METALINK File

What are METALINK files and how to open them

Are you having problems opening a METALINK file or are you simply curious about its contents? We're here to explain the properties of these files and provide you with software that can open or handle your METALINK files.

What is a METALINK file?

A .METALINK file is a Metalink file.

Metalink files (.metalink) are XML-based metadata documents that list available download sources, checksums, and other information to help users download files more reliably, and choose versions suited to their language or operating system. They also help in recovering from errors or corruption by providing multiple mirrors and verification data. For example, download managers use them to find alternate URLs and to verify downloaded content.

These files are not the files to be downloaded themselves, but descriptors created by websites or software servers. A website distributes a .metalink file alongside the actual downloadable files; download manager programs read the .metalink to determine where to fetch the file from, which mirrors to try first ("priority"), how large the file is, and what hash values (MD5, SHA-1, SHA-256, etc.) to check to ensure the download is correct. Some users may edit them manually since they are plain XML, but mostly they are generated automatically by publishers to help automated tools.

.metallink files (especially Metalink 3.0) start with XML declarations and include keywords like <metalink>, <files>, <file>, and <resources> containing <url> tags. They often include attributes and elements such as version, identity, language, size, verification (hash), and resources or mirrors. Byte-level signatures include a header "<?xml " at the beginning, strings like "WWW.METALINKER.ORG", and tags such as "FILE NAME", "RESOURCES", "URL TYPE", etc., identifying them as Metalink documents. Known programs that use this format include JDownloader.

How to open METALINK files

We have identified one METALINK opener that is compatible with this specific type of METALINK file.

Programs that open Metalink files

Last updated: August 9, 2026

Various apps that use files with this extension

These apps are known to open certain types of METALINK files. Remember, different programs may use METALINK files for different purposes, so you may need to try out a few of them to be able to open your specific file.

Help us help others

File.org helps thousands of users every day, and we would love to hear from you if you have additional information about METALINK file formats, example files, or compatible programs. Please use the links below or email us at submit@file.org to discuss further.