We’ve already covered how to integrate Internet Download Manager into Google Chrome, but Internet Download Manager is not a free application. Let’s look at how we can integrate free download manager with Google Chrome, Firefox, Opera and Safari browsers.
Editor’s Note Dec, 16, 2017: Since this article is outdated, we’re providing links (below) related to latest version of Free Download Manager 5.1 and integrating it in Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer and Edge.
How to Integrate Free Download Manager 5.1 into Google Chrome, Firefox and Internet Explorer?
How to Install Free Download Manager WebExtension in Firefox 57
Free Download Manager Chrome Extension now available on the Web Store
The problem with built-in download managers offered by browsers like Google Chrome, Firefox and others is they don’t support resume of file downloads. If a file with large size download having resume support cancelled, then we cannot resume those file downloads and then we need to download that file from the beginning.
Where as with external download managers like Free Download Manager large size file downloads can be easily downloaded by resuming the download even they were cancelled during the download.
Free Download Manager (FDM), as the name suggests free application supports resumable downloads and multiple simultaneous downloads from popular browsers like IE, Firefox, Chrome, Opera and Safari.
Read more features about FDM, and download the program from here.
But once you installed FDM in your system with already installed browsers like Google Chrome, Firefox, Opera and Safari, it doesn’t simply picks up the downloads from these browsers. So we need to integrate FDM with these browsers.
Integrating Free Download Manager with Google Chrome
- After installing (FDM), close any browsers that were already opened, open it, press Ctrl+o or from Options menu in FDM, select ‘Settings’.
- On the left side in settings below ‘Downloads’, select ‘Monitoring’ on the right pane, select or check Google Chrome and ‘Silent Monitoring’and click ‘OK’ to save changes.
- Restart Chrome and install official FDM extension in Chrome browser even if not prompted
- That’s it FDM is integrated with Google Chrome.
- Now try to download any file by opening Google Chrome it will be transferred to FDM, and FDM will show the dialog window showing download file URL, download file location as shown below.
Similarly, you need to select “Apple Safari” under Monitoring in FDM settings to integrate Free Download Manager with Safari .
Integrating Free Download Manager with Firefox
FDM will pick up downloads from Firefox browser automatically if Firefox was installed after FDM, provided “Firefox” has been selected or enabled under Monitoring in FDM settings.
But it is not possible because all users are supposed to using Firefox and other browsers since they installed operating system. So if you installed FDM after Firefox then
You need to right click on the download link and select “Copy Link Location” and make sure “Clipboard” is selected under Monitoring along with “Firefox” option. Or right click on the link and Download with Free Download Manager in Firefox.
When you open Firefox allow the Free Download Manager add-on to install.
Once you follow above procedure FDM will automatically links copied to clipboard or file will be downloaded with choosing Download with FDM.
Integrating Free Download Manager with Opera
Since latest version of Opera is 10.60, but under Monitoring in FDM settings, but FDM shows support for Opera version 6x-9x. So first select Opera 6x-9x under settings.
FDM asks can’t find any opera Plugin directory Do you want to specify it manually click Yes and now navigate to Opera directory in Program Files and shown Opera folder.
That’s it Free Download Manager integrated with Opera.
I have downloaded files using Free Download Manager from Firefox, Google Chrome, Opera and Safari by using the above procedure if you have any doubts ask me in comments.
Hi,
Nice instructions.
When I try to download videos from youtube(or any other site) using FDM a file named watch is getting downloaded.Actual video is not getting downloaded.Previously I used IDM and DAAP.With these files were geting downloading properly.But with FDM or flashget a file named watch is geting downloaded.Any help is appreciated.
@Bijin
You are right we too find it downloading 100 KB watch file from YouTube, unfortunately I haven’t found any other workaround for FDM to download YouTube videos properly.
You can keep using FDM for file downloads and use other free tools and web apps available to download YouTube videos.Once thing to say their last version released on January 2009 if I am right .Frequent releases with updates to applications like these always fix bugs like these>But we can’t demand FDM software to release updates since its freeware.
Bookmark our site and visit often we will provide any update on this if we found.
Hi,
I am a new user FlashGet Download Manager and I am having any problems in using of such software. I cannot begin downloading any file through Opera and Safari browsers.
What must be done? Should I need to install the FlashGet Plug-ins to Opera and Safari required? In affirmative answer, where I get them, once Amaze Software’s page on the Internet offers me no such option. How can I solve this problem?
Please help me.
Thanks.
João Carlos Marques
You need to install FlashGet Plug-in for Opera and Safari.You can download and Install FlashGet plug-inf for Opera here http://www.flashget.com/en/browser.htm.
There isn’t seems to flashget plug-in avaialble for Safari.
Plz give us some time to research and hopefully we will come with a post on this.
Yes, I did whatever was stated here for Mozilla Firefox but it stated “Free Download Manager plugin is incompatible with Firefox 7.0.” What shall I do now?
What you say here is not true for me; “FDM will pick up downloads from Firefox browser automatically if Firefox was installed after FDM provided “Firefox” has been selected or enabled under Monitoring in FDM settings.”Plz help. Or if anyone has any other way cantact me with [email protected]
For Google Chrome in Free Download Manager it says “Can’t find Google Chrome plug-in directory. Do you wish to specify it manually?” Plz I need help.
Yes Yash! I am also struck with the same problem with Google Chrome. And FDM says that ” Cannot find google chrome pugin directory”.
Information:
Operating System: Windows 7 64bit
Google Chrome: 3.0.195.33
FDM: Version 3.0 Build 848
1. Navigate to C:\Users\xxx\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\Application\.
2. Look for Plugins folder. If do not exist, create one.
3. Open FDM > Options > Settings > Monitoring > Checked Google Chrome.
4. It will prompt you “Can’t locate plugins folder and asks to locate it manually.”. Click OK.
5. Point to C:\Users\xxx\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\Application\Plugins\. Click OK.
6. Restart Google Chrome and FDM.
I am unsuccessful in running Free Download Manager using Google Chrome in Windows XP sp3. I have already tried the ctrl-o procedure without success. The Chrome download manager takes over either way. Any hope here
Which versions of FDM and Chrome you’re running?
I am not able to get FDM integrated into Chrome.
I am running Chrome Version 23.0.1271.64 m
and FDM version 309 build 1249.
I followed the instructions above, but it does not appear to be working.
What you said 3.09 FYI latest version number is 3.9, Please use the latest version and try the above procedure and then let me know in comments if it not works.
Do you have any idea how I can get FDM to schedule any windows 10 downloads at a time when it is not using up my limited bandwidth? Any help would be appreciated.
i use the latest version of FDM and there isnt anything like “monitoring” in the settings. how do i integrate it now? please help
You’re making comment on old FDM integration article, in new version 5.1, there is browser integration settings. Hope the following links may give you on how to integrate FDM into browsers.
https://techdows.com/2015/12/how-to-integrate-fdm-5-into-google-chrome-firefox-and-internet-explorer-browsers.html
https://techdows.com/2017/12/free-download-manager-edge-integration-module.html
https://techdows.com/2017/10/install-free-download-manager-extension-firefox-57.html