How to: send large files over the internet with uTorrent

If you’ve got a large file or a bunch of files you need to send to a friend or family member, it can often be a big headache. Email has a size limit (25MB for Gmail), and uploading/downloading to and from a cloud storage service like Dropbox can take forever. On top of that, if you or your friend has a spotty connection, you’ll have to restart the file transfer every time the connection drops.

Thankfully, there’s an easy solution to send large files over the internet using uTorrent, which is available for both Windows and Mac. Torrents are a good way to send large files as they have the ability to pick up where they left off, comparing the data you’ve downloaded to the data that you have yet to download.

Here’s how to set up uTorrent for sending large files over the internet.

The first thing that you need to do is make sure that uTorrent is installed on both the sender’s and recipient’s machines. If you send a download link to someone who doesn’t have uTorrent installed, they will have the option to download the program, however.

Next, find the file or folder that you want to send and drag it into the uTorrent window. It’s usually a good idea to zip up a bunch of files before sending them off as it will keep the action simple and save a bit of space. Once you drag the file(s) into the uTorrent window, a popup will appear, allowing you to rename the file(s) if you desire. Click “Get Link” once you’re ready and uTorrent will begin preparing the file for transfer.

Large files will take a while to create a torrent for so hang in there.

Once that’s completed, you’ll get a window with a tinyurl link. Copy this link and send it to the recipient. This will send the person receiving the files to a private webpage where they can download the torrent to start the transfer.You can send this link to as many people as you’d like.

The recipient will see a page like the one below where they can download uTorrent if they don’t have it installed. If they do have uTorrent installed, they’ll just have to click on the magnet link and the file transfer will begin immediately.

Now both sender and receiver can rest easy knowing that the file transfer can continue, even if the connection is interrupted. Just remember that the person sending/hosting the file has to have their computer on in order for someone to download it.

One thing to note is the security of this method of sharing files. While only you and your recipient will know the tinyurl link, it’s possible for someone to try random tinyurl addresses and if they happen to type in the correct string of characters, they will have access to torrent your files as well. It’s recommended that you not share sensitive information using this technique and to close the connection once your transfers are complete.