# Are there any (Win) Torrent clients that aren't virus filled? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 30, 2021, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-win-torrent-clients-that-arent-virus-filled/945363 "2021-06-30T20:49:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2021, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-win-torrent-clients-that-arent-virus-filled/945363/1 "2021-06-30T20:49:20Z")
Seriously, every torrent client I find (half a dozen? more?) either the browser stops me after/during download (“danger danger!”) and the .exe becomes unusable, or my or Windows built-in virus detection quarantines it almost immediately. Even an open source one I tried (downloaded; I didn’t build the source tree). Looking for a safe client, for Windows, please. ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2021, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-win-torrent-clients-that-arent-virus-filled/945363/2 "2021-06-30T20:56:06Z")
Are you sure you do not have, or are trying to download, a virus? 🙂 Check that first Then you can use an open-source download client like qbittorrent ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2021, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-win-torrent-clients-that-arent-virus-filled/945363/3 "2021-06-30T21:02:25Z")
Go with any recommended by a legit tech site: > **[The best free torrent clients for 2023: faster, safer downloads for PC and Mac](https://www.techradar.com/best/torrent-client)** > > Download those torrents as easy as possible If your antivirus claims that they have viruses, your antivirus is lying. ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2021, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-win-torrent-clients-that-arent-virus-filled/945363/4 "2021-06-30T21:02:53Z")
I just download qBittorrent (again, I’d already tried that one) from [here](https://sourceforge.net/projects/qbittorrent/files/latest/download) and Chrome tells me: [![Imgur](https://i.imgur.com/TAS2h8S.png "imgur.com") ](https://imgur.com/TAS2h8S) ---
**Author:** ![Martin\_Hyde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/47e85d/32.png) [@Martin\_Hyde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martin_Hyde)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2021, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-win-torrent-clients-that-arent-virus-filled/945363/5 "2021-06-30T21:04:03Z")
Chrome saying a virus was detected doesn’t mean one is actually present. Google may just have declared bit torrent clients are “unsafed” and their algorithm flags them all as viruses. I think there’s open source bit torrent clients out there, I’d download one of those (from a trusted site.) ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2021, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-win-torrent-clients-that-arent-virus-filled/945363/6 "2021-06-30T21:06:30Z")
I was wondering the same. Windows itself tries to quarantine every bitTorrent client. Makes me suspicious that _every_ client gets this treatment ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2021, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-win-torrent-clients-that-arent-virus-filled/945363/7 "2021-06-30T21:06:31Z")
It’s been a _long_ time since I used it but this is the one I have: > **[The best free torrent clients for 2023: faster, safer downloads for PC and Mac](https://www.techradar.com/best/torrent-client#4-utorrent)** > > Download those torrents as easy as possible ---
**Author:** ![Martin\_Hyde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/47e85d/32.png) [@Martin\_Hyde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martin_Hyde)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2021, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-win-torrent-clients-that-arent-virus-filled/945363/8 "2021-06-30T21:06:42Z")
If you’re downloading qbittorrent from [qBittorrent Official Website](https://www.qbittorrent.org/) I think it is safe and has no viruses. This is a well known, open source project and that is their official home page. I downloaded it and see no signs of it containing malicious software. ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2021, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-win-torrent-clients-that-arent-virus-filled/945363/9 "2021-06-30T21:07:09Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > If your antivirus claims that they have viruses, your antivirus is lying. My browser says so also ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2021, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-win-torrent-clients-that-arent-virus-filled/945363/10 "2021-06-30T21:08:26Z")
> [@Martin\_Hyde](#): > > If you’re downloading qbittorrent from [qBittorrent Official Website](https://www.qbittorrent.org/) I think it is safe and has no viruses. This is a well known, open source project and that is their official home page. I downloaded it and see no signs of it containing malicious software. I did download from there and it gets rejected. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2021, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-win-torrent-clients-that-arent-virus-filled/945363/11 "2021-06-30T21:09:27Z")
Alternately, you could use one of the “middlemen” services: [https://alternativeto.net/software/sonic-seedbox/](https://alternativeto.net/software/sonic-seedbox/) I use seedr (2 GB in free account) and Sonicbit (4 GB in free account.) If you are willing to pay you get much larger file size limits. Then let them download the torrent and direct-download from them. (Sonicbit seems to re-download every torrent, seedr obviously downloads just once and if you add one they have already downloaded they will copy it to your directory instantly.) Downloads are very fast. ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2021, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-win-torrent-clients-that-arent-virus-filled/945363/12 "2021-06-30T21:10:24Z")
Okay, let’s rephrase the OP then. Is there a way to permit torrent clients without disabling your virus detection? So far Windows itself (sometimes, not always) quarantines them. With BitTorrent it bitches sometimes but doesn’t go nuclear. And WTF is with this weirdly aggressive anti-virus, anti-browser, and OS behavior with torrent clients if it’s not a legit threat (and it doesn’t seem to be often). ---
**Author:** ![Martin\_Hyde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/47e85d/32.png) [@Martin\_Hyde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martin_Hyde)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2021, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-win-torrent-clients-that-arent-virus-filled/945363/13 "2021-06-30T21:12:36Z")
Without being on your PC I can’t say for sure, but in my experience both the browser based and Windows based “rejections” can be overridden by the operator. The buttons or links you have to click to bypass them are sometimes obscure and not readily apparent. ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2021, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-win-torrent-clients-that-arent-virus-filled/945363/14 "2021-06-30T21:13:54Z")
To get BitTorrent to work, I had to download from Firefox and just ignore Windows antivirus bitching (seriously, every the time BT runs) ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2021, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-win-torrent-clients-that-arent-virus-filled/945363/15 "2021-06-30T21:14:08Z")
That file seems to have been flagged by “SecureAge APEX”, so totally ignore that false warning and download the file. Checksums are [here.](https://www.qbittorrent.org/download.php) ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2021, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-win-torrent-clients-that-arent-virus-filled/945363/16 "2021-06-30T21:28:20Z")
I think Opera browser has (or used to have?) a torrent client built in. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2021, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-win-torrent-clients-that-arent-virus-filled/945363/17 "2021-07-01T02:54:56Z")
I set Chrome’s Security \> Safe Browsing to Standard and was able to download the 64-bit installer from the mirror on this page: > [qBittorrent Official Website](https://www.qbittorrent.org/download.php) I did not receive any sort of virus warning. I even started the installer, though I didn’t finish it as I already use a different BitTorrent client. (I don’t like the qBittorrent UI.) > [Tixati.com - Download](https://www.tixati.com/download/) > > **Our NO Spyware, NO Adware, NO Nonsense Guarantee** > Unlike many other torrent clients, we take pride in saying NO to spyware and adware. Tixati installs and uninstalls cleanly and doesn’t add anything extra to your system. Our software is fully self-contained and doesn’t have annoying dependencies on Java or .Net frameworks. It does, very occasionally, show you a reminder that you can donate. But it’s very rare, and never shows up when you’re just downloading things in the background. ---
**Author:** ![Kron](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kron/32/12444_2.png) [@Kron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kron)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2021, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-win-torrent-clients-that-arent-virus-filled/945363/18 "2021-07-01T03:08:09Z")
I also use Tixati, no issues installing through chrome on my end. ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2021, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-win-torrent-clients-that-arent-virus-filled/945363/19 "2021-07-01T03:36:49Z")
I just downloaded Tixati from Chrome and it let me finish! Yay, I’m saved! Then I installed it, ran it, and Windows Security (not an optional component like my virus addon I’d disabled) popped up an alert “potentially unwanted app found” and moved it god know where on my drive. The installed app folder is still there in Program Files with a license.txt and and error reporting exe, but the app exe itself is gone. Did it all a second time, the app.exe came back. I made it read only, then got this when I launched: [![Imgur](https://i.imgur.com/20TbzAc.png "imgur.com") ](https://imgur.com/20TbzAc) And then the app disappeared again. Win 10 build 19041.1052. "Windows Feature Experience Pack (whatever that is) 120.221.2020.0 ---
**Author:** ![SmartAleq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smartaleq/32/163_2.png) [@SmartAleq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAleq)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2021, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-win-torrent-clients-that-arent-virus-filled/945363/20 "2021-07-01T03:45:44Z")
I use Deluge. No problems on Win10 and downloaded it via Firefox. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-win-torrent-clients-that-arent-virus-filled/945363.md?page=2)