Settings that aren't covered means you can change them to your own liking or just leave them on default.
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## Downloads
`Tools` => `Options` => `Downloads` (Or click on the cog wheel to access the options)
### When adding a torrent
1. For consistent with other torrents I recommend leaving this on `Original`.
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**Suggested: `Original`**
1. Delete the .torrent file after it has been added to qBittorrent.
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**Suggested: `Personal preferences`**
1. Pre-allocated disk space for the added torrents, this limits fragmentation and also makes sure if you use a cache drive or a feeder disk that the space is available.
1. Make sure this is set to `Automatic` else your downloads do not go into the category folder.
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**Suggested: `Automatic`**
1. This helps you to manage your file location based on Categories.
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**Suggested: `Enabled`**
1. Same as `Step 2`
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**Suggested: `Enabled`**
1. Your download root path (Download folder/location).
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**Read the `ATTENTION` block below**
1. If you enable this, your incomplete downloads will be placed first in this location before moved to your `Default Save Path:`. This could be useful if you want your downloads to use a separate SSD/Feeder disk[^1]. But this also results in extra unnecessary moves or in worse cases a slower and more I/O intensive copy + delete.
1. Your port used for incoming connection, this also the port you opened in your router/firewall or port forwarding on your VPN provider to make sure you're connectable.
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**Suggested: `The port you opened in your router/firewall or port forwarding on your VPN provider`**
1. This should be actually Disabled in your router for several security reasons.
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**Suggested: `Disabled`**
1. Make sure this is Disabled so you don't mess up the forwarded port.
Here you can set your global rate limits, meaning your maximum download/upload speed used by qBittorrent.(for all torrents)
What's the best setting depends on many factors?
- Your ISP speed.
- Your hardware used.
- Your personal usage of your connection for other things.
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**Suggested: `For a home connection that you use with others it's best practice to set the upload/download rate to about 70-80% of your maximum upload/download speed.`**
1. These settings are mainly used for public trackers (and should be enabled for them) and not for private trackers, decent private trackers use a private flag where they ignore these settings.
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**Suggested: `Personal preferences`**
1. Recommended setting `Allow encryption` rather than enforcing it allows more peers to connect and is recommended on underpowered systems as it will allow for lower overhead.
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**Suggested: `Allow encryption`**
1. Anonymous mode hides clients (qBittorrent) fingerprint from the peer-ID, sets the ‘User-Agent’ to Null and it doesn’t share your IP-address directly with trackers (though peers will still see your IP address). If using private trackers, it's recommended to `disable` this. I also got reports from people who are using this that they had worse speed.
1. Your seeding ratio preference (When both enable then this option is a or)
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**Suggested: `Disabled`**
1. Your seeding time preference (When both enabled then this option is a or)
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**Suggested: `Disabled`**
1. What to do when ratio or seeding time is reached.
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**Suggested: `Paused and Disabled`**
!!! tip
Personally, I recommend using the seeding goals in your Starr Apps indexer settings (enable advanced), or use [qBit Manage](/Downloaders/qBittorrent/3rd-party-tools/#qbit-manage){:target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"}
### Automatically add these trackers to new downloads
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**Recommendation: `Disabled`**
!!! WARNING
:bangbang: **NEVER USE THIS OPTION ON (Semi-)PRIVATE TRACKERS** :bangbang:
