# Help and tutorials

GolinksPRO Download Manager (GDM) is a free download manager for Windows and Linux (and, still experimental, macOS). It is laid out the way Internet Download Manager users expect: a toolbar, categories on the left, one list of downloads and a browser extension that hands downloads to it.

These pages explain each part of the program. The tutorials walk through the things people do most, one task each.

![The main window](https://golinkspro-download-manager.web.app/help/images/main-light.webp)

## Start here

- **[Getting started](https://golinkspro-download-manager.web.app/help/getting-started.html)** — install GDM (setup, portable or zip on Windows; the packages on Linux; the .dmg on a Mac), choose a language and find your way around the main window.
- **[Your first download](https://golinkspro-download-manager.web.app/help/guide-first-download.html)** — a two-minute walk-through from copied link to opened file.

## Downloading

- **[Adding downloads](https://golinkspro-download-manager.web.app/help/adding-downloads.html)** — Add URL, the clipboard, the drop target, batch downloads and lists of links, and Start Download versus Download Later.
- **[Link grabber and archives](https://golinkspro-download-manager.web.app/help/link-grabber.html)** — many links at once, in packages; zip, 7z and rar archives extracted when they are downloaded.
- **[Browser integration](https://golinkspro-download-manager.web.app/help/browser-integration.html)** — the extension for Firefox (from addons.mozilla.org), Chrome, Edge, Brave, Opera and Vivaldi (from the Chrome Web Store), which downloads it takes, and what happens when GDM isn't running.
- **[Run GDM on a server](https://golinkspro-download-manager.web.app/help/server.html)** — GDM without a window on a home server or NAS (Docker, Unraid), downloading into its folders; send it downloads from your phone or browser.
- **[Control GDM from your phone](https://golinkspro-download-manager.web.app/help/remote-control.html)** — add links, magnets and torrents from a phone or another computer at home, and watch and control the list.

## Organising

- **[The download list](https://golinkspro-download-manager.web.app/help/download-list.html)** — columns, filters, the categories tree, selecting many downloads, finding one, and deleting downloads with or without their files.
- **[Queues and the Scheduler](https://golinkspro-download-manager.web.app/help/queues-and-scheduler.html)** — run downloads a few at a time, start and stop them by the clock, and turn the computer off when they are done.

## Speed and connections

- **[Connections and speed](https://golinkspro-download-manager.web.app/help/connections-and-speed.html)** — the progress window, how GDM splits a file over several connections, resuming, and the Speed Limiter.

## Video and torrents

- **[Video downloads](https://golinkspro-download-manager.web.app/help/video.html)** — download a video from its page (YouTube, Vimeo and many more) with yt-dlp.
- **[Image galleries](https://golinkspro-download-manager.web.app/help/galleries.html)** — download a gallery's pictures (Wikimedia Commons, Flickr, DeviantArt and many more) with gallery-dl.
- **[Torrents](https://golinkspro-download-manager.web.app/help/torrents.html)** — magnet links and .torrent files, choosing files, and sharing.
- **[Torrents and your security](https://golinkspro-download-manager.web.app/help/torrent-security.html)** — what others can see, the network switches, blocklists, proxies.
- **[Debrid service accounts](https://golinkspro-download-manager.web.app/help/debrid.html)** — Real-Debrid, AllDebrid and Premiumize: file-host links through your own account.

## Settings

- **[Options](https://golinkspro-download-manager.web.app/help/options.html)** — every page of the Options window.
- **[Themes](https://golinkspro-download-manager.web.app/help/themes.html)** — the built-in looks (Classic, Native, High contrast, Metro, Adwaita, Breeze, Luna, Aero, Aqua), and how to make your own in a text file.
- **[Languages](https://golinkspro-download-manager.web.app/help/languages.html)** — the 86 interface languages, numbers and dates, right-to-left layouts, and how to help translate.
- **[Portable mode](https://golinkspro-download-manager.web.app/help/portable.html)** — run GDM from a folder or a USB stick without installing it.
- **[Keyboard shortcuts](https://golinkspro-download-manager.web.app/help/keyboard-shortcuts.html)** — every key the main window answers, and screen readers.
- **[Command line and automation](https://golinkspro-download-manager.web.app/help/command-line.html)** — IDM's command-line switches, the `misterdownloadmanager-cli` tool, and the automation API other programs can use.
- **[AI assistants (MCP)](https://golinkspro-download-manager.web.app/help/ai-assistants.html)** — let Claude, Cursor, VS Code or another MCP assistant list, add, pause and remove your downloads.

## Tutorials

- **[Download a file](https://golinkspro-download-manager.web.app/help/guide-first-download.html)** — copy a link, add it, open the file.
- **[Catch downloads from your browser](https://golinkspro-download-manager.web.app/help/guide-catch-browser-downloads.html)** — set up the extension so clicked downloads go to GDM.
- **[Download overnight](https://golinkspro-download-manager.web.app/help/guide-download-overnight.html)** — queue files and let the Scheduler start them at night.
- **[Resume a broken download](https://golinkspro-download-manager.web.app/help/guide-resume-broken-download.html)** — continue after a cut connection, a crash or an expired link.
- **[Keep some speed for everything else](https://golinkspro-download-manager.web.app/help/guide-keep-speed-for-everything-else.html)** — cap GDM so browsing and calls stay smooth.
- **[Download a video from a page](https://golinkspro-download-manager.web.app/help/guide-video-from-page.html)** — pick a quality and save a video.
- **[Carry GDM on a USB stick](https://golinkspro-download-manager.web.app/help/guide-usb-stick.html)** — the portable copy, with downloads saved to the stick.
- **[Find a download in a long list](https://golinkspro-download-manager.web.app/help/guide-find-in-long-list.html)** — Find, Find Next and column filters.

## Help

- **[Crash reports](https://golinkspro-download-manager.web.app/help/crash-reports.html)** — what the crash report window shows when GDM closes unexpectedly or stops responding, what a report contains, and how to send it.
- **[Troubleshooting](https://golinkspro-download-manager.web.app/help/troubleshooting.html)** — what to check when a download fails, the browser doesn't hand over a download, or a schedule doesn't start.
- **[The browser and GDM aren't connected](https://golinkspro-download-manager.web.app/help/browser-help.html)** — what the extension's red **!** means, reason by reason, and how to fix each.
- **[Releases](https://golinkspro-download-manager.web.app/download.html)** — download the latest version.
- **[Report a problem](https://golinkspro-download-manager.web.app/help/troubleshooting.html/new/choose)** — or use **Help → Report a problem** in GDM, which fills in your version, system and how GDM was installed for you.

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> Screenshots in these docs show Windows and the light theme unless noted; on the website each has its dark version beside it. GDM follows the system's dark mode: when Windows (or your desktop) is set to dark, GDM is dark too.