Light Downloader for Windows

Used Light Downloader for Windows?

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Editors’ Review

Download.com staffFebruary 29, 2024

Light Downloader is a free download manager that claims to speed up downloads by 600 percent or more by splitting target files into several parts that it downloads separately and simultaneously. It can schedule downloads, automatically resume interrupted downloads, support proxy connections, and do the things similar free tools can do. What sets it apart is its easy drag-and-drop capability.

Light Downloader's three-panel interface has a familiar view, with a left-hand navigation panel and a main view divided horizontally into a listing of downloads above a log display. The tabbed navigation panel accesses Downloads, which is the primary view, and the Scheduler feature. Toolbar icons quickly toggled between network access modes: Heavy, which hogs the connection for maximum download speed; Medium, for general browsing while downloading; and Light, which takes longest but has the least impact on the network. We were intrigued by the Drop Box, a translucent system tray icon that lets you drag-and-drop stuff from your browser directly into the program and that can be dragged around itself. Clicking it also wakes the program and gives access to settings and options from the system tray. We decided to test Light Downloader's drag-and-drop download capability with a variety of files. We browsed to some freeware, grabbed the download link with our cursor, and dragged in into Light Downloader's interface. We selected our options and destination folder in a pop-up settings dialog and started the download, which finished quick as lightning. Next we dragged and dropped a link to an audio clip of a pulsar, a kind of star; it played perfectly when we clicked Launch File. We also tried videos, images, and Web pages, both parts and whole pages. In each case, Light Downloader automatically identified and categorized each download by type. Filters let us quickly find specific downloads in the queue, too.

We were impressed with Light Downloader's capacity to actually make downloading easier while still preserving powerful options and scheduling capabilities. Downloads were noticeably faster, even with broadband, and we really like Light Downloader's drag-and-drop capability, too.

What’s new in version 2.6.8

Version 2.6.8 is a bug-fixing release.

Light Downloader for Windows

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Full Specifications

GENERAL

Release: February 21, 2012

Latest update: February 29, 2024

Version: 2.6.8

OPERATING SYSTEMS

Platform: Windows

Operating System

Windows 2000
Windows Vista
Windows 7
Windows XP
Windows 10
Windows NT
Windows Server
Windows 2003

Additional Requirements: None

POPULARITY

Total Downloads: 338,082

Downloads Last Week: 10

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Last Updated

User Reviews

3.8/5

11 User Votes

Small, light, simple, very fast.
flyer25October 27, 2012
Pros
It took me a long time to find it the first time when it was in one of it's first stages of developement but when I did I was hooked. It seemed to be everything I was looking for and after installation my assumption was confirmed. This later version gave me problem of not moitoring the browser. I suspect it is a problem with a windows configuration. It's a shame the developer's website is no longer up and so no support. I have switched to Orbit downloaader.
Cons
None except that it has become a legacy program with no support.
Summary
I miss it.
Works for me
mrbiscuit76January 2, 2012
Pros
Downloads quickly and it is easy to use,makes downloading kind of fun.
Cons
Sometimes i'll miss the little box on the first try but that's my fault! No cons to speak of really
Summary
I am happy it has came back.
soloheartAugust 6, 2011
Pros
It is light on our computer with no extra commercials.
Cons
I have used it for the last 3 years, and found no issue.
Summary
It does work as promised.
Easy to use, the quickest and simplest downloader
AbbieyesJuly 29, 2011
Pros
the quickest and simplest downloader I have found.
Cons
none so far
Summary
it's great, totally recommended.
Not fake, and a nice free program--once you find it
RobD60March 7, 2011
Pros
Allows you to set default download directories for music, software, documents, and custom downloads; multithreading supported; integrates with IE and with Firefox; drag-and-drop function is nice.
Cons
There is, as far as I know, ONLY ONE VALID DOWNLOAD LINK ON THE ENTIRE WEB (http://www.softsea.com/download/Light-Downloader.html), and the product SEEMS to be no longer in active development; not a torrent manager
Summary
First of all, the CNet link is dead (sorry, CNet). ONLY THE SOFTSEA LINK APPEARS TO BE VALID (again, apologies to CNet for putting a competitor's site out here). Softsea, it seems, hosts the actual executable. Once you run the executable, you'll have a download icon on your desktop; you can drag-and-drop a download link to that icon to start the download. Make sure you have the link to an actual program/doc/mp3, not a .html or .php link for a web page. Tweak the program by right-clicking on the desktop icon(the "drop box") and choose "Show main window." Set preferences under "Tools." You'll find that LDM can save passwords for members-only sites (like my favorite, completelyfreesoftware.com); if you have an anti-virus program (why, of course you do!) you can set it to scan completed downloads but you must do this manually. You can manually set options for download connections under Network--simultaneous downloads, maximum download number--and there are presets for the (autodetected) speed of your internet connection. You can cancel, pause and resume downloads or schedule downloads for a specified time. For me, the best part of LDM is that it separates downloads into different subfolders based on file extensions. You have by default subfolders for Music, Software, Other, and Video. I download more documents and software than music and video, but LDM handles multimedia all right, though there are much better options for finding and downloading embedded multimedia files. All in all, LDM is the best freeware downloader I have found.
FFAAKKEE!!
EclipseWebJS2February 12, 2011
Pros
There is none.
Cons
Redirects to a dumb site and won't let me click on anything else on the DOWNLOAD PAGE!
Summary
Cannot download
geranchJanuary 19, 2011
Pros
I haven't tried it yet because i am unable to download it.
Cons
Cannot download!
Summary
Upon clicking Download Now, i am immediately redirected to a site BLUE HOST. So how to download it ?
Not so good..OK
anand.khandewaleDecember 10, 2010
Pros
easy to use
Cons
Most of the time, the download links point to some webpage and the program downloads the page instead of the program, tried downloading programs from CNET by dragging the download link to the icon, it fails
Summary
good in some cases, fails in most
Easy to Use, Does a Good Job
NissjOctober 12, 2010
Pros
I recently started using Light Downloader because I wanted something that would accelerate download times. I tend to download several videos at once and with iGetter, another good downloader, this usually takes up to an hour + per video.
Cons
Since I am unfamiliar with some of the features, including instructions for Light Downloader's features would be preferred rather than having to email my questions to the company.
Summary
For simply downloading numerous items at an accelerated speed, Light Downloader does a good job.
Light Downloader is an excellent download manager
falling2March 15, 2010
Pros
It is reliable and simple to use. It is indispensable for all the IE-Firefox users.
Cons
There are no "cons"...
Summary
I use Firefox and I have had a lot of troubles with the integrated download manager (it does not resume the interrupted downloads and I have to delete the list of finished downloads manually). Light Downloader can resume automatically all the interrupted downloads; it deletes automatically the list of finished downloads and it informs me with a sound when the download is finished. It starts automatically with Windows and intercepts every click on a download link. If you use Firefox or Internet Explorer this software is indispensable!

Developer’s Description

By Light Downloader

Accelerate your downloads easily and simultaneously.

Light Downloader is a free download manager that accelerates your downloads by splitting the files into several parts and downloading them simultaneously. As a result download speed increases up to 6 times, or even more! Light Downloader can resume broken download from where it was interrupted. Light Downloader supports FTP, HTTP and HTTPS. Proxy is also supported.