Extract text from Download metadata files (METALINK)
To convert METALINK Metadata files to another format, you need aria2 or other Web software.
To convert other file formats to the "Download Metadata XML" file type, you need software like aria2 or a similar tool.
The .metalink file is an XML-based document used by download managers to optimize file transfers. It contains metadata such as file sizes, cryptographic hashes (MD5, SHA-256), and a list of mirror URLs (HTTP, FTP, P2P) pointing to the same target file. By aggregating these sources, download clients like aria2 or DownThemAll! can pull chunks from multiple servers simultaneously, ensuring faster speeds and automatic error recovery.
The primary disadvantage of the .metalink format is user confusion. It is merely a text file containing instructions, not the actual media or software you intend to download. Furthermore, modern web browsers dropped native support for Metalink routing years ago. If you click a Metalink download link without a dedicated download manager installed, you will only save a tiny text file instead of the gigabyte-sized software update or Linux ISO you expected.
Converting a .metalink file to an actual media file like MP4 or ISO is impossible. The best conversion targets are TXT or XML formats to safely parse and extract the raw download URLs. Because this file is strictly a set of routing instructions, standard media converters fail to process it. However, you can drag and drop your file to see what it is and convert it if supported. convert.guru can identify the file format, inspect the underlying XML structure, and display the internal text so you can manually copy the download links.
Convert.Guru analyzes your METALINK file, detects the exact format, and lets you read the text inside.
Users also converted TXT, DOWNLOADING, FDMDOWNLOAD and OPLUSDOWNLOAD files.
If you want to convert METALINK file to , you can use aria2 or similar software from the "Download Metadata Routing" category. In the File menu, look for Save As… or Export….
To convert files to METALINK, try aria2 or another comparable tool in the "Download Metadata Routing" category.
The history of Convert.Guru began over 25 years ago in California with Tom Simondi’s file-format database. A former contributor to Space Shuttle development and a software pioneer of the 1980s, Simondi established a trusted resource for file type analysis that was even referenced by Microsoft Windows XP. Today, we use modern technology to process and convert thousands of file formats while continually improving our METALINK converter.