Getting Started
Motrix is a download manager for your computer. You give it a link, and it downloads the file for you — fast, resumable, and in the background. This page walks you through installing Motrix, opening it for the first time, and starting your first download.
Before you install
| Your computer | What you need | Package |
|---|---|---|
| Mac | macOS 12 or newer | .dmg (Apple Silicon and Intel) |
| Windows | Windows 10 or 11, 64-bit | .exe installer |
| Linux | A 64-bit distribution (x64 or arm64) | .deb or .rpm |
Get the right package for your computer from the download page — it detects your system and offers the matching one.
Note
Motrix comes with everything it needs, including its built-in download engine. You don’t have to install anything else.
Warning
If you used Motrix 1 before: back up your old task list and settings before installing Motrix 2. Moving data from Motrix 1 is not yet supported, and Motrix 2 will start fresh.
Install
Mac
- Open the downloaded
.dmgfile. - Drag the Motrix icon into the Applications folder.
- Open Motrix from Applications or Launchpad.
Windows
- Open the downloaded
.exefile. - Follow the installer. Motrix starts when it finishes.
Note
Windows may show a blue “Windows protected your PC” screen the first time. This happens because current Motrix packages for Windows are not yet code-signed. Click More info, then Run anyway.
Linux
Install the downloaded package with your usual package tool:
# Debian / Ubuntu
sudo apt install ./Motrix_*.deb
# Fedora / openSUSE
sudo dnf install ./Motrix-*.rpm
First run
The first time Motrix opens, it asks you two things:
- Pick your language — English, 简体中文, or 繁體中文. You can change this later in Settings.
- Read the usage notice — Motrix manages downloads; what you download is your responsibility. Click Agree & Continue to move on.
Your choices are saved on your computer only. This screen won’t appear again.
Start your first download
- Click the + button at the top of the window, or press ⌘N (Mac) / Ctrl+N (Windows and Linux).
- Paste your link into the Links tab — if you copied it before opening the dialog, Motrix has already filled it in for you. You can paste several links at once — one per line, each becomes its own download.
- Check the folder under Save to, and change it if you like.
- Click Download.
That’s it. The task appears in the Downloads list, where you can watch its progress, pause it, or resume it. The tabs at the top — All, Active, Completed, Error — help you find tasks once the list grows.
Motrix understands more than plain links:
- Magnet links — paste one and Motrix recognizes it right away and switches to the Torrent tab.
- Torrent files — open the Torrent tab and drag a
.torrentfile in, or double-click a.torrentfile once Motrix is set as your default torrent app.
When a download finishes
Motrix notifies you when a download completes. Select the task and choose Open folder to jump straight to the file on your disk.
Keep Motrix up to date
Open Settings → About and click Check under App updates. When an update is available, Motrix downloads it and installs it after you choose Restart and install — it never restarts on its own. You can also let Motrix check automatically each time it starts.
Next steps
- Interface overview — learn your way around the window.
- Adding tasks — batch downloads, torrent file picking, and more options.
- Troubleshooting — what to do when a download won’t start.