README.md

June 20, 2026 · View on GitHub

Downloader — fast multi-connection download manager

A fast, reliable, cross-platform download manager with a clean desktop UI for Windows, macOS and Linux. It splits each file into multiple connections for maximum speed, lets you pause and resume any time, and organizes your downloads with queues and a scheduler — all in a simple interface anyone can use.

Built with Avalonia UI on .NET and powered by the Downloader engine.

Downloader

Features

  • Multi-connection downloads — each file is split into several parts and downloaded in parallel for higher speed.
  • Pause / resume / stop any download, any time. Incomplete downloads resume after you restart the app.
  • Add one or many links — paste a single URL or many at once (one per line) and send them all to the same folder.
  • Automatic file names — leave the name blank and the app detects it from the link or server.
  • Queues — group downloads and control how many run at the same time.
  • Scheduler — start and stop a queue automatically at set times (e.g. download overnight).
  • File-type icons at a glance — video, audio, image, document, archive, app, disc.
  • Clear status — live progress and speed, a friendly reason when something fails, and a details view with per-connection progress.
  • Light & dark themes with a modern ocean-blue look.
  • Desktop notifications when a download completes or fails (uses your OS's native notifications where available).
  • System tray — closing the window keeps downloads running in the background; reopen, mute notifications, or quit from the tray menu. Optionally launch at startup (hidden in the tray).
  • Automatic update check — get an in-app prompt when a new version ships, and update with one click.
  • Multi-language UI — English, فارسی (Persian), Español, Français, العربية (Arabic), Esperanto — with full right-to-left layout for Persian/Arabic. Switch under Settings → App language.
  • No installation, no dependencies — fully self-contained. You do not need to install .NET, FFmpeg, or anything else; just download and run.
  • Your settings, your way — sensible defaults out of the box, saved the moment you change them, with every engine option available under Settings → Advanced.
Settings

Install

The app is fully self-contained — every release ships with everything it needs bundled in, so there are no prerequisites to install (no .NET runtime, no FFmpeg, no extra libraries).

Quick install

macOS (Homebrew):

brew tap bezzad/tap && brew install --cask downloader

This installs Downloader.app into your Applications folder — open it from Launchpad, Spotlight (⌘-Space → "Downloader"), or Finder like any other app.

  • Recent Homebrew versions ask you to trust a third-party tap before installing. If you see that prompt, run brew trust bezzad/tap (or set HOMEBREW_NO_REQUIRE_TAP_TRUST=1) and re-run the install.
  • The app isn't notarized yet. The Homebrew cask removes the quarantine flag automatically on install, so it should launch normally — you do not need to run xattr by hand. If macOS still blocks the first launch, right-click Downloader in Applications → Open, or run xattr -dr com.apple.quarantine "/Applications/Downloader.app".

Linux (Snap) — recommended; auto-updates via the Snap Store:

sudo snap install downloader

Pending first publish to the Snap Store. Until it's live, use the install script below or Manual download.

Linux (script) — downloads the latest release and adds a menu entry + icon:

curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/bezzad/Downloader.Desktop/main/scripts/install.sh | bash

Windows — no package-manager listing yet (see note below); use Manual download.

winget is pending review. winget install downloader doesn't work yet: the package has been submitted to microsoft/winget-pkgs and is waiting on Microsoft's validation/review. Once that PR is merged, the command will work; until then use the Manual download.

Manual download

  1. Download the build for your operating system from the Releases page.
  2. Unpack it:
    • macOS — open Downloader-osx-*.tar.gz and drag Downloader.app into your Applications folder, then launch it from Launchpad/Spotlight.
    • Windows / Linux — unzip anywhere and run the Downloader executable. That's it.

The version number is shown under Settings → About and increases automatically with every release. With Settings → Check for updates automatically on, the app downloads a newer release in the background, then shows an “Update Downloader” button at the bottom of the left menu plus a system notification. Click it (or just close the app) to install — it restarts into the new version. Snap builds update through the Snap Store instead, so the in-app updater is disabled there.

First launch on an unsigned build: Windows SmartScreen → More info → Run anyway; macOS Gatekeeper → right-click → Open (or xattr -dr com.apple.quarantine <app>).

Using the app

  1. Add a download — paste a link into the top bar and click Add (or press Ctrl+N). In the dialog you can choose the save folder, optionally set a name, and pick a queue. To add several at once, paste multiple links (one per line).
  2. Control downloads — each row has pause/resume/stop and, when finished, an open-folder button. Tick the checkboxes and use the toolbar to Start / Pause / Stop / Remove several at once.
  3. See details — double-click a row to open the details window: overall progress, speed, the failure reason (if any), a live speed limit, and a per-connection progress strip that updates live as connections come and go (press Esc to close).
  4. Filter — the left sidebar filters by All / Active / Completed / Failed. Collapse the sidebar to icons with the ☰ button.
  5. Queues & Scheduler — under Manage, create queues with a concurrency limit (only that many downloads run at once; the rest wait their turn) and schedules that run them at chosen times.
  6. Settings — set your default save folder, connections per download, speed limit and theme; everything else lives under Advanced.

Your downloads list and settings are saved automatically. Config file location:

  • Linux: ~/.config/Downloader/config.json
  • macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/Downloader/config.json
  • Windows: %APPDATA%\Downloader\config.json

Browser extension

A companion browser extension (Chrome, Edge, Firefox) sends links straight to the app:

  • Right-click a link/image/video/audio → “Download with Downloader.”
  • A popup to paste a link, scan the page for links, or grab detected video / audio / HLS (.m3u8) media.
  • Captured links are sent only to the desktop app on your machine — enable Settings → Browser integration in the app first. (DRM/encrypted sites like YouTube aren’t supported.)

Install (store listings pending review — see src/browser-extension):

  • Chrome Web Store / Edge Add-ons / Firefox AMO — links added here once published.
  • Load it now (developer mode): see src/browser-extension/README.md to load the unpacked extension.

Reporting bugs & requesting features

Please report bugs and request features through GitHub Issues — not by Telegram or email. Issues are tracked, searchable, and handled through an automated workflow, so this is the fastest way to get a response (and it lets others find the same fix). Before opening one, search existing issues to avoid duplicates.

Build from source

git clone https://github.com/bezzad/Downloader.Desktop.git
cd Downloader.Desktop/src
dotnet run --project Downloader.Desktop/Downloader.Desktop.csproj

Needs the .NET 10 SDK. Full developer docs — publishing, packaging, releasing and macOS bundling — are in CONTRIBUTING.md.

License

MIT