If the automatic route is unavailable or the drive is unreliable, follow the official manual recovery or upgrade procedure.
- 5
Test after restart
Confirm the release number, Tor connection, hardware, Persistent Storage, and the files you actually need.
Use the upgraded drive more than once, including a cold boot on the computer you plan to use. A release can be installed correctly while a separate firmware, port, Wi-Fi, or storage problem still affects your real session.
Download and verify Tails 7.11 safely
Use the official Tails download page as the destination for the current USB or ISO file. The page may redirect you to an official mirror; that is different from using a random download site. Keep the browser address, release page, and file type aligned so you know which product you intended to obtain.
After the download completes, run the verification method shown by the official Tails workflow. A successful check gives you evidence that the file matches the published release. A failed check is a stop sign: do not write the image, attach it to a VM, or assume that a second download with a similar name is safe.
For a new USB, follow the platform-specific installer and identify the whole removable drive before writing. For an ISO, follow the VM or DVD instructions and remember that a virtual machine does not reproduce the same hardware isolation as a dedicated USB.
- Start from tails.net, not an advertisement or an unverified mirror.
- Compare the file type with your goal before saving it.
- Verify the file before writing or booting it.
- Keep the official release page available while troubleshooting.
| Check | What it answers | Safe response |
|---|---|---|
| Official source | Did the file come from the intended project path? | Use tails.net and its documented download flow |
| Verification result | Does the file match the published release? | Proceed only after a successful check |
| Target device | Will the write erase the correct removable drive? | Identify the complete device and back it up first |
| First boot | Does the finished media work on the target computer? | Test before using it for important work |
What Tails 7.11 does not guarantee
A current version improves the software baseline; it does not make every computer compatible or every activity anonymous. Firmware, a compromised host, a personal account, unique documents, browser behavior, physical observation, and network conditions can still expose information. Treat Tails as one part of a broader threat model.
Persistent Storage is optional encrypted storage on a Tails USB. It is not a guarantee that an unlocked session, a damaged drive, or a careless backup will be safe. Keep only what you need, protect the passphrase, and maintain an independent backup for irreplaceable files.
This site is an independent guide. It does not host Tails images, scan files on your behalf, or promise a permanent direct link to a mirror. The official release and download pages remain the source of truth for new versions, hashes, compatibility, and security announcements.
- Current software is not the same as universal hardware compatibility.
- Tor does not erase information you intentionally reveal.
- Persistent Storage still needs a passphrase and a separate backup.
- Use the official project pages for final release and file decisions.
A practical release-check routine
When you see a new Tails version, use the same short routine: open the official release note, confirm the current download page, choose USB or ISO based on the actual goal, verify the file, and keep a backup before changing an existing drive. This prevents a version number from turning into an unplanned erase or an unverified download.
For a new installation, continue to the USB or ISO guide. For an existing installation, continue to the update guide. If you are unsure whether a file is genuine, stop at the verification guide rather than trying another mirror.
- Read the current official release note.
- Choose the image for the real workflow.
- Verify before writing or booting.
- Back up Persistent Storage before an upgrade.
Tails OS Latest Version FAQ
What is the latest Tails OS version?
Tails 7.11 is the latest release checked on August 22, 2026. The official release page dates it August 5, 2026. Recheck tails.net before downloading because a newer release can replace it.
What changed in Tails 7.11?
The official release note describes security-related updates including Linux kernel 6.12.100, a fix for CVE-2026-64560, and Expat 2.8.2 related to DSA-6404-1. Read the official note for the complete change list.
Should I download the USB image or the ISO?
Use the USB workflow for the normal dedicated removable-media setup. Use the ISO when you are following the official virtual-machine, DVD, or advanced instructions. An ISO is not a substitute for writing a bootable USB correctly.
Will updating to Tails 7.11 delete Persistent Storage?
A supported upgrade path is designed to preserve Persistent Storage, but you should back up important files first. A manual rebuild or wrong-device write is a different operation and can erase the selected drive.
Why does the download button open tails.net instead of a file mirror?
The official page is the safest stable destination for a changing release. It can select or redirect to an official mirror while keeping the release, verification instructions, and current file metadata together. This site does not claim an unverified temporary mirror URL.
Technical facts and downloads should be confirmed against the official Tails download page. This independent guide does not host or modify Tails images.