Free Download Manager is a decade old, or probably more, software that allows you to manage download, organize, schedule, speed-up Internet file downloads, and faster when optimized. In this post, we will share some tips on Free Download Manager to get more out of it. It is one of the best download managers available for Windows 10, Chrome, and macOS.
Note: I am using version 5 for this post. If you are running a different version, the options may look a bit different.
Many of us are using FDM in our day to day life, but do we make the most out of it? I have seen people using the software, and they are pleased, but on real terms, they don’t harness the power of the software. What could be the reason? Probably we don’t explore it more. So here are some features of Free Download Manager you should know:
- Download Modes
- Quickly switch to Light Mode
- Schedule Downloads
- Browser Integration
- Configure FDM Settings
While the modern browsers have improved when it comes to downloading files, resuming back broken downloads, and more, bu FDM still offers a lot of features.
1] Download Modes
By default, FDM takes a maximum of your download speed when in action, and hence if you are browsing at the same time, the sites or applications will open slow.
If you want to balance it out, the three different modes are available for download—High, Normal, and Low. They allow downloading files at a fast speed, medium speed, and slow speed, respectively. Thus, allowing you to utilize your Internet connection as per your convenience.
These options are not available before the download starts but can be configured later. Right-click on any of the downloads, and set it accordingly. To balance it even further, you can choose the amount of bandwidth each of these modes can be used.
- Click on the hamburger menu, and then click on Settings.
- Switch to Traffic Limits, and here you can configure
- Download speed & upload speed
- The maximum number of connections
- and the maximum number of simultaneous downloads.
2] Quickly Switching to Light Mode or Snail Mode
Now you don’t want to keep on switching from Heavy mode to light every time you browse. FDM gives you a direct option of switching to Light Mode, aka Snail Mode, as soon as you start browsing. You will have to activate it manually.
Launch FDM, and look for a Snail icon on the bottom left of the software. Click on it. As soon as you do that, the snail will turn orange, and all downloads will fall in KBPS download speed. It is useful when you need to get your work done but still want to download it to continue even at a snail speed.
3] Schedule Downloads
Most of the ISPs offer better download speed at night. Chances are you will end up downloading everything at night than during the day. FDM has an inbuilt scheduler that allows you to select any download and put it on a particular schedule. The option also shows up just before the download starts.
Check the box which says Scheduler, and then configure the day and time of the download. You also get a preview of the availble disk size and fie size.
If a download is in progress, you can still schedule it to download later. Since download managers can take a large part of bandwidth, it will hamper your current work. So to download it later, right-click on the file you are downloading and click on schedule.
4] Browser Integration
You will want to catch the download, which you start in the browser to FDM. Like always, you will need to install the Firefox, Edge, and Chrome extensions to do that. As soon as you start the download, it will open in the download manager, and you can schedule to download it instantly.
5] Configure FDM Settings
I would strongly suggest you configure download settings of the FDM. Some features can be optimized and set up in a way that you do not waste a lot of time figuring out the download and more.
- Choose to create folders based on the type of file or source
- Configure ALT key to skip download appearing in FDM
- Configure domains and extensions which the download manager can skip
- Use a browser if you choose to cancel the download using FDM.
- Power Management to keep the computer awake and shut down when the downloads are complete
- Preallocate disk space
There are a few essential features that are not available anymore in the current version. The option to create a portable version, exporting and importing settings, choosing which Antivirus to scan the files, remote controller, site exploration, and more. They are still available for download, but they work only on Windows XP and Windows Vista.
I hope the post was easy to understand, and you now know more about the Free Download Manager than before. Explore the settings to know more.
Download Free Download Manager from the home page.
