How to download files faster on Linux with Motrix
The primary way Linux users download files is through a web browser on the desktop. Mostly, these browsers work fine and get the job done, but they’re not very fast and sometimes leave you wishing files would download quicker. Introducing Motrix, a fast download manager for Mac, Linux, and Windows that can download files faster from protocols like HTTP, FTP, BitTorrent, and more!
Install Motrix
Before we can talk about how to use Motrix on Linux, we must go over how to install the program. Open up a terminal window by pressing Ctrl + Alt + T or Ctrl + Shift + T. Then, follow the command-line instructions below that correspond to the operating system you use.
Ubuntu/Debian installation
On the website, the Motrix developers provide a downloadable AppImage file. They also have a DEB package available on their GitHub page which can be used to install Debian and Ubuntu Linux operating systems. To get the DEB package, use the wget downloading tool with the command below.
wget https://github.com/agalwood/Motrix/releases/download/v1.4.1/Motrix_1.4.1_amd64.deb
Once the DEB package is done downloading to your Ubuntu or Debian Linux PC, you’ll be able to load up the Motrix app into the system using the dpkg command.
sudo dpkg -i Motrix_1.4.1_amd64.deb
Following the installation, you may run into some errors in the terminal prompt. These errors that appear are most likely dependency issues. To correct the problem, follow our guide on how to fix dependencies errors on Ubuntu or Debian Linux.
Snap package installation
The Motrix downloading application is ready to install directly as a Snap package. So, if you’re running a Linux operating system that can run Snaps, installation is a breeze.
To start the installation of Motrix from the Snap store, enable Snaps on your system. If you don’t know how to enable Snaps,follow this guide on the subject. Then, once Snaps are enabled, download the Snap file from GitHub.
wget https://github.com/agalwood/Motrix/releases/download/v1.4.1/Motrix_1.4.1_amd64.snap
When the Motrix Snap file is done downloading, set it up on the system with the snap install command. Be sure to use the “dangerous” flag, or Snap will not install it.
sudo snap install --dangerous Motrix_1.4.1_amd64.snap
AppImage installation
The AppImage release of Motrix is perfect for Linux users who cannot use the DEB package or install Snap packages. To start the installation process, use the wget command to download the newest AppImage file from the Motrix website.
wget https://dl.motrix.app/release/Motrix-1.4.1-x86_64.AppImage
After the AppImage file is done downloading to your computer, use the mkdir command to create a new “AppImages” folder. Creating this folder is necessary, to keep the Motrix AppImage file safe and out of the way from accidental deletion.
mkdir -p ~/AppImages
Move the Motrix AppImage file into the “AppImages” folder using the mv command.
mv Motrix-1.4.1-x86_64.AppImage ~/AppImages/
Move the terminal session into the “AppImages” folder using the CD command.
cd ~/AppImages
From there, update the file permissions for Motrix, so that it can run as a program on your Linux PC.
sudo chmod +x Motrix-1.4.1-x86_64.AppImage
Run the program for the first time with:
./Motrix-1.4.1-x86_64.AppImage
After the first run, a desktop icon will show up in the “Internet” section of your app menu.
Download files with Motrix
Now that the Motrix application is set up on your Linux PC launch it. Unsure how to launch it? Look for “Motrix” in the “Internet” section of your app menu. Once the Motrix downloader is open and ready to use, follow along below to learn how to download data with it.
HTTP/FTP
Most files people download from the internet through their web browser is an HTTP or FTP file. The files download through a hyperlink on a page. If you’d like to download these types of files through Motrix, rather than the browser, do the following.
First, in Motrix, click the “+” icon on the left-hand side of the app. Clicking “+” will open up a download task window. In this task window, paste the URL for the file which you’d like to download.
Note: not all files will download with Motrix. For best results, copy the direct like that websites often offer if the automatic download process doesn’t work.
For example, to download Ubuntu Linux 18.04 LTS through Motrix, you’d save the “download now” link and add it to the download page.
After adding the link of the file to the download task box, click the “Submit” button to start the transfer instantly.
Torrent files
In addition to handling HTTP and FTP download links, Motrix also functions as a torrent client. To use Motrix to download a torrent file, click the “+” sign to bring up the download task box. From there, locate the “Torrent” option and select it to go to the Torrent download area.
In the Torrent download area for Motrix, locate the box that says “Drag torrent files here, or click to select” and click on it with the mouse. From there, add in the torrent file to start the transfer.
Magnet links
As Motrix supports the Torrent protocol, it can also handle magnet links. To use this feature to start a download, click on the magnet link in your browser and Motrix should instantly add it as a task. Alternatively, copy the magnet link to your clipboard and add it via the URL section.
Note: ensure that you do not have any other torrent clients installed on the system, or Motrix will not be able to detect magnet link clicks!
Upon clicking the magnet link, the file should instantly start downloading in Motrix.
