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%Begin 8 Best Free Download Managers (Updated October 2022) Menu Lifewire Tech for Humans Newsletter! Search Close GO Software & Apps > Apps 193 193 people found this article helpful
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lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on October 3, 2022 Reviewed by Chris Selph Reviewed by
Chris Selph Chris Selph is a CompTIA-certified technology and vocational IT teacher. He also serves as network & server administrator and performs computer maintenance and repair for numerous clients.
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lifewire's editorial guidelines Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email Apps Best Apps Payment Services Download managers are special programs and browser extensions that help keep large downloads downloading as they should and simultaneous ones organized. You don't need one to get music or software or whatever else you're after—your browser handles that job pretty well for the most part—but in some special situations, they can come in handy.
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Some can even speed up the download process by grabbing your file from multiple sources at once. These programs also often support pausing and resuming of downloads—something many browsers actually do already. How to Safely Download & Install Software Here's a list of completely free download managers and music downloaders that we think you'll like: 01
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Free Download Manager FDM
What We Like Able to integrate with your web browser.
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Supports pausing and resuming downloads. Enables bandwidth control. Can download whole websites.
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Lets you download specific files out of archives. What We Don't Like Your antivirus program might identify the software as malicious and block it from installing or being used correctly.
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This free download manager is called ... you guessed it, Free Download Manager (FDM).
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It can monitor and intercept downloads from web browsers but can also work independently. You can create batch downloads, download torrents, preview ZIP files before they're downloaded and even deselect files you don't want from the compressed folder, download entire websites, resume broken downloads, run automatic virus checks on downloads, quickly control the bandwidth allocation for all downloads, and download all links from the clipboard. Downloads are performed in the order they are listed in FDM, but you can move files up or down the list to set their priority.
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In addition to the above, you can preview and convert audio and video files before they're finished downloading, set traffic limits, create a portable version of the app, and schedule downloads to occur on certain days only. The latest version of this program runs on Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8, and Windows 7.
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It can also be installed on Linux, Android, and macOS 10.12 and later. The browser extension works with Chrome and Firefox. FDM Lite for Windows XP requires less disk space than the regular version by removing things like the torrent client.
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If a download manager is all you're after, and you need it to run on XP, this is the better choice. Download Free Download Manager 02
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Internet Download Accelerator IDA
What We Like Can auto-categorize downloads for easier management.
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Supports downloading files automatically if they have a specific file extension. Able to check for viruses automatically after downloads. Plug-ins can be installed.
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Supports downloading based on URL variables. What We Don't Like The advanced download scheduling feature only works through the use of a plugin. Few plug-ins exist for this program.
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Contains ads. Another free download manager is Internet Download Accelerator (IDA), which can integrate a toolbar with Firefox to make downloading files easy. IDA has a live monitor for other browsers, so files can be downloaded with IDA and placed in proper file categories for easy organization.
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This can be done with regular downloads or files from an FTP server. Internet Download Accelerator can grab a group of downloads via URL variables, automatically scan for viruses, use hotkeys, change the user-agent information, and auto-download files with certain file extensions of your choosing. A few IDA plug-ins are available that expand the functionality of the entire program.
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An advanced scheduling function is one particularly useful example. This download manager runs on Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP. The browser functions are supported in a variety of programs such as Chrome, Firefox, Opera, Safari, Yandex, and Vivaldi.
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Download Internet Download Accelerator 03
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JDownloader
What We Like You can manage and monitor your downloads remotely. A list of download links can be saved to an encrypted file. Lots of options are easily customizable.
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Works on Windows, Linux, macOS, and any OS that supports Java. What We Don't Like Setup might ask you to install other programs you don't want.
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Probably the coolest feature in JDownloader is its remote management ability. Use either the mobile app or the MyJDownloader website to start, stop, and monitor your downloads from anywhere. LinkGrabber is a part of this program that adds any download link from the clipboard directly into the program so you can start a download nearly immediately after copying the link.
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This download manager can also save a list of download links as a password-protected encrypted file so you can easily import them again later. Play, Pause, and Stop buttons are at the top of the program, which makes controlling all pending downloads simple.
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It's also easy to control the download speed and the maximum number of simultaneous connections and downloads from the bottom of the program at any time. This download manager supports Windows, Linux, and Mac operating systems, within the Firefox and Chrome browsers.
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This program might download inside a RAR archive, in which case a program like 7-Zip is needed to open it. Also, look out for other install offers within the setup that don't pertain to JDownloader—feel free to skip them if you want.
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Download JDownloader 04
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GetGo Download Manager
What We Like Downloads can be started and stopped on a schedule. Makes importing download links easy with multiple options. You can view an image before the download starts.
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Lets you download files from password-protected websites. Downloads can be set up to auto-save to a specific folder based on file extension. Includes a built-in web browser to more easily download videos.
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What We Don't Like Sometimes seems a bit more sluggish than other download managers. Integrates with Firefox only.
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Last update was in 2018. Flagged as adware by some virus scanners.
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GetGo Download Manager supports batch downloads as well as a floating drop box for quickly downloading files via drag and drop. You can paste links directly into the program or import an LST file containing all the download links.
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Defining categories for where to place downloads is easy because you can specify the exact file extensions that should be considered a particular category. Doing so places executable files, for example, into a Software folder while MP4 and AVI files are placed in a Videos folder.
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GetGo Download Manager can store login credentials for downloading files from password-protected websites. It can also preview image files before downloading them, run downloads on a schedule, and capture videos from video-streaming websites. Windows is the only operating system that this program works on.
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It integrates with Firefox. Download GetGo Download Manager 05
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Download Accelerator Manager DAM
What We Like You can set up sounds to alert you when downloads are finished.
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Stores website passwords to make it easier to download from them again in the future. Starting downloads is easy when you use the always-visible download button.
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Can automatically download files you start in your browser. What We Don't Like Some features are limited because there's also an Ultimate version of the same software. Identified as malware by a few virus scanners (most say it's safe).
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Like some of these other download managers, DAM has a Drop Target button that hovers on your screen to make it easier to start file downloads. It also supports batch downloads, a scheduler, virus checker, confirmation sounds, and stored credentials.
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Another feature is MediaGrabber, which can automatically check for streaming video, music, and Flash files in any browser on your computer. This program can integrate with Firefox, Chrome, Opera, Netscape, and Safari, in Windows only.
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The supported operating systems include Windows 10, 8, 7, Vista, and XP. Dozens of virus scanners checked this program for threats, and a few of them identified it as malware. However, the majority of the scanners detected nothing, so it's unclear whether DAM is considered safe.
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Download Accelerator Manager DAM Download 06
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FlashGet
What We Like Shows a file's download size before starting it. Downloads from a variety of locations (e.g., HTTP, FTP, etc.).
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Can monitor downloads from your web browser and start them for you. It's simple and easy to understand. What We Don't Like Doesn't track downloads started in the Chrome browser.
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Doesn't support HTTPS downloads. FlashGet monitors downloads in Firefox, and it can scan downloads with your antivirus program and tell you how large a file is before you download it, which is awesome.
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Download files over the HTTP, FTP, BitTorrent, and other protocols with a seamless integration into the one-for-all download button. Even if you add a torrent file or image/video file to be downloaded, you use the same button, and FlashGet immediately knows how to handle it.
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This program also has a floating desktop button, so you can toggle browser monitoring, pause/start downloads, and add new download links. You can download it on your Windows computer. Download FlashGet 07
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Download Accelerator Plus DAP
What We Like Can be configured to turn off your internet access after the last download finishes.
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A web browser is built-in, but it also integrates with your regular browser. Supports scanning files for viruses.
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Includes a few ways for importing multiple URLs. What We Don't Like The free version is limited when compared to the Premium edition.
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Download Accelerator Plus includes a built-in web browser. You can also add your own links from your browser through copy/paste.
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A few features include the ability to import a list of links via an M3U or plain text file, the option to disconnect from the internet after all files are downloaded, a virus checker, and the ability to start downloads immediately after importing the links. Since there's also a premium edition, some features are only available if you pay.
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DAP can work on a schedule and supports being integrated with Chrome, Safari, Opera, and Firefox. It runs on Windows only. Download DAP 08
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Xtreme Download Manager XDM
What We Like Includes a built-in file converter.
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Lets you preview media files before fully downloading them. Works in all the major operating systems. Intercepts downloads made by your browser.
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Easy to use with its minimal UI. Includes other unique features.
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What We Don't Like Doesn't support some features found in similar programs, such as torrent downloads. Asks for permission to read and change all data on sites you visit.
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Xtreme Download Manager XDM has a simple interface, which is helpful when you consider that most of the download managers in this list are flooded with lots of menus and options. This add-on asks for permission to read and change all data on sites you visit, so avoid doing online banking and sharing personal information while using it.
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XDM includes a download preview, so you can take a sneak peek at media files. It also lets you resume broken downloads, limit the download speed, convert files, automatically download files of a certain format, schedule downloads, and run certain shutdown parameters after downloads. This program is for Windows, Mac, and Linux.
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Browser monitoring is supported in Chrome, Firefox, Opera, and other browsers. Download Xtreme Download Manager XDM Was this page helpful?
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