Is there a way I can choose what individual files to download within a .torrent?

Is there a way to get the list of files under the files tab without the download starting? Sometimes I am after a single file within a torrent, however, to see the list, I need to start downloading.

I then select the only file I want to download, but the other files which started to download and were stopped still will appear on the completed side even if 1k/600k of that file has downloaded. You can imagine the mess and confusion this can cause.

So, is there a way I can instruct my BitTorrent/uTorrent program to just grab the file list?

Solution:
You must download the .torrent file. This contains the list of files. If you download using a magnet link, you do not get the list of files until the torrent starts.

5 Answers

In µTorrent as well as clearing the "Don't start the download automatically" option, enable the "Show a window that displays the files inside the torrent" option.

This will give you dialog in which you can select which files you want to download before it adds the torrent to the download list.

Download with magnet link, then stop pause it, and you can see list of files at bottom, right-click on the file you don't want to download, and click on Don't Download

Yeah, there is a setting under uTorrent that reads "automatically start torrents." Turn it off. This will torrents load into it in a stopped state. Also make sure uTorrent isn't loading torrents from a directory. It can scan a directory and will load torrents automatically. Make sure not to put your torrent there.

This is something really dependent on the torrent software you are using. For example on Mac, as I remember from my last exprience µTorrent doesn't provide such option but Transmission does. I think Azureus(Vuze) is the other option you can consider it.

As others have stated, you can only select files if you have the .torrent file.

However, use to convert the magnet link into a torrent file, then open that with your torrent application. You should be able to see the itemised contents and select which ones you want. This worked for me using Transmission.