How to Download Torrents from the Linux Command Line with aria2

To download a torrent from a Linux terminal, install aria2 and pass its aria2c command a magnet URI or a local .torrent file. This works over SSH as well as on a desktop. Use only torrents you are authorized to download and share: BitTorrent can upload pieces to other peers while it downloads.

Install aria2 on Linux

Install aria2 through your distribution’s package manager; versions vary by release.

aria2 is packaged by Ubuntu, Debian, Fedora, and Arch Linux. For other systems, check the official repositories or the project’s release page and manual.

Confirm the command is installed

Run aria2c --version. The executable is aria2c even though the package is named aria2. If it is not found, confirm installation and check your PATH.

Choose a download folder

By default, aria2 saves to the current directory. Create a destination and pass it with --dir:

mkdir -p "$HOME/Downloads/torrents"
aria2c --dir="$HOME/Downloads/torrents" 'magnet:?xt=urn:btih:REPLACE_WITH_INFOHASH'

Replace the placeholder with a complete link from a legitimate source. --dir sets the destination without renaming the torrent’s files.

Start a torrent from a magnet link

Copy the magnet URI and put it in single quotes so the shell does not interpret characters such as & as command separators. The example below is a template, not a working torrent link:

aria2c --dir="$HOME/Downloads/torrents" 'magnet:?xt=urn:btih:REPLACE_WITH_INFOHASH&dn=example'

aria2 shows transfer status in the terminal. Metadata lookup and speed depend on the link and available peers; no connections can indicate an incomplete link or an inactive swarm.

Use a local .torrent file

If a site or project provides a .torrent file, download it from that authorized source first. Then pass its path to the torrent-file option:

aria2c --dir="$HOME/Downloads/torrents" --torrent-file="$HOME/Downloads/example.torrent"

A local torrent file can also be a positional argument. Quote paths with spaces and verify the publisher and license before downloading.

Queue multiple torrents

For several downloads, put one magnet URI per line in an input file. Replace the sample values with complete links from sources you are allowed to use:

cat > "$HOME/aria2-queue.txt" <<'EOF'
magnet:?xt=urn:btih:REPLACE_WITH_FIRST_INFOHASH
magnet:?xt=urn:btih:REPLACE_WITH_SECOND_INFOHASH
EOF

aria2c --input-file="$HOME/aria2-queue.txt" \
  --dir="$HOME/Downloads/torrents" \
  --max-concurrent-downloads=2

--input-file reads the queue, while --max-concurrent-downloads=2 runs two items at once. Keep one complete URI per line, without shell quotes.

Manage seeding, stopping, and resuming

A torrent client can continue uploading after a download finishes. aria2’s default share ratio is 1.0, so the process may remain open while it seeds. To limit a session, add both options:

aria2c --seed-time=120 --seed-ratio=1.0 \
  --dir="$HOME/Downloads/torrents" "$HOME/Downloads/example.torrent"

Time is measured in minutes. aria2 stops seeding when either limit is reached; --seed-time=0 disables seeding after completion. Follow any project or tracker guidance on uploads.

Press Ctrl+C to stop aria2. To resume later, rerun the same command and keep its .aria2 control file; aria2 usually resumes its own previous transfer. For long SSH jobs, use a persistent terminal such as tmux, since closing the terminal ends a foreground process.

Quick troubleshooting

• No peers: check the magnet URI and whether the torrent has active seeders; no peers means there may be no pieces to retrieve.
• Permission denied: choose a writable folder and check it with ls -ld "$HOME/Downloads/torrents".
• Low disk space: check capacity with df -h "$HOME/Downloads/torrents" before large downloads.
• Still running after completion: aria2 is likely seeding. Wait for the limit or press Ctrl+C.

For option details, including magnet handling, input files, resume behavior, and seeding limits, consult the aria2c manual. The project’s release page lists current upstream versions.