Xtreme Download Manager (XDM) can make large Linux downloads much faster by splitting a file into segments and fetching those segments over several connections at once. The current XDM documentation says this can be up to 5× faster than a browser when a server limits each connection. It is not a guaranteed speed boost: XDM cannot exceed your internet connection, and servers that block range requests or multiple connections may see little or no improvement.
Older instructions that rely on the 2018 xdm-2018-x64.tar.xz archive, install.sh, or a standalone xdman.jar are outdated. The current project provides Linux packages and a newer portable archive through the official XDM Linux download page.
As of October 21, 2026, the official download page lists XDM 8.0.29 as the stable release for x86-64 Linux. XDM 9.0.2 is available as a pre-release for both x86-64 and ARM64 while the project is being rebuilt. If you want the most conservative choice on a normal Intel or AMD desktop, use XDM 8. If you have an ARM64 system or specifically want to test XDM 9, use the pre-release and expect possible rough edges.
Check your processor architecture first:
uname -mx86_64 means x86-64/amd64. aarch64 means ARM64. Download the matching .deb, .rpm, Arch package, or portable .tar.gz from the official site.
Open a terminal in your Downloads folder:
cd ~/DownloadsThen use the command that matches your distribution. XDM 9 package names begin with xdm-app; XDM 8 stable packages use xdman_gtk.
sudo apt install ./xdm-app_*.deb or sudo apt install ./xdman_gtk_*.debsudo dnf install ./xdm-app-*.rpm or the downloaded xdman_gtk-*.rpmsudo pacman -U xdm-app-*.pkg.tar.zst or the downloaded xdman_gtk-*.pkg.tar.zstThe official install guide recommends apt install ./file.deb instead of dpkg -i because APT resolves dependencies automatically. For the XDM 9 portable build, extract the archive and run ./xdm-app/bin/xdm-app; note that the portable build does not create the normal menu entry or XDM URL handler. See the official Linux installation guide for the current package names.
xdman_gtk filename instead.Start XDM from your application menu. On first launch, XDM offers browser integration. Install the XDM Integration Module for each browser you use, such as Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Brave, Opera, Vivaldi, or another compatible Chromium/Firefox-based browser.
The extension passes supported downloads to the XDM app running on your computer. The project says this connection is local-only, using 127.0.0.1. If you skipped the first-run prompt, open XDM's browser settings and install the extension from there. The current steps are documented in the official browser integration guide.
With the extension installed, click a normal download link in your browser. XDM can take over supported file types automatically. You can also right-click a link and choose Download with XDM, or open XDM and use New to paste a URL manually.
For most users, the important controls are under Settings > Downloads. XDM currently recommends 8 connections per download as a good default. On a fast connection, you can try 16. If a server starts refusing connections or producing errors, reduce the count to 2–4. Keep simultaneous downloads around 1–3 so several files do not simply divide the same bandwidth.
If XDM is still slow, check whether the global speed limiter is enabled, test your raw internet speed, try another download mirror, and compare performance without a VPN or proxy. Some servers do not support range requests, which prevents segmented downloading and resume support. XDM's official speed-tuning guide explains these limits and settings in more detail.
Bottom line: XDM can substantially improve Linux download throughput when the remote server limits single connections, but the “up to 5×” figure depends on the server, your network, and the number of usable segments. Use the current native packages, add the browser extension, and tune connection counts rather than relying on the obsolete Java and install-script instructions found in older guides.
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