Many connections at once
Lots of servers cap how fast one connection can go. RDM opens up to 32 (16 by default), each fetching a different part of the file, so those caps add up instead of holding you back.
Early access · Free · Windows 10 & 11
Download at warp speed.
RDM splits every file across many connections and keeps all of them busy until the very last byte. Your downloads finish when your bandwidth says so — not when one slow connection does.
No adsNo trackersNo account
Speed0.0 MB/s
Done0%
Time left—
Connections8 / 8
How dynamic segmentation works
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01
Split
RDM checks the file size, reserves the whole file on disk and opens several connections — each asks the server for its own byte range.
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02
Steal
A connection that finishes early doesn't sit idle. It takes the back half of the largest piece still downloading and keeps going.
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03
Finish together
Every connection works until the end, so there's no slow tail — and no "assembling" step. When the bar hits 100%, the file is done.
Why it's fast
Built for speed, down to the disk.
Speed isn't one trick. It's a dozen small decisions about connections, ranges and bytes on disk — made so nothing ever waits.
Dynamic segmentation
Pieces aren't fixed. When a connection finishes, it splits the biggest unfinished piece in half and takes the back half. No connection idles while there's work left.
Connection reuse
Connections stay open with keep-alive and move straight on to the next piece, skipping repeated TCP and TLS handshakes — exactly where small, stolen pieces would otherwise lose time.
Plain HTTP/1.1 ranges
Works with any server that supports byte ranges — the everyday web, no special servers or plugins. If a server doesn't, RDM quietly falls back to a single connection.
No "assembling" step
No temp parts glued together at the end. RDM reserves one sparse file up front and writes every byte straight into its final place. At 100% the file is simply done.
Resume after a crash or reboot
Progress is saved as it goes. After a crash, a reboot or a Wi-Fi drop, every piece continues exactly where it stopped — as long as the server supports resuming.
RDM vs your browser
One lane vs sixteen.
Your browser downloads a file over a single connection. When the server limits each connection, that's the speed you get — no matter how fast your internet is.
1 GB file · 400 Mbit/s line · server limit 5 MB/s per connection
Your browser 1 connection
5.0 MB/s · 0:00
RDM 16 connections
50.0 MB/s · 0:00
RDM: about 21 seconds. Your browser: about 3 min 25 s.
Illustration, sped up. Real results depend on the server and your connection. If a server allows only one connection, RDM uses one — and is as fast as your browser.
| Feature | Your browser | RDM |
|---|---|---|
| Connections per file | 1 | up to 32 |
| Every connection busy to the end | No | Yes |
| Resume after a reboot | Sometimes | Yes |
| Queue with parallel limit | No | Yes |
| Speed limiter | No | Yes |
| Save HLS video streams | No | Yes |
| Live segment map | No | Yes |
The app
A cockpit for your downloads.
Every download, its speed and its connections at a glance. Pick one and watch the segment map fill in real time.
RDM
Retro Download Manager
Downloads
All 12
Downloading 2
Queued 2
Completed 7
Categories
Video
Music
Archives
Documents
Programs
NameSizeProgressSpeedLeftStatus
ubuntu-24.04-desktop-amd64.iso5.70 GB62%48.6 MB/s0:46Downloading
lecture-08-recording.mp41.20 GB31%12.4 MB/s1:08HLS 214/690
blender-4.2-windows-x64.msi342 MB100%——Completed
dataset-images.tar.gz8.90 GB14%——Paused
podcast-episode-142.mp386 MB0%——Queued
annual-report-2025.pdf12 MB100%——Completed
Segment map · ubuntu-24.04-desktop-amd64.iso
Connections 16 / 16
Downloaded 3.53 / 5.70 GB
Resumable Yes
↓ 61.0 MB/s total2 active · 2 queuedBrowser extension: connected
Illustration of the app. Final design may differ slightly.
Browser integration
Click as usual. RDM takes it from there.
The RDM extension for Chrome (and Edge) connects to the app on your own PC. Nothing goes through a server.
Catches downloads for you
Click a download link like you always do. The extension hands it to RDM with the page's cookies and referrer, so downloads behind a login work too. Small files can stay in Chrome — you set the minimum size.
"Download this video"
Hover a video and a small floating button offers to download it. One click and RDM has it — named after the page, so you can find it later.
HLS streams, your quality
Many sites stream video as HLS (.m3u8) chunks. RDM spots the stream, lets you pick the quality, grabs the chunks in parallel and joins them into one file — MP4 if ffmpeg is installed.
Everything you need
The essentials, done properly.
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Smart queue
Run 1 to 10 downloads at once. The rest wait their turn and start on their own.
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Speed limiter
Cap RDM's total bandwidth so calls, games and streams stay smooth.
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Auto categories
Videos, music, archives, documents and programs land in their own folders.
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Clipboard watch
Copy a download link anywhere and RDM offers to grab it.
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Pause & resume
Stop any download and pick it up later — even after closing RDM or restarting.
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Live segment map
See every connection filling its piece of the file, as it happens.
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Lives in the tray
Closes to the system tray, can start with Windows and chimes when a download is done.
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Confirm or auto-start
Review each captured download in a small window — or let RDM start it right away.
FAQ
Questions, answered.
Is it free?
Yes — RDM is free during early access. No ads, no account, no trial timer.
Does it work with YouTube?
No. RDM doesn't download from YouTube.
Can it download protected (DRM) streams?
No. RDM never bypasses DRM. Streams protected by DRM — like most paid streaming services — are left alone.
Is it safe? Windows warned me about the installer.
RDM is new, so Microsoft's SmartScreen hasn't seen many downloads of it yet and may show "Windows protected your PC". That's a reputation warning, not a virus detection. To continue, click More info, then Run anyway.
Want to double-check first? The download page shows the installer's SHA-256 checksum so you can verify the file is exactly the one we published.
Which browsers are supported?
Chrome today. Microsoft Edge works with the same Chrome extension. Firefox support is coming later.
What if a server only allows one connection?
Then RDM uses one connection — the download still works, it's just as fast as the server allows. You still get pausing, resuming, the queue and the speed limiter.
Does RDM send my downloads or browsing to anyone?
No. Files come straight from the website to your PC, and the extension only talks to the RDM app on your own computer. The only thing the app asks our server is whether there's a new version. Details in the privacy policy.
Ready when your bandwidth is.
Free during early access. Windows 10 & 11.