BitTorrent Pro

About this release

This is the client from the people who wrote the protocol, and it stays small in a way modern software rarely does. The whole application is a few megabytes, it starts instantly, and it will happily manage hundreds of simultaneous transfers on hardware that would struggle to open a browser. The Pro build removes the advertising and adds the extras on top of the same core.

The transfer controls are what separate a client that works from one that ruins a connection. Global and per transfer limits on both directions, scheduling by hour so heavy work happens overnight, seeding ratio and time targets that stop transfers automatically, queue ordering with priorities, and per file selection so only part of a large set is fetched.

Networking covers the awkward cases. Port mapping configures the router automatically where it can, encryption keeps the traffic from being shaped by a network that dislikes it, peer exchange and distributed discovery find sources without relying on a single point, and a proxy setting routes everything through a different path where that is wanted.

The Pro extras are practical rather than decorative. A built in player handles previewing a partial file before it finishes, a virus scan hook passes completed files to whatever protection is installed, remote access controls the queue from another machine, and the whole thing can run as a background service that keeps working after the window is closed.

What it does

Very small footprint

A few megabytes, instant startup, and hundreds of simultaneous transfers on modest hardware.

Full bandwidth control

Global and per transfer limits both directions, plus scheduling by hour of the day.

Ratio and time targets

Transfers stop automatically once a seeding target is reached rather than running forever.

Selective file downloads

Pick individual files from a large set and skip the rest.

Automatic port mapping

Configures the router where it can so connectivity works without manual forwarding.

Remote management

Control the queue from another machine, with the client running in the background.

Changed in this version

• Improved peer discovery on networks with restrictive routing.
• Faster hash checking on very large transfers.
• Scheduler reworked with a clearer weekly grid.
• Lower memory use with several hundred active transfers.
• Interface scaling corrected on high density displays.

System requirements

Install order

1. Unpack the archive.
2. Run the installer and decline any bundled extras on the options screen.
3. Set the download folder and global bandwidth limits before adding anything.
4. Check that the port shows as reachable in the status bar after the first transfer starts.

Worth knowing before you start

File details