qBittorrent Download: Get the Official Open Source Client

The official site is qbittorrent.org, and its download page lists every current build with a SHA-256 checksum. The page also names a backup copy of the website hosted on GitHub Pages, and the Linux Flatpak on Flathub. Those are the places to start.

Torrent clients are a favourite target for repackaged installers: search ads and copycat sites offer qBittorrent with adware or worse attached. The genuine client has no ads and no bundled offers, so if an installer shows you a toolbar, a 'recommended' extra program or a paid upgrade, close it and start again from qbittorrent.org.

At the time of writing the download page lists qBittorrent 5.3.0, released on 19 October 2026 according to the project's news page. The release moves the default build to the libtorrent 2.1.x series and adds features such as pausing and resuming the whole session, email notifications to several recipients and an overhauled .torrent backup system.

Its changelog also lists fixes with a security angle, including an authentication bypass via X-Forwarded-For spoofing and SMTP injection from unsanitised mail content, plus HTTPS for dynamic DNS. If you use the Web UI, updating matters.

The macOS build lags behind: the download page lists 5.2.3 for Mac, and the project states that the macOS version is barely supported because it has no active macOS developers.

The download page says the Windows builds need Windows 10 or later and offers two 64-bit installers for 5.3.0:

• The default build uses Qt 6 and libtorrent 2.1.x. Choose this unless you have a reason not to.
• The lt12 build uses libtorrent 1.2.x instead. The 5.3.0 release notes warn that the new 2.1.x backend is known to have worse read performance than 1.2.x, and keep the 1.2.x build for heavy seeders.

Both builds have the same interface and features. If you are unsure, take the default.

macOS: the download page lists a DMG for macOS 13 or later, at version 5.2.3 at the time of writing. Given the project's own warning that macOS is barely supported, Mac users who want a native, actively developed client may prefer Transmission, which is covered in our torrent client guide.

Linux: the download page offers an x86_64 AppImage (built on Ubuntu 22.04, with an lt12 variant), the Flatpak on Flathub, and stable and unstable PPAs for Ubuntu. Many distributions also package qBittorrent in their own repositories. The Arch AUR package is labelled non-official on the download page.

qBittorrent publishes a SHA-256 checksum next to each download, and the project says all source tarballs and binaries have been signed since version 3.3.4. Checking the hash takes a minute and proves the file is the one the project released.

1. Download the installer from qbittorrent.org and note the SHA-256 value shown beside it.
2. On Windows, open PowerShell in your Downloads folder and run Get-FileHash .\qbittorrent_5.3.0_x64_setup.exe (use the exact file name you downloaded).
3. On macOS or Linux, run shasum -a 256 or sha256sum followed by the file name.
4. Compare the result with the value on the download page. If a single character differs, delete the file.

Advanced users can also check the PGP signature against the project's key, which the download page lists by fingerprint. Our guide on what a checksum is explains the idea in plain terms.

The qBittorrent homepage lists the features below. In plain terms, this is what they do:

• Integrated search engine: searches several torrent sites at once by category. The results are third-party content, so judge them carefully.
• RSS feed support with filters: downloads new items from a feed automatically, using rules that can include regular expressions. Useful for podcasts or software projects that publish torrents.
• Magnet links, DHT, peer exchange and local peer discovery: ways to find peers without relying only on a tracker.
• Sequential downloading: fetches pieces in order, so the start of a large file is usable before the rest arrives.
• Queueing and priorities: limit how many torrents run at once and choose which files inside a torrent to skip.
• Bandwidth scheduler and IP filtering: cap speeds at set times, and block address ranges using eMule or PeerGuardian filter lists.
• Torrent creation and Web UI: share your own files as a torrent, and control the client from a browser on another device.

You do not need most of these to start. Download, check the checksum, install, choose a download folder, and open a legal torrent.

• Choose a download folder you will remember, under Tools, Options, Downloads.
• Set upload and download limits under Speed if torrents slow down the rest of your connection; the bandwidth scheduler can lift them overnight.
• Leave the Web UI off unless you need remote control. If you turn it on, set a strong password and keep the client updated.
• Be careful with the search plugins. qBittorrent can search torrent sites, but the results come from third parties, not from the project.
• Scan what you download. Treat executable files from torrents with suspicion and scan them with your antivirus before opening them.

Your IP address is visible to the other peers in a swarm. Our torrent client guide discusses privacy in more detail. If a download has already caused problems, see our malware removal tool guide.

BitTorrent is a neutral technology, and many projects distribute large files this way because it spreads the load across downloaders. Common legitimate uses include Linux distribution images, open-source software, public-domain and Creative Commons media, and large public datasets. Many projects publish official .torrent files or magnet links on their own download pages.

What is illegal in most countries is downloading or sharing copyrighted films, music, games or software without permission, and that is true whichever client you use. Only torrent content you have the right to access.

qBittorrent's strengths are a full feature set (RSS with filters, sequential downloading, IP filtering, a bandwidth scheduler, a torrent creator and a Web UI), support for about 70 languages and no ads. Transmission is lighter and has a native macOS app; Deluge is plugin-driven. All three are compared in our torrent client download guide. If you mainly download large single files over HTTP rather than torrents, see our download manager guide instead.