Software tool
A download manager is a type of software that manages the downloading of files from the Internet, which may be built into a web browser, or as a standalone program.
Functions
A download manager manages files being downloaded from the internet.[1] Download managers break down files into multiple chunks for faster download speeds and allocate resources for downloading multiple items simultaneously.[2] Failed downloads can also be restarted from a download manager.[3] Download managers may be separate programs or may be built into web browsers or other programs, such as Firefox's and Telegram's built-in download managers.[4][5]
Criticism
Download managers are occasionally used to spread malware or advertisements onto a user's computer. For example, the download page for Free Download Manager was hacked and used to spread malware on Linux devices from 2020 to 2022.[6][7] Other download managers have been noted to contain advertisements, be identified as malware by antivirus software, or attempt to install unwanted software during installation.[8][9]
References