What Is a Magnet Link? And Why iOS Makes It Hard
Updated May 2026
A magnet link is a URL that points to content on a peer-to-peer network. It does not contain the content itself. It contains a hash and some hints that let a client locate and fetch the content from other peers.
Magnet links start with magnet:? and look like this:
magnet:?xt=urn:btih:abcdef1234567890&dn=Some+File&tr=udp://tracker.example.comWhat the parts mean
- xt is the exact topic, almost always a BitTorrent info hash.
- dn is a display name shown by clients.
- tr lists tracker URLs that help peers find each other.
Magnet link vs .torrent file
A .torrent file is a small file that contains the same metadata: hash, name, trackers. A magnet link is the same metadata expressed as a URL, so nothing has to be downloaded first. Most modern torrent sites use magnet links because they are easier to share and harder to take down.
Why iOS does not open magnet links
Safari and other iOS apps only show the standard tap and long-press menu for URL schemes the system understands. The magnet: scheme is not built into iOS. With no registered handler, a tap on a magnet link either does nothing or fails silently.
This is a platform decision, not a Safari bug. Apple does not allow torrent clients on the App Store, so iOS ships without native magnet support. To make magnet links usable on iOS, an app has to register as a handler for the magnet: scheme.
How to use magnet links on iPhone or iPad
- Install Magnet Linker, which registers as a magnet handler.
- Tap any magnet link in Safari, Reddit, Telegram, Chrome, or another app.
- Magnet Linker opens and copies the link to your clipboard.
- Paste it into a web downloader, or let Magnet Linker open the downloader page automatically.
If you want a one-tap flow that goes straight to your downloader, see Automate Magnet Links With Shortcuts on iOS.
Frequently asked
Is a magnet link a download?
No. The link itself is just metadata. A torrent client uses the link to find peers and download the actual content.
Can iOS download torrents?
No. App Store rules forbid torrent clients. Magnet Linker copies the link so you can hand it to a remote service that does the downloading for you.
Are magnet links safe to tap?
Tapping a magnet link only triggers the handler app. Nothing is downloaded by tapping alone. The actual content lives on the peer-to-peer network and is fetched by whatever client you give the link to.
