JDownloader is a free and open-source application that will automate downloading online media for you.
Have you ever downloaded something from a free hosting website such as Rapidshare or Megaupload? If so you’ve probably encountered the ads, wait times, captchas, and other annoying things. JDownloader is a free and open-source application that will automate the entire process for you. It will even let you download things that you normally couldn’t, such as YouTube or Megavideo videos.
Use JDownloader To Download Nearly Anything Online
1. JDownloader is a stand-alone application; you can download the setup package from https://jdownloader.org/download/index
2. We’ve seen it before — packaged crapware. It’s a necessary evil that sometimes is needed to help fund projects like JDownloader, but at least it’s optional to install. During the installation be sure to check the No Thanks button when prompted to install Kikin. Kikin is crapware that tracks everything you do online, and it’s a shame it’s packaged in the installer.
3. Either during installation or immediately after you’ll likely be prompted with a Windows UAC alert on Windows 7. JDownloader is built-in with Javascript, and so it will request permission to use Javascript to access the Internet. Click Allow access.
4. JDownloader supports a huge variety of languages, and during installation, you can choose whichever one suits your needs best.
5. If you have Firefox installed, you’ll be prompted to install FlashGot. Click OK! FlashGot is a Firefox plug-in that will allow JDownloader to detect downloadable URLs automatically while you browse with Firefox.
6. Once installation finishes, JDownloader will start updating. This process can take several minutes; you’ll see its progress on the bottom status bar.
7. Once JDownloader is installed and updated it’s time to start downloading. If you’ve installed the FlashGot plugin and you are using Firefox, it is incredibly easy. Just visit the website that has the file, video, or song that you want to download.
8. Once you’ve visited the site, JDownloader will use its “Linkgrabber” to detect the web location of the media files on that site. To download them, go to the Linkgrabber tab and then click the Play (download) button.
9. On the Download tab, you can view the status of files that are being downloaded. If your download gets interrupted, you can always resume the download from where it left off. This download-manager-like feature comes in handy for downloading nearly every file, especially if you are on a slow connection.
10. In the Settings tab, you can explore additional options and features of JDownloader. This location is also where you would change the default download folder.
JDownloader has several other features that are all somewhat groovy, my favorite being download scheduling. Here’s the list:
Miscellaneous Features
- Automatically changes your IP to work-around wait times (the Jdownloader team wrote a how-to on this one)
- Supports hundreds of hosting services and video/music sharing sites
- Firefox integration via Flashgot automatically captures links
- Download scheduling
- Modify functionality using plug-ins
- Automatically download from hosting sites
Disclaimer: Before using an app like JDownloader to download something from a website or service, you should first read the terms of service for the site to make sure you’re not breaking any laws or rules outlined in the terms by downloading or consuming in a way that’s unnatural.
16 Comments
16 Comments
Estell Holsing
June 3, 2010 at 2:49 pm
I’ve been coming your blog for a while now. I love the style of your writing plus you give beneficial information. Continue to keep up the great work!
piks
June 3, 2010 at 5:10 pm
I have found out about your site from a friend. I really love your site. It has step by step by step instructions and screenshots of how to use the discussed web tool or app. Like this Jdownloader. I really like this post:) keep up the good work! will be coming back daily to see great tools you would share to us :)
Reply
funkdiver
June 4, 2010 at 4:22 pm
Nice article. I’ve been using Jdownloader for years now, it is TRULY fantastic for downloading files from one-click hosters. Works with virtually any Premium File Hoster Account, but is great for free users also.
Reply
rahul
November 9, 2010 at 5:22 am
sir .. i m big fan of jdownloader .. but thing is that the jdownloader doesnt support resume for megavideo files because my internet speed is too slow n i want to resume that megavideo file
is der nay way to convert mega videos link to mega uploads link because megaupload support resume for free user …. plz help me with this ……………Reply
standp
October 4, 2011 at 10:52 am
ARE YOU SERIOUSLY AND TRULEY BRAIN BAMAGED SIR? MEGAUPLOAD VIDEOS WON’T RESUME? …. SO YOU BLAME IT ON JDOWNLOADER OR BITCOMET OR MEDIAFEED CLIENT OR THE ALMIGHTY DOWNTHEMALL! CLIENT FOR FIREFOX? YOUR JUST TOO DARN DIM WHITTED TO KNOW ANY BETTER DUMMY, IT IS THE FACT THAT THE DEDICATED ( OR NOT SO DEDICATED/ SHARED LAME VERY LOW QUALITY MEGAUPLOAD STREAMING VIDEO SERVERS *DON’T RESUME, AS THEY ONLY PARTIALLY STREAM AT CRAP RATES LOW QUALITY TO YOU THE USER… SEE SO GET IT RIGHT AND BEFORE YOU SHOVE BLAME ON SOFTWARES, PEOPLE, THE PET DOG, LOOK IN THE MIRROR, GRASP YOUR PC SEAT, CONCENTRATE VERY HARD AND “THINK” THEN TRY TO REACT, YOU MIGHT HAVE MORE FORTUNE DOING THAT… YOU WANT SOME OF THE BEST CONTENT FOR THE PC/MAC AND ALL OTHER MEDIA? THEN DO AS I DO AND PAY FOR RAPIDSHARE.COM TOTALLY HQ SERVER ACCESS, AND BE LAME NO MORE ONLY 48$ USD EVERY SIX MONTHS FOR UNLIMITED DOWNLOAD BANDWIDTH AND AMOUNTS ( THERE IS A CAP BUT ITS EXTREMELY HIGH ) LOVIN FILECRAWP AND RAPIDSHARE ACCESS WITH IT DA BOMB INDEED!!!
Reply
dickhe*d
June 3, 2023 at 6:31 pm
Eat sh*t!
Reply
Bertha Dannis
December 9, 2010 at 4:48 pm
I am glad to be a visitor of this perfect weblog ! , thankyou for this rare information! .
Reply
biloo
March 22, 2011 at 2:29 am
thnx man but in your article you chouse megavideo …..
we can do the same whay whit youtube?Reply
standp
October 4, 2011 at 10:54 am
JUST USE AUDIALS ONE 4 ( 8 ) PLATINUM AND GRAB ALL THE CONTENT WITHOUT EVEN VIEWING IT ALL STREAM SAVE THEM!!! CONVERTED 4 FULL MOVIES IN LESS THAN 4 MINUTES ITS FABULOUS! AVI MKV TO MP4 WINDOWS MEDIA FORMAT !!! KICKINNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN…~<(____)~CheerzZz…!
Reply
Dr.DEEPAK
April 6, 2012 at 1:34 am
I’ve been coming your blog for a while now. I love the style of your writing and presentation plus you give beneficial information. Continue to keep up the great work!
Reply
Raymond
November 5, 2014 at 7:30 am
First time visitor. People seem to like it here. Good sign!
This App seems partially what I’m looking for – DLG from file hosts!
Not interested in high-speed like many others unless it can be disabled if troublesome.I’m looking for an App like this that will DL from any host and preview video after starting DL.
The only app I know capable of this that does a great job is iLivid.
It used to be great. I used it for years! You could disable all the adware once but now it is very difficult to deal with and gets blocked by security softw and allowing lets all the garbage in!Do you have any plans to add a Preview while you DL?
This would be great!Cheers,
Raymond
Reply
roksana
October 3, 2015 at 2:49 am
nice.
Reply
Nowhere Girl
August 25, 2023 at 5:00 pm
“Once you’ve visited the site, JDownloader will use its “Linkgrabber” to detect the web location of the media files on that site. To download them, go to the Linkgrabber tab and then click the Play (download) button.”
No. It doesn’t work as described. In reality, tens of links are displayed and I have no idea which one is the video. What should I do? Not everyone knows within seconds how does every element of a website work…Reply
Brian Burgess
October 17, 2023 at 1:56 pm
Thanks for reading. Yes, this is very old software. Was good in its time if you could avoid the spyware :)
Reply
Nowhere Girl
August 25, 2023 at 7:05 pm
I already commented and can’t see my comment, but decided to write again.
JDownloader just doesn’t seem to work correctly for me. I wanted to download a beautiful children’s film (I’m an adult childless by choice person who loves some children’s books, films and games) and I just couldn’t get JDownloader to recognise it. Instead, when trying to take data fromn that specific site… the program only displayed a completely different video which, unless I missed something, wasn’t even at that site… It even showed somewhere that it was from Youtube, but the site from which I was trying to download the film was not Youtube… Great that it works for you, but for me it’s a big disappointment.Reply
Brian Burgess
October 17, 2023 at 1:56 pm
Old software. We no longer recommed it. Thanks for reading.
Reply
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