Download Buddy

Frequently asked questions


Download Buddy works out of the box with any browser. You can add downloads to the queue by using the 'Add to Download Buddy' context menu. Follow these steps:
  1. Select one or more download links (URL’s) in your browser.
  2. Right click with your mouse on the selected items.
  3. Select the Add to Download Buddy menu item.

Additional remarks:

  • If you don't see the 'Add to Download Buddy' menu item, then look for a menu item Services. This will normally contain the 'Add to Download Buddy' command as sub menu item.
  • Make sure you select complete URL’s, beginning with 'http' and ending with (a pointer to) the file you wish to download.
  • You can select one URL, but you can also select multiple URL’s as long these URL’s are divided over multiple lines.
  • The 'Add to Download Buddy' menu item does not work for URL’s using the FTP protocol.
  • Due to an issue in OS X El Capitan 10.11, the Add to Download Buddy system menu item is not immediately visible after installation of the app. The menu item becomes visible after a restart of your Mac or after a log-out/log-in cycle. This problem does not occur in other macOS versions.

The temporary files are not located in a fixed location but in a dynamic generated nested sub folder of /var/folders.

Open this folder in the Finder by following these steps:

  • Choose 'Go to folder...' in the 'Go' menu.
  • Paste or enter /var/folders and choose 'OK'.
  • Enter 'betamagic.Download-Buddy' in the search input field of Finder and hit Enter. Make sure that you search in the scope of the aforementioned folder.
  • The search result will contain one or more folders named 'betamagic.Download-Buddy'. One of these folders will contain files starting with 'CFNetworkDownload_', assuming you still have unfinished downloads in the current macOS session. These files represent the incomplete downloads.

To remove all Download Buddy data from your Mac, you'll need to delete the local Sandbox container folder:

  • Start Finder, choose Go > Go to folder from the menu and copy & paste this string:
    ~/Library/Containers/betamagic.Download-Buddy
  • Select folder Download Buddy from the search results and press Enter ⏎ to open it.
  • Choose Go > Enclosing Folder in the menu.
  • Select and move folder Download Buddy to the Trash can.
  • Empty the Trash can.

In older versions of macOS, the Download Buddy folder is presented as betamagic.Download-Buddy in Finder, which is the original name of the folder.

Download Buddy is still work in progress so the current version of this app will certainly not be the last version. Useful new features and enhancements will be added in upcoming versions of the app. Version 1.9 of Download Buddy contains the following known issues, which are to be solved in one of the upcoming versions:

  • The macOS Keychain does not work within the app when it is started with the 'Add to Download Buddy' service menu. As a consequence, you have to enter name and password for each password protected download, even if the source is the same. To prevent this, you should first start the app and then use the 'Add to Download Buddy' service menu. This issue does not affect password protected sites that depend on cookies, like most file share sources.
Please send a message to the developer if you encounter other reproducible issues.