Welcome to Atlas Market! This comprehensive guide walks you through every step of creating a secure account on the darknet's most trusted marketplace. Follow these instructions carefully to ensure your privacy and security from the start.
⚠️ Important: Never reuse passwords or usernames from other sites. Atlas Market requires strong operational security (OPSEC) to protect your identity. This guide covers all essential security measures.
Table of Contents
📋
1. Prerequisites & Requirements
Before registering on Atlas Market, ensure you have the following:
✅ Tor Browser Installed
Atlas Market is only accessible through Tor network. Download the official Tor Browser from torproject.org
✅ PGP Encryption Software
PGP encryption is mandatory for secure communication. Install Kleopatra (Windows), GPG Suite (macOS), or GnuPG (Linux).
→ Read Complete PGP Encryption Tutorial✅ Strong Unique Credentials
Prepare a unique username (8-20 characters) and a strong password (16+ characters). Never reuse credentials from other websites.
✅ Verified Mirror URL
Obtain the official Atlas Market .onion URL from trusted sources like Dark.fail or Dread forum. Never use random links!
💡 Security Checklist:
- Use dedicated device or VM for darknet access
- Disable JavaScript in Tor Browser (Safer security level)
- Never share personal information
- Use offline password manager for credentials
- Enable full disk encryption on your device
🔐
2. PGP Key Generation
Before registering, you must generate a PGP key pair. This is required for account security and encrypted communication with vendors.
Quick PGP Setup (Kleopatra):
- Step 1: Open Kleopatra → Click "New Key Pair"
- Step 2: Enter a pseudonym (NOT your real name) - example: "AtlasTrader2025"
- Step 3: Advanced Settings → Select RSA 4096-bit encryption
- Step 4: Set expiration date (2 years recommended)
- Step 5: Create strong passphrase (20+ characters, memorize it!)
- Step 6: Right-click your key → "Export" → Save as publickey.asc
🚨 Critical Warning: Never share your PRIVATE key with anyone, including Atlas Market staff. Only upload your PUBLIC key to your profile.
For detailed PGP setup instructions, including encryption and decryption, read our complete tutorial:
Complete PGP Encryption Tutorial →
🌐
3. Accessing Atlas Market
Finding the Official Mirror:
Atlas Market operates on the Tor network using .onion addresses. To avoid phishing sites:
✓ Trusted Sources for Official Links:
- Dark.fail - Verified darknet directory
- Dread forum - Community-verified links in /d/AtlasMarket
- Atlas Market Telegram (verify authenticity first)
- This website - Always displays current active mirrors
⚠️ Never Trust:
- Links from random forums or Reddit
- Google search results (all are phishing sites)
- Email or direct messages with links
- URLs that look similar but have different characters
Connecting Safely:
- Open Tor Browser (ensure it's the latest version)
- Wait for successful Tor connection (green onion icon)
- Copy the verified .onion URL from a trusted source
- Paste the URL into Tor Browser address bar
- Verify the URL character-by-character before pressing Enter
- Bookmark the correct URL immediately after verifying
💡 Pro Tip:
Set up an anti-phishing phrase in your account settings after registration. This unique phrase will display on the real Atlas Market login page, helping you identify genuine mirrors.
✍️
4. Complete Registration Process
Once you've accessed the official Atlas Market mirror, follow these steps to create your account:
Step-by-Step Registration:
Click "Register" or "Sign Up"
Located on the Atlas Market homepage. You may need to complete a captcha to proceed.
Choose Username
- 8-20 characters
- Alphanumeric only (letters and numbers)
- Must be unique and never used elsewhere
- Avoid personal information or patterns
Create Strong Password
- Minimum 16 characters (longer is better)
- Mix uppercase, lowercase, numbers, symbols
- Use password manager to generate
- Never reuse from other accounts
Good example: xK9$mP2#vL8@nQ5^wR4&zT7!
Upload PGP Public Key
Open your exported publickey.asc file in text editor, copy the entire content (including BEGIN and END lines), and paste into the PGP field.
Complete Captcha & Submit
Solve the captcha verification (usually mathematical equation or image recognition) and click "Create Account" or "Register".
✅ Success! Your Atlas Market account is now created. Proceed to the next section to secure your account with 2FA.
🔒
5. Account Security Setup
CRITICAL: Immediately after registration, you must enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA). This prevents unauthorized access even if your password is compromised.
Enable 2FA (Mandatory):
🔑 TOTP 2FA (Recommended for Beginners)
Time-based One-Time Password using authenticator apps like Aegis (Android) or Raivo OTP (iOS).
- Easy to set up and use
- Works offline
- Generates 6-digit codes every 30 seconds
📝 PGP 2FA (Advanced)
Decrypt a PGP-encrypted message using your private key to login. Most secure option.
- Maximum security
- Requires PGP knowledge
- Takes longer to login
For detailed 2FA setup instructions:
Complete 2FA Setup Guide →Additional Security Measures:
-
✓
Set Anti-Phishing Phrase
Create a unique phrase that displays on real login pages. If you don't see your phrase, it's a phishing site.
-
✓
Enable Login Notifications
Get notified of all login attempts to detect unauthorized access.
-
✓
Set PIN Code (Optional)
Additional 4-6 digit PIN for sensitive operations like withdrawals.
-
✓
Backup Recovery Codes
Save 2FA backup codes in secure offline location. You'll need these if you lose access to your 2FA device.
🔓
6. First Login & Verification
After completing registration and setting up 2FA, test your login to ensure everything works correctly.
Login Process:
- Navigate to the official Atlas Market mirror (use your bookmark)
- Verify your anti-phishing phrase is displayed on the login page
- Enter your username and password
- Complete captcha verification
- Enter 2FA code from your authenticator app or decrypt PGP message
- Click "Login" and you'll be redirected to your dashboard
🎯 First Login Checklist:
- Verify your username displays correctly in top-right corner
- Check that your PGP key appears in profile settings
- Confirm 2FA status shows as "Enabled"
- Review and save your backup recovery codes
- Explore marketplace sections (listings, vendors, forums)
👤
7. Profile Completion
Complete your profile setup to start using Atlas Market safely and efficiently.
Essential Profile Settings:
💬 Communication Preferences
- Enable PGP-encrypted messages (mandatory for addresses)
- Set message notification preferences
- Configure auto-deletion of old messages
💰 Wallet Setup
- Generate your unique deposit address
- Never reuse addresses between deposits
- Set up withdrawal address whitelist (optional but recommended)
Learn more: Complete Monero Guide →
🔔 Security Notifications
- Enable login attempt notifications
- Get alerts for withdrawals and large transactions
- Set up session timeout preferences
🎨 Interface Customization
- Choose theme (dark mode recommended for Tor)
- Set default currency display (BTC, USD, EUR)
- Configure search and filter preferences
⚡ Before Making Purchases: Familiarize yourself with Atlas Market's escrow system, vendor ratings, and dispute resolution process. Never finalize early unless you trust the vendor completely.
🔧
8. Troubleshooting Common Issues
❌ "Username already taken"
Solution: Choose a different username. Atlas Market usernames are unique. Try adding numbers or special characters.
❌ "Invalid PGP key"
Solutions:
- Ensure you copied the ENTIRE key including BEGIN and END lines
- Verify no extra spaces or line breaks were added
- Make sure you're uploading PUBLIC key, not private
- Regenerate your key pair if corruption is suspected
❌ "Captcha failed" repeatedly
Solutions:
- Wait 5 minutes before retrying (anti-bot measure)
- Ensure Tor Browser JavaScript is enabled (Standard security level)
- Get new Tor circuit: New Identity in Tor Browser
- Try a different Atlas Market mirror
❌ Can't login after registration
Solutions:
- Verify you're on the correct official mirror
- Check your anti-phishing phrase displays correctly
- Ensure 2FA code is current (TOTP codes expire every 30 seconds)
- Use backup recovery code if 2FA device is unavailable
❌ Mirror not loading / Connection timeout
Solutions:
- Check Tor Browser connection (green onion icon)
- Try alternative Atlas Market mirrors from Dark.fail
- New Tor circuit: Ctrl+Shift+L or hamburger menu → New Circuit
- Wait and retry later (mirrors occasionally go offline for maintenance)
🎯 Registration Complete!
Congratulations! Your Atlas Market account is now fully set up and secured. Remember these key points:
- Always use official mirrors verified through Dark.fail or Dread
- Check your anti-phishing phrase before every login
- Never share your password or private PGP key with anyone
- Keep 2FA backup codes in a secure offline location
- Use escrow for all purchases and research vendors thoroughly
- Maintain OPSEC – compartmentalize your darknet identity
📚 Related Guides
🛡️ Operational Security Guide
Complete OPSEC guide for darknet safety
🔐 PGP Encryption Tutorial
Learn to generate keys and encrypt messages
🔒 2FA Setup Guide
Enable two-factor authentication
💰 Monero Cryptocurrency Guide
Set up Monero wallet for transactions
🎣 Phishing Prevention
Identify and avoid fake mirrors
🤝 Escrow System Explained
Understand safe transaction process