How to torrent safely in 2023
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Catherine Hiley
Contributor
Peer-to-peer (P2P) torrenting can be risky. From unwittingly downloading malware to accidentally downloading copyrighted material, you could risk infecting your computer with viruses, having your connection throttled by your ISP or even facing fines.
The key to safe torrenting is anonymity and security, and luckily we have a solution that covers both of these - using a reliable VPN. A good tool will keep your data safe and hide your online activity, as well as offer other great features that will help you torrent.
In this guide, we’ll explain everything you need to know about how to protect your data and stay anonymous while torrenting.
Downloading torrents is as easy as a few clicks. But to be certain you’re downloading safely, you’ll want to be using a VPN, too. Here’s how to torrent safely in a few simple steps.
How to torrent safely with a VPN
- Choose a VPN that's reliable and ideal for torrenting. We recommend NordVPN, now 63% OFF!
- Download and install a VPN
- Connect to a server
- Optimize your VPN's security settings
- Visit a reputable torrent site and start downloading
How to torrent safely – a detailed guide
We’ve shown you how to connect to a VPN service and start torrenting safely in a few simple steps. Read on to find out more about the various factors that can ensure your torrenting is safe and hidden. Here is a more detailed look at some of the factors to consider when you’re downloading torrents online.
1. Use a good VPN
With so many services to choose from, it can be difficult deciding which one to go for. For safe torrenting, you should pick a top VPN that's primed for torrenting and is reliable, fast, and secure.
By using a premium VPN, you’ll be able to connect to fast servers all over the world. This way, you can completely hide your IP address, and even make it seem like you’re in a completely different country.
You’ll also find servers that are optimized specifically for torrenting, so they’ll be fast and secure to ensure your torrents download as quickly as possible. So, only after doing some research and picking the most suitable tool, you can get your VPN set up and installed.
Unfortunately, torrenting can be risky for a number of reasons, namely your ISP discovering your torrenting activities and taking action, other users using your IP for doxxing attacks, and many more.
Thankfully, good VPNs also have strong security features to keep you safe. For instance, NordVPN includes a tool called CyberSec that blocks malware, phishing attempts, cyberattacks like DDoS, and even irritating pop-up ads.
Remember, since VPNs hide your real IP address, you’ll also be able to access any torrent site you like, even sites that have been banned in your country.
2. Choose the right torrent site
There are plenty of sites that offer torrents as downloads on the internet. From specialized torrent listing sites to forums and blogs, you can find torrent links all over the web.
However, whenever you download anything onto your computer, you should be certain that the source is genuine, otherwise you risk downloading a fake file, something other than what you wanted, or even dangerous malware.
For these reasons, it’s important you download torrents from reputable websites. Top torrent sites will often have clear systems in place which will show you that a torrent has been verified as genuine. This means, it will be exactly what it says it is and free from any sneaky surprises.
The Pirate Bay is one of the most well-known torrent sites in the world, and it has a huge selection of torrents available to download. The Pirate Bay also has handy symbols next to each torrent so you can see if they’ve been verified as genuine.
Torrent sites that require membership via sign-ups, such as TorrentLeech, are also a great choice. They will usually verify every torrent on the site, so you can be sure that whatever you’re downloading is safe.
Annoyingly, a lot of the best torrent sites with the most verified torrents are blocked by ISPs around the world. But an easy solution to get around this is simply to use a VPN. Then you can hide your IP address and visit whichever site you want from wherever you are.
3. Choose the right torrent client
To download a torrent, you will also need a specific application known as a torrent client. You can’t just download torrents straight to your computer because torrent files are actually sent in many tiny parts from many different locations. The torrent client manages all these ‘bits’ and puts them together for you so you get the complete file once the download is finished.
There are lots of torrent clients to choose from, and they all have different features, ease of use, and functions. Ideally, you want a torrent client that won’t take up much space on your device, is easy to use, and has good features, including security, which would help you to torrent safely.
We recommend the following torrent clients:
- Vuze - Vuze is a slick torrent client with the best looking interface out of all the P2P clients. It’s easy to use, intuitive, and has features including chat, forums, remote control, and magnet link support. If you opt for the paid version, you’ll even get protection from viruses and no ads.
- qBittorrent - qBittorrent is an excellent all-rounder. It’s easy to use and completely free, with no ads on the app. It also has some great features including a torrent search engine built into the app and secure, encrypted transfers.
- BitTorrent - BitTorrent is ideal for people who are new to torrenting. It’s very simple to use and has some handy features, such as commenting, so you can see how previous users have got on with certain torrents.
- uTorrent - one of the most well-known and popular torrent clients, uTorrent is fast, lightweight, and easy to use with a clean and simple layout. However, you will have to deal with seeing ads within the client.
4. Choose the right torrents
So you’ve got your VPN set up, you’ve downloaded a torrent client, and you’ve found a reliable torrent site - next, it’s time to download some torrents. As we touched upon earlier, you always need to be wary when you’re downloading any sort of file from the internet. This is especially the case with torrents, as there are many cybercriminals and hackers out there who are trying to take advantage of people by tricking them into downloading bad torrents.
So you need to be really sure that the torrent you’ve chosen is legit and free from malware. One way to do this is to only download verified torrents from a big, well-known torrent site you know you can trust.
You should also look out for torrents and downloads that seem suspicious. For instance, say you find a torrent for a program or video you know has not been released yet, this is likely to be a fake.
Similarly, perhaps, the torrent is claiming to be a high-quality HD file but the actual torrent size is very small - this is likely to be fake.
Common sense goes a long way with downloading files from the internet. If the site you’re downloading from does not seem legit, or the torrent is too good to be true, it’s best to avoid or you may find you’ve got a folder full of malware instead of the file you want.
A good way of vetting your torrent is by using a VPN that has built-in malware blockers. This will instantly alert you if you’ve accidentally downloaded malware in a torrent.
5. Get good antivirus software
You should always have quality antivirus software on your computer to protect yourself from malware, hacks, and cyberattacks. This is even more important if you’re going to be downloading torrents, as you’ll be opening up your device to other connections - and some of these may have bad intentions.
Brands such as Norton and McAfee have been making top-tier antivirus solutions for years. If you have a good antivirus product in place on your device, it will monitor and scan any files you download and immediately let you know if there’s any malware. Good antivirus software will usually also then remove or isolate the malware before it has a chance to do any damage, so you can torrent safely.
However, some types of viruses and malware find a way of sneaking through, so a good idea could be to double up your protection by installing a VPN that has robust security features too. If you have such a tool that’s blocking malware as well as an antivirus program set up, you should be well protected from bad torrents.
Best VPNs to torrent safely
- NordVPN – best VPN to torrent safely overall
- Surfshark – versatile VPN for safe torrenting
- IPVanish – one of the safest VPNs for torrenting
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Why is a VPN necessary for safe torrenting?
It is important to know how to torrent safely, as this activity can be really risky. Luckily, with a VPN installed and set up on your device, you’ll be protected from most if not all of the risks that are involved with torrenting files online.
Here are some of the main benefits of torrenting with a VPN:
1. Avoid ISP throttling
With an unprotected internet connection, everything you do online will be visible to your ISP. If torrenting large files is frowned upon by your ISP (as is the case with many ISPs), it may throttle your connection. This means your speeds and bandwidth will be reduced drastically.
When you use a VPN, all your online activity, data and traffic is completely hidden from your ISP. So it will have no reason to throttle your connection, even if you are downloading torrents. A VPN is how you download torrents without your ISP knowing.
2. Access restricted content
Many ISPs block access to well-known torrenting sites, as do many employers, schools, and colleges. If you want to access a torrent site but find you’re blocked from doing so, a simple way around any sort of content restriction is simply to use a VPN.
VPNs change your IP address and hide all your activity, so no one can see what you’re doing online. You can also connect to a completely new server in a new country - one that doesn’t have any restrictions on it.
3. Keep your IP address safe
If you’re downloading torrents onto your computer with a torrent client, your location and IP address will be on display to anyone who’s connected to the torrent file. This opens you up to potential hacks, cyberattacks, and malware.
You can make sure you remain completely anonymous while torrenting by using a VPN. It will hide all your personal details, mask your IP address and encrypt your data, so you’ll be safe and secure.
Can I torrent safely with a free VPN?
No, you cannot torrent safely with a free VPN. Free VPNs are pretty limited not only in server options but also in security features. You won’t get the best data encryption, safest tunneling protocols, or additional security measures like a reliable kill switch with a free provider.
Additionally, you won’t get specialized servers for a P2P connection, or the available servers won’t support torrenting.
Another issue is that free VPN providers may be collecting and selling your data to third parties or target you with malicious ads, which brings even more trouble when trying to torrent safely.
An alternative is a freemium VPN – a limited free version of a paid subscription provider. Some of our tried and tested quality freemium options are Atlas VPN and Proton VPN. Both of these providers’ free versions offer security features to cover the bases, limited features and server choices. However, you can torrent safely with them, even though the connection speed with the free plan will be disappointing.
On the other hand, if you’re seeking a truly secure and enjoyable torrenting experience, you should look at our favorite premium VPNs with free trials:
- NordVPN –this is the best and safest VPN for torrenting. This provider offers a 7-day free trial for new Android users, also there’s a risk-free trial period with a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can test this VPN on up to 6 devices simultaneously.
- Surfshark – a versatile and secure option for torrenting, this VPN allows you to have unlimited simultaneous connections. Also, it has a 7-day free trial and a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can safely test this provider out for up to 37-days.
- IPVanish – another secure VPN for torrenting that supports unlimited simultaneous connections. You can get a risk-free 30-day money-back guarantee when picking the year-long or the 2-year-long subscription plans.
How to configure a VPN for safe torrenting
To make sure you’re as safe as possible with torrenting, you should not only download a VPN, but you should make sure it’s properly configured to protect you from online threats.
You can do this by first installing the VPN, and then heading to the settings section to make sure all the important security settings are activated.
Here are the settings to look out for:
- Turn on the kill switch - sometimes this is switched off in default settings, so turn it on.
- Set the highest encryption - Make sure your tool is set to 256-bit AES encryption so that all your data is as secure as possible.
- Use a secure protocol - it’s best to use the WireGuard protocol if you want to torrent safely, and not PPTP, which is older and not as secure.
- Enable leak protection - switch both IP and DNS leak protection on.
- Utilize split tunneling - This keeps some of your online traffic, like torrenting, encrypted with the VPN, and leaves other sites on your regular IP address. It is useful when you need to keep some sites on your normal IP, such as delivery services and online banking.
What are the dangers of torrents?
Torrenting is a great way of downloading the files you need, but it’s not without its risks. From unwittingly downloading malware to opening yourself up to hackers, there is a selection of dangers associated with torrents.
Let’s take a look at some of the main risks that can come with downloading torrents.
- Malware - unfortunately, torrent files are rife with malware. Cybercriminals often use tempting torrents as a trojan horse with malware loaded into the download. All it takes is for you to make one wrong download and your device can be infected with all sorts of dangerous malware, including spyware, viruses, and ransomware.
- Copyright problems - some people also use torrents to transfer copyrighted material. Sometimes torrent can be mislabelled, and if you accidentally download something that’s technically been stolen, you could face some problems. Your ISP could reveal your data to the copyright holder, which could lead to fines, or even worse, if you are found guilty of breaking copyright laws.
- Throttling - a less severe but extremely frustrating consequence of torrenting is when your ISP throttles your internet connection. Torrents can often be large file sizes, and they take a lot of bandwidth to download. If your ISP notices you are torrenting, it could drastically slow down your internet speed and reduce your bandwidth. This means your downloads and browsing will be very slow.
- Hackers - when you download torrent files, your IP address is opened up to the various sources that are sharing the files. This means you’re exposed to hackers who can use any visible information to execute ddos attacks and more.
- Data protection - since your device is exposed when you’re sharing files and downloading torrents, this means your personal info and data is easily accessible to your ISP and other users.
If you fall victim to any of the above issues, it could have a serious impact on your life, and that's why it's so important to know how to torrent safely. Luckily, a VPN can solve many of these security problems.
The final word
Torrenting is a great way of downloading files from the internet quickly and efficiently, you just need to make sure you’re doing it safely. Only download torrents from reputable websites, make sure the actual torrents you’re using are legit, use a good P2P client, avoid going for copyrighted material and, most importantly, get a VPN.
With a recommended VPN on your device, all of the risks associated with torrenting are hugely reduced. You’ll be completely hidden from your ISP, cybercriminals, and copyright owners. Malware will be blocked from infecting your devices, and you won’t have to put up with distracting pop-up ads.
These tools are easy to use, good value for money, and highly effective. A VPN will also help you log on to sites that might be blocked or geo-restricted in your location. If you want to torrent safely, hidden from your ISP, and optimized at the best speeds - you need a VPN.
More Anti-Virus guides from CyberNews:
Best VPN for the Pirate Bay: Choose the best VPN and keep your torrenting anonymous
How to Change Region on Steam: get the games you wouldn't otherwise be able to get
How to Change Netflix Region: give a total makeover for your movies and TV shows catalog
How to Change Country on Amazon Prime Video: miss no episode of your favorite TV shows
FAQs
Is torrenting legal?
Yes, torrenting is completely legal - it’s simply a method of transferring and sharing files online. But if you download a file that is copyright protected, your ISP may warn you, throttle your connection or alert the authorities. With a VPN, you can hide your online activity from your ISP, so no one can see what you’re downloading.
Do I need to hide my IP address when downloading torrents?
Hiding your IP address when torrenting is highly recommended. That way, other users won't see your location nor be able to execute DDoS attacks. Additionally, hiding your IP address will prevent your ISP from seeing your online acitivites, including torrenting. The best way to hide your IP address is by using a VPN.
Will a VPN protect me while torrenting?
Not only does a VPN completely hide your location, your IP address, and encrypt your data, but really good services also come with a range of security features. You can use the VPN to protect yourself from DDoS attacks, annoying pop-ups, and malicious torrenting sites, so it’s the best way to stay safe while torrenting.
Can you get caught torrenting if you use a VPN?
If you’re using a VPN while you’re torrenting, it’s virtually impossible to get caught. This is because your IP address is completely hidden. Your personal data will be encrypted, and not even your own ISP will be able to tell that you're torrenting.
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