qBittorrent is a free, open-source BitTorrent client for Windows, macOS, Linux, FreeBSD and OS/2. It downloads and shares files from .torrent files and magnet links, and adds a built-in torrent search, an RSS downloader and a browser-based remote interface. The program is volunteer-developed, released under the GNU GPL, and carries no advertising or bundled software. Its interface follows the layout made familiar by µTorrent: a transfer list with detail tabs for trackers, peers and files.
Adding and controlling torrents
When you add a torrent or magnet link, qBittorrent can ask for the save folder, category, start mode and which files inside the torrent to download. Each file can also get its own priority, so a large multi-file torrent can be trimmed to the parts actually needed. Because pieces can span neighbouring files, a skipped file may still leave a small partial file on disk.
qBittorrent can also watch selected folders and load any .torrent file placed in them, using the save path assigned to that folder. Incomplete data can stay in a temporary folder and move to its final location on completion.
The queue limits how many torrents download and upload at once. You can raise or lower individual torrents, or force-start them past the queue. Sequential downloading fetches pieces in order. First-and-last-piece priority grabs the start and end of each file early, which helps when previewing media before the torrent finishes.
Categories group torrents and can each carry their own save path, so assigning a category also decides where files go. Tags are lighter labels, and a torrent can hold several.
Built-in torrent search
The Search tab queries several torrent sites at once and lists combined results with name, size, seeders and leechers. Each site has a search plugin: a small Python file that fetches and parses that site’s results. Python must be installed for search to work. You add plugins from the “Search engines” window by selecting the plugin’s .py file. You can enable or disable each plugin individually. You can narrow searches to categories such as movies, TV, music, games, software, anime and books when the plugin supports them.
RSS feeds and automatic downloading
qBittorrent reads RSS feeds from torrent sites, including feeds that need login cookies copied from a browser. The RSS downloader applies rules to new articles and adds matching torrents automatically. A rule combines several title filters:
- Must contain / must not contain: in wildcard mode every listed word must appear in any order, with alternatives separated by a vertical bar; a regular-expression mode handles precise patterns.
- Episode filter: a list such as
1x5-8;12;selects specific episodes or open-ended ranges, matched against S01E05 or 1×05 style titles. - Smart episode filter: remembers which episodes were already taken so duplicate releases are skipped, optionally still accepting REPACK or PROPER versions.
- Ignore days: blocks further matches for a set number of days after the last one.
Each rule can be limited to selected feeds and can assign a category, save path or paused start to what it adds.
Bandwidth, seeding and connection settings
qBittorrent applies global download and upload caps plus a second set of alternative limits. You can switch to the alternative limits from the status bar, or the scheduler can activate them during chosen hours. Separate settings cap peer connections and upload slots globally and per torrent. A share ratio target pauses or removes a torrent once it has uploaded enough, and super seeding can be switched on for individual torrents.
The client finds peers through trackers, DHT, peer exchange and local peer discovery, while private torrents keep the trackerless methods disabled. You can encrypt connections, route them through a proxy, or bind them to one network interface so traffic stops when a VPN adapter is down. IP filtering blocks addresses from eMule or PeerGuardian filter lists, and an anonymous mode withholds client identifiers from trackers and peers. UPnP and NAT-PMP port forwarding and IPv6 are supported.
Remote control through the Web UI
The Web UI reproduces the desktop interface in a browser, so torrents, settings, RSS and search can be managed from another machine. It is password-protected. You can serve it over HTTPS and swap it for a community-made alternative interface. An HTTP Web API exposes the same functions for third-party tools to use.
On Linux servers, qbittorrent-nox runs qBittorrent without graphical components, as a background daemon controlled entirely through the Web UI or Web API.
Creating and sharing torrents
The torrent creator builds a .torrent file from selected files or folders, with user-entered tracker URLs and an option to start seeding immediately. An optional embedded tracker, once its port is forwarded on the router, lets a group share files without a public tracker; recipients can use any BitTorrent client.
Completion actions
When a download finishes, qBittorrent can show a desktop notification, send an email through a configured SMTP server, or run an external program or script. The program or script can, for example, move or unpack the files. The interface is translated into about 70 languages and accepts custom themes.
