There are a few things you can do to fix slow torrent downloads. Doing so will speed up how fast the torrent downloads so that you can get that movie, song, book, etc., even faster.
While there are several tips we could give for how to get faster torrent downloads, please keep in mind that your internet speed does have a cap that’s set by your internet service provider (ISP). In fact, it might even be hard to maximize download speeds to the true maximum afforded by your network, but it doesn’t hurt to try!
How to Get Faster Torrent Downloads
These are the best ways to make torrents download faster:
- Stop downloading other things
- Use bandwidth control software
- Opt for an online torrent client
- Move closer to the router or switch to a wired connection
- Pay for more speed
1. Quit All Other Downloads
The bandwidth (speed) you pay for right now is split among all the devices on your network that’s using the internet. Your smart TV, laptop, tablet, phone, desktop, Wi-Fi cameras, etc. Literally everything that uses the internet has to split the available speed because that’s all that you’re given by your ISP.
As you introduce more and more devices into the network to use the internet at the same time, each device subsequently can use less. They’re given a smaller and smaller slice of the overall bandwidth.
So, the quickest way to maximize torrent downloads is to minimize other downloads. In fact, if you can, completely stop using any other networked device that might be running at the same time as your torrent downloads.
Streaming Netflix, music, YouTube videos, or any other media requires the most bandwidth, so stopping those first will make the biggest impact on torrent download speeds. Next, consider putting any smartphones into airplane mode or shutting them off completely. Do the same with smart TVs or associated devices like Chromecast, Google Home, Echo, etc.
2. Give the Torrent Client More Bandwidth
If shutting off other devices isn’t working well enough to speed up the torrent downloads, or if for some reason you can’t completely shut those items off, then the next best method is to force the torrent client to suck up as much bandwidth as it can.
There are programs made specifically for this and even some routers have the ability to allot more bandwidth to specific computers or phones. Doing this is similar to shutting off the other devices because the effect is that the torrent client has more bandwidth than any other device on the network.
3. Use an Online Torrent Client
If you’re using a traditional offline torrent client, consider switching to an online torrent client. They do all the downloading for you and then store the data in your account where you can then download it to your computer at (usually) ultrafast speeds.
Downloading directly from the torrent website is usually way faster than how an offline torrent client works, which downloads files directly from other torrent users whose internet connections are normally not suitable for sharing files (i.e., their upload bandwidth is really slow).
Beyond allocating more bandwidth for your computer and/or web browser, one way to ensure the fastest possible speeds from a web-based torrent client is to choose a different server to download the files from. If the client supports it, you can tell it to store your files in a server physically close to your location, which is usually enough to speed up downloads.
Use this online torrent downloader selector to find the best client for you based on price and features.
4. Get Closer to the Internet Source
Wireless devices aren’t always reliable, especially if you’ve got lots of walls or large objects between your computer/phone and the router. Since the router is what delivers internet throughout your home, moving closer to it while inching away from obstructions, is another way to make torrents downloads faster.
If moving closer to the router isn’t something you can easily do — like if you’re downloading torrents on a desktop computer — you can instead relocate the router to make it at least somewhat within your proximity. For example, moving it from the basement closet into the bedroom next to your office might be a smart idea.
Also along this line of thinking that could help speed up your internet connection (if Wi-Fi range is the problem), is to use a Wi-Fi repeater to extend the network reach throughout your home and into the room you’re downloading torrents from.
A repeater will work but so will a mesh network system like Google Wifi, or a stronger router, maybe even one with multiple antennas, such as this NETGEAR Nighthawk router.
5. Upgrade Your Internet Speed
If all else fails, the only surefire way to really boost your internet speed is to pay for it. Like you read above, the overall maximum speed you can get from any network is determined by what the ISP is feeding it, and in most situations, you can upgrade to a faster plan.
For most of us, upgrading the internet speed one tier up from where we currently are will probably be enough to notice a significant speed improvement. However, just ask your internet service provider about their plan options to get more information.
Are There Other Options?
Beyond these tips, forcing a torrent to download faster is only possible if there are more people sharing the torrent. As more and more users share the same torrent data, you can get it faster.
However, that’s not really in your control, and neither is the other massive limitation of torrent download speeds: the other users’ upload speed. You can download files only as fast as the ones sharing it can upload it. In other words, if they have slow upload bandwidth, you’re forced to have slow download bandwidth regardless of what you pay your ISP for.
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