[[!meta title="System requirements and recommended hardwareUSB sticks"]]

[[!meta title="System requirements and recommended USB sticks"]]

Detailed hardware<h2 id="computer">System requirements</h2>

<h2 id="computer">System requirements</h2>

MTails works on most PC computers that are less than 10 years old.

Tails works on most PC computers that are less than 10 years old.

- Tails does not work on:

Tails does not work on:

Newer Mac computers with an Apple processor (M1 or M2, M2, and so on)

Mac computers with an Apple processor (M1, M2, and so on)

Some newerTails might not work on some PC computers, for example, if their [[graphics card is incompatible with Linux|support/known_issues/graphics]]. Nvidia or AMD Radeon cards often do not work in Tails.

Tails might not work on some PC computers, for example, if their [[graphics card is incompatible with Linux|support/known_issues/graphics]]. Nvidia or AMD Radeon cards often do not work in Tails.

- 23 GB of RAM to work smoothly.

3 GB of RAM to work smoothly.

Tails can work with less than 23 GB RAM but might behave strangelyexperience reduced
performance, instability, or crashes.

Tails can work with less than 3 GB RAM but might experience reduced
performance, instability, or crashes.

- The ability to start from a USB stick or a DVD reader.

The ability to start from a USB stick or a DVD reader.

Recommended hardwarelaptops

Recommended laptops

- Avoid "gaming" models with Nvidia or AMD Radeon graphics cards.

Avoid "gaming" models with Nvidia or AMD Radeon graphics cards.

If you live in a part of the world where buying refurbished laptops is uncommon, look on eBay and Amazon. Amazon offers a 90-day [Amazon Renewed Guarantee](https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=G4ZAA22U35N373NX).

Consider buying a new laptop from vendors who guarantee the compatibility with Linux and Tails like [ThinkPenguin](https://www.thinkpenguin.com/).

Tails still works on some older Mac computers with an Intel processor.

Tails still works on some older Mac computers with an Intel processor.

<h2 id="usb">Recommended USB sticks</h2>

- AYou need a USB stick of 8 GB minimum or a recordable DVDto use Tails.

You need a USB stick of 8 GB minimum to use Tails.

All the data on this USB stick or DVD is lost when installing Tails.

All the data on this USB stick is lost when installing Tails.

The quality of your USB stick is crucial when using Tails. A bad USB stick will be slower and more likely to corrupt the files in your [[Persistent Storage|doc/persistent_storage]].

We recommend that you:

**Buy new USB sticks.**