Torrent4K is a torrent client and 4K video player for Linux: open a magnet link or a .torrent file and watch it in seconds, while it downloads.
There is no waiting for 100% and no separate media player to install. The pieces you are about to watch are fetched first, the built-in player starts as soon as they arrive, and the rest of the file keeps downloading in the background — in up to 4K, with HDR, surround sound and subtitles.
Watch torrents while they download
- Starts in seconds — the beginning of the video is downloaded first, so playback starts long before the file is complete.
- Seek anywhere — jump to any point and that part is fetched next, instead of waiting for the download to catch up.
- Ready in… — on a slow torrent the app tells you how long until playback can start, and can look for a faster copy.
- Continue Watching — every video remembers where you stopped.
A video player built in
Picture and sound
- Every common format — MKV, MP4, AVI, WebM and more, with H.264, H.265 / HEVC, AV1 and VP9 video.
- Up to 4K with HDR, and 5.1 or 7.1 surround sound.
- Picture and sound settings — zoom, aspect ratio, brightness and colour, smooth motion, sound modes and audio sync.
Subtitles
- Found for you — subtitles inside the torrent, on your computer, or searched online in your language.
- Automatic sync — subtitles that run early or late are lined up with the speech.
- Dual subtitles — two languages on screen at once, with the size and style you choose.
Binge-watching
- Next episode with a countdown, and the next one warmed up before you get there.
- Skip intro and credits on files that mark them.
- Picture-in-picture — keep watching in a small window on top of everything else.
On the TV and the phone
- Cast to a Chromecast or a DLNA TV while the torrent is still downloading.
- Phone remote — scan a QR code and control playback from your phone's browser on the same home network.
Finding something to watch
Paste a magnet link, open a .torrent file, or search. Search asks several public torrent indexes at once and puts the copy that suits your connection speed at the top, so a 4K file is not suggested on a link that cannot play it. Movies and shows get posters, plot, cast, episode lists and similar titles. My List follows shows and RSS feeds.
A complete torrent client
- Downloads — queue, pause and reorder, and pick only the episodes you want from a season pack.
- Bandwidth — download and upload limits, a slow mode for while you work, and seeding limits.
- Magnet links and .torrent files — Torrent4K registers for both, so clicking a magnet link in the browser opens it in the app.
- Disk guard — downloads pause before the disk fills up.
- Backup and restore — your library and settings in one file.
Privacy and safety
- VPN kill switch — torrent traffic is bound to your VPN interface, so if the VPN drops the torrents stop instead of carrying on over your normal connection. A SOCKS5 proxy works too.
- Private mode — nothing you watch is kept in history, and its files are removed when the session ends.
- Parental lock — adult results stay hidden, behind a PIN.
Installing Torrent4K on Linux
From the Snap Store:
sudo snap install torrent4kThe video player is included, so nothing else is needed. Or download the portable AppImage from the latest release, make it executable and run it — it carries the player too, and runs on Ubuntu 22.04 and newer, Debian 12, Fedora, Linux Mint, Arch and most other distributions.
System requirements
- Linux — x86_64, any distribution that runs Snap; the AppImage needs glibc 2.35 or newer (Ubuntu 22.04, Debian 12, Fedora 36 and later)
- Network — an internet connection for torrents, search, posters and online subtitles; casting and the phone remote use your home network
Free and PRO
Playing, streaming and downloading are free at any quality and speed, with no time limit, and so are subtitles, the kill switch, private mode and the parental lock. A new install gets seven days of PRO; after that the free plan includes 10 different searches a day.
PRO adds the extras: casting, the phone remote, picture-in-picture, automatic subtitle sync and dual subtitles, sound modes and picture controls, next-episode warm-up and skip buttons, My List auto-download, seeding limits and a slow-mode schedule.
Frequently asked questions
Can I watch a torrent before it finishes downloading?
Yes — that is what Torrent4K is built for. It downloads the part you are about to watch first, so the video starts in seconds, and when you seek it fetches that part next.
Does it open magnet links from the browser?
Yes. Torrent4K registers itself for magnet links and .torrent files, so clicking one in your browser opens it in the app.
Do I need a separate video player?
No. The player is built in and plays every common video and audio format, including 4K, HDR and surround sound.
Can I stream a torrent to my TV?
Yes, with PRO: cast to a Chromecast or a DLNA TV on your home network while the torrent is still downloading.
Does it work with a VPN?
Yes. Turn on the kill switch and choose your VPN's network interface; torrents then use only that interface and stop if the VPN disconnects.
Which languages is the app in?
20, including English, Spanish, German, French, Hindi, Japanese, Chinese and Arabic. It follows your computer's language, and has black, dark and light themes.
Is Torrent4K legal?
Torrent4K is a torrent client and player, like any other: it does not host or provide content, it plays and downloads what you choose to open. Only download and share files you have the right to — your own, Creative Commons and public-domain works, and anything the rights holder lets you share.
Related write-ups
To convert or shrink a video once it has downloaded, see FormatLab. Browse the rest of the catalogue in the Linux apps listing.
