If you want to download large files, there is no better way than downloading torrents. The process is decentralized, that is, there is no server that stores files, only dozens or hundreds of different users who share small bits at the same time. You can use torrents to stream movie files or download a new Linux distribution, just to name a few.
For most people, torrenting is using a PC or laptop to find and download torrent files, but for torrents, there is no need to use a PC. You can use a portable device such as a smartphone or tablet to download torrent files directly to your device without any other hardware. Here’s how to do it.
Download torrent files to iOS devices
Downloading torrents to Apple devices like iPhones and iPads might be a good idea, but unfortunately, that’s the point for now. Apple does not allow BitTorrent-enabled apps on the App Store, and this policy is unlikely to change in the future.
To get around this, you will probably need to use a seed box to download Torrent files remotely. From there, you will need to download files from the remote server to your iOS device.
If your iOS device has been jailbroken, you can directly download unpublished BitTorrent apps, but this is not a process we definitely recommend given the risks.
Installing the BitTorrent Client on Android
For owners of Android smartphones and tablets, this is a different matter. It is possible to find and install BitTorrent clients from the Google Play Store, or download an APK file from your PC that will allow you to download torrents to Android devices.
First, you need to install the BitTorrent client application on your Android device. There are plenty to choose from, including several from BitTorrent Inc, the company behind the BitTorrent protocol itself.
One simple BitTorrent client for Android available to you is Flud Unlike some other BitTorrent applications, this client is free to use with no restrictions. It is ad-supported, although Flud ad-free is available for a small fee.
- First, download and install the Flud client on your Android device from the Google Play store. Flud will ask you for permission to use your device’s storage when you first open it, so allow that by clicking the Allow button.
- Flud will ask you for permission to use your usage data for statistics and permission to use that information to offer personalized advertising. If you are satisfied with this, click “Accept” and “Continue”. If not, click each of the checkboxes before clicking Accept and Continue to revoke the permission.
- You will be asked if you want to restrict Flud torrent downloads and Wi-Fi downloads instead of using a mobile data connection. By default, the checkbox for restricting only Wi-Fi is enabled, so if you don’t want to change it, click OK. If you want to use your mobile data, tap to uncheck “Torrents will download and upload if Wi-Fi is connected,” and then tap OK to confirm.
After confirming the Wi-Fi settings, you will be taken to the main interface of Flud Flud is easy to navigate, with torrents listed in categories including All (for all torrents), Queued (for torrents that are in the queue to download or upload), and Done (for torrents that have finished downloading).
If you need to change the selected Wi-Fi only setting, tap the menu icon in the upper right corner of the Flud app. Then tap Settings> Power Management, then tap to uncheck the WiFi Only box.
Download Torrents on Android with Flud
Flud supports downloading torrents using a torrent file, either as a local file, via an HTTP link, or as a magnet link that hides the origin of the file. You will need to use one of these methods to start any torrent download.
- To start downloading torrents using a locally saved torrent file, click the + button in the lower left corner of the Flud interface. Navigate your Android device’s storage using the OSD, then tap on the local torrent file to add it to Flud
- If you want to add a torrent using a URL or magnet link, click the magnet icon in the top menu bar. If a suitable link is already in your clipboard, Flud should insert it automatically, but you will need to add it manually if it is not. Click OK to add the torrent to Flud at this point, or Cancel to cancel the download.
- In the “Add Torrent” menu, confirm where you want to save the file in the “Repository path” section. You can view the files included in your torrent by clicking on the Files tab. When you’re ready to add a torrent and start downloading, click the + button in the upper right corner.
Once added, the BitTorrent download will start automatically and appear as a separate entry in the All tab. It gives you a quick overview of how the torrent is progressing, with a progress bar and current download and upload speeds.
Pause, change, and delete torrent files in Flud
When you click on a torrent download entry in Flood, additional information about it appears. The list contains information about how much of the download has been completed, as well as the number of seeders (users offering a file for download) and personalities (users who only download the file but do not subsequently share it).
It also lists the estimated download completion time based on the current download speed. You can pause or remove a torrent download from this list, and change its settings.
- To pause a torrent download, click the play or pause torrent icon on the main Flud screen. If you’re on the detailed list, tap the play or pause icon on the top menu instead.
- If you want to delete a torrent during or after the download is complete, click the menu icon in the upper right corner, and then click Delete torrent.
- Flud will ask you to confirm the deletion. If you want to delete torrent files, please click Delete downloaded data too? checkbox. Click OK to confirm.
- You can also make changes to the torrent download, including editing downloaded trackers, and setting the maximum download and upload speed. To do this, click the menu icon in the upper right corner, then select Torrent Settings. From here, select your chosen option to continue.
Mobile Downloads with BitTorrent on Android
With a BitTorrent client application like Flud, you can take your mobile torrent downloads with you. While we only recommend using this for legal downloads, using a mobile torrent app can be a good move, especially if you want to download large files at night without leaving your computer on.
IOS device owners are less fortunate, but if Transmission is installed on your PC or Mac, you can use the Transmission web interface on your mobile device to control torrents remotely.
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