When you download media from the internet, it’s usually in a specific file type. These file types are usually chosen to help users keep things organized and accessible. But they can also be a bit tricky at times. Most media files have their own special extensions, but magnet links are a bit of an anomaly. If you want to know what exactly is this type of link and how it works, keep reading to find out!
What is a Magnet Link?
A magnet link is a URL that tells a computer to download a file of a specific type. Usually, this type of link will be a link to a file that ends with a “.torrent” extension. So, what is a torrent file? A torrent file is a type of digital file that has needed details about the files you will download and how to download them.
When you click the link, a torrent client program downloads the file from the internet and then starts uploading it to other users, who are downloading the file from you. You may see these links referred to as “torrent links” as well. These are basically the same thing. The only real difference is that magnet links show up in your browser as “magnet:?xt=” instead of “torrent:?xt=”.
Why Use A Magnet Link?
There is one major reason to use a magnet link: privacy. If you want to protect your torrent’s metadata, you should use this type of link instead of a regular .torrent file. Magnet links, like .torrent files, don’t show your computer’s IP address, which means that it’s harder to track you down.
You should also try using these types of links if you’re using a VPN. While a VPN will hide your IP address, downloading a torrent with this type of link will also hide your IP address.
Should You Use A Magnet Link?
If you’re downloading a torrent that allows magnet links, as many music torrents do, then you should use this type of link. However, you should also make sure that you’re downloading the “official” version of the file. This means that you should avoid downloading these links to torrents with a lot of seeders and leechers.
You don’t want to download a torrent whose seeders aren’t available or whose leechers leave the file half-done. This can lead to corrupted files and poor-quality media. If you know that you can’t get the official version of the file, you should avoid using these links. For example, if you’re downloading media from an artist who is currently touring, you may not be able to get an official version to download.