How to Download From Torrent

Key Concepts

• BitTorrent client
  Software which downloads files using Magnet links / torrents.
• Seeders (uploaders)
  Users, who finished downloading all files in torrent and now upload them to other users. More seeders means better torrent health. Which means faster downloading for you.
• Leechers (downloaders)

• Users, who are still downloading files in torrent.
• Tracker
  A server in internet, which keeps lists of seeders and leechers and sends them to your client software. These days trackers are being replaced by distributed seeding protocols (DHT/PEX). Bitsnoop is not a tracker, we're "torrent indexer".
• Torrent health / availability
  Basically, amount of seeders divided by amount of leechers. Better health means faster download.
• Magnet Link
  Another form of hyperlink. Popular way to download torrents — you don't have to deal with .torrent files any more, client will download them for you.

To download a torrent you need to perform three simple steps:

1. Download and install BitTorrent client

There are lots of BitTorrent clients, most advanced (and popular) are µTorrent, Vuze, Transmission, BitTorrent.

Grab any of them and install on your PC — just make sure it supports Magnet links.

2. Find torrent you want, click Magnet link — and start downloading

Find torrent you want to download — using Bitsnoop's search, fresh torrents, popular torrents or TV Finder. You can also try to find torrent elsewhere, although we'd like you to find it on Bitsnoop. :-)

Click the link — it should bring up torrent client and start downloading right away.

If you're using older browser or Magnet links did not register properly in OS, clicking might not work.

In this case right-click the link and select "Copy Shortcut" or "Copy Link". Go to your torrent client and use "Open from URL" to start downloading.

To fix this, try installing recent version of torrent client with Magnet support (we recommend µTorrent or Vuze) and using modern browser (we recommend Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox).

N.B. By default Bitsnoop generates long Magnet links with trackers from TrackerMatch. If you cannot use these (as happens with Internet Explorer sometimes) — use shorter link, it is just next to "download" button.

3. Wait until download is complete

Your client might appear doing nothing for first couple of minutes — actually it is downloading metadata. Wait a bit and real download will start.

Once it is started, your BitTorrent client will ask trackers for peers and start "leeching" — connecting to peers to download files in torrent. This is where torrent health really matters — the more seeds torrent has, the faster it will be downloaded.

When download is finished, torrent client will start "seeding" mode — other "leechers" will download files from your copy of torrent.

Enjoy files you've downloaded — but don't forget to seed!

Now you can open downloaded files and do whatever you want with them.

It's considered polite to "seed" the torrent for some time after downloading. Just do not stop torrent in client software and leave it overnight (or longer).