BitTorrent Pro
Version 7.11.0.47255 · BitTorrent Inc. · Windows 7 / 8 / 10 / 11 · ranked #116 in the library
The original client for the protocol, still small and still fast, with bandwidth scheduling, remote control from a browser and a queue manager that keeps a hundred transfers behaving on one connection.
Read the installation section below before you start. The order of the steps matters on this release.
About this release
Overview
This is the reference implementation of the protocol it is named after, and after two decades it is still one of the smallest and least demanding clients available. The installed footprint is a few tens of megabytes, it starts instantly, and it will sit in the tray managing several hundred simultaneous transfers on hardware that would struggle to open a modern browser.
The features that matter on a real connection are all about control. Global and per-transfer rate limits, a scheduler that changes those limits by hour so overnight transfers run flat out and daytime ones stay out of the way, queue rules governing how many transfers run at once and when a completed one stops seeding, and per-transfer priority and file selection so a single wanted file in a large collection is fetched without the rest of it.
The pro tier removes the advertising panels entirely, adds a bandwidth boost mode that raises the connection limits beyond the standard defaults, and includes an integrated media player so a video can be previewed while it is still transferring. The remote control interface lets the client be driven from a browser on another machine, which is how it ends up running headless on a small always on box in the corner.
What it does
Feature breakdown
Very small footprint
A few tens of megabytes installed, instant startup and low memory use even with several hundred active transfers in the list.
Bandwidth scheduling
Global and per-transfer rate limits that change automatically by hour, so overnight transfers run flat out and daytime ones stay polite.
Queue management
Control how many transfers run at once, the seeding ratio at which one stops, and the priority order the queue works through.
Selective file downloading
Pick individual files inside a large collection and skip the rest entirely rather than fetching everything and deleting later.
Remote web interface
Drive the client from a browser on another machine, which is what makes it usable on a headless always on box.
No advertising and boost mode
The pro tier removes the ad panels and raises the connection and slot limits above the standard defaults.
Changed in this build
Version 7.11.0.47255
- Updated peer discovery behaviour for better swarm connectivity on constrained connections.
- Web interface refreshed with a layout that works on a phone screen.
- Reduced disk activity through improved write caching on large transfers.
- Scheduler now supports per-day rules rather than one weekly pattern.
- Advertising components removed entirely rather than merely hidden.
Installation
Follow these in order
- Remove any previous version first.
- Extract the archive.
- Disable real time protection while the licence component runs.
- Run the installer, declining any bundled optional offers.
- Apply the included licence step before launching the client.
- Open the client, confirm the ad panels are gone, then set your download folder and rate limits.
Release notes
From whoever packed it
- Set an upload limit slightly below your actual upstream capacity, otherwise acknowledgements are delayed and download speed collapses.
- Block the updater. An update reinstates the advertising components.
- A portable build is included in the archive for running from a stick with no installation.
System requirements
Minimum and recommended
| Operating system | Windows 7 service pack 1 through Windows 11, 32-bit or 64-bit |
|---|---|
| Processor | Any x86 or x64 processor |
| Memory | 512 MB minimum, more for very large transfer lists |
| Graphics | No specific requirement |
| Storage | 100 MB for the application plus space for what you transfer |
Questions about this release
Answered before you ask
- Is the advertising really gone?
- Yes, the components are removed rather than hidden behind a setting.
- Can I run it on a machine with no screen?
- Yes, enable the web interface and drive it from a browser elsewhere on the network.
- Does it support magnet links?
- Yes, and it registers itself as the handler for them during setup.
Download
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