How to make uTorrent open magnet links from Google Chrome?

Question

Nothing happens when I click on a magnet:// link on Google Chrome. How to make that when I click on a magnet:// link on Chrome, uTorrent opens it?

Solution 1

Go to:

C:\Users\Administrator\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data**,  (%LOCALAPPDATA%\Google\Chrome\User Data)

You need to close google chrome, and open file Local State, you will need Notepad++ or something similar. And find magnet key, for example link javascript is enabled here. If there is torrent (or magnet) you just make it true, if not, try to add it in same fashion.

   "protocol_handler": {
      "excluded_schemes": {
         "afp": true,
         "data": true,
         "disk": true,
         "disks": true,
         "file": true,
         "hcp": true,
         "javascript": true,

If that dont work, try to delete them, and then chrome should allegedly ask you again what to do. Maybe you should look in registry

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\Magnet values. If I have figure it out, shell value (this value you will also found in protocol handler) is for external application to run in Chrome, but maybe I am very wrong!

I know it is not the smartest solution, but does something prevent you from resetting browser settings, or reinstalling Chrome (and uTorrent)?

Solution 2

I tried all the registry suggestions only to find that I did not have all the mentioned keys.

In the end, what worked for me was to go to Options -> Preferences within Utorrent.

In the general section there is a button labeled "Associate with torrent files". I clicked that button and did not even have to restart chrome before it started working.

Solution 3

Just had this same problem. Instead, I just right clicked on the magnet link text in my browser and edited it as HTML. So:

magentlinkURL 

Turns into:

<a href="magnetlinkURL">click me </a>

Then I finished editing and just clicked the link normally.

Solution 4

If you have multiple profiles activated in chrome,
You will have to edit C:\Users\<Username>\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\<Profile folder>\Preferences file to get it work.
Where <Profile folder> can be Default, Profile 1, Profile 2.... etc. based on profile.

If not,
Edit C:\Users\<Username>\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Local State as suggested in other answers.

Edit required:

1. Open Preferences file or Local State file with notepad/notepad++ and find magnet keyword.

2. Either update "magnet" value to false or remove "magnet" definition from "excluded_schemes" section completely.
   i.e. change "magnet": true, to "magnet": false, or remove "magnet": true, completely.

View more solutions

Comments

[malakrsnaslava]

What is your version of uTorrent? Have you tried to update uTorrent?

[Admin]

3.4.2, the last one.

[malakrsnaslava]

I have Chrome 40.0.2214.111m, uTorrent 3.4.2 can you please give me link that you cannot open ? I never change anything with C:\Users\Administrator\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data files you can find on web that changing matgnet value to false (or true) will fix that, and as long as I am updated I had no issues.

[Admin]

@malakrsnaslava Where do you said that I could change "magnet" value t true/false? is possible that I click bad on a dialog related to magnet configuration that appeared days ago when I installed uTorrent, what I need to know is where change that config. Thanks.

[vembutech]

Here have a look at this source macroseller.wordpress.com/2014/01/07/… can get you with some idea.

[Admin]

Deleting the "magnet" key in the Local State file Chrome ask me again after try to download a magnet:// link. Thanks!

[Metafaniel]

Windows 10 here. I could download magnet links previously in Windows 8.1. Even with your solution Chrome asks me to select a new application to open the magnet link, but the list where I should select uTorrent is empty... I have uTorrent and Chrome in the latest versions. Any ideas what to do?

[Giacomo1968]

What browser were you using when you did this? Not all browsers support inline HTML editing by default.

[Mike Chamberlain]

For me, I had to set it to false to get it to work.

[Mike Chamberlain]

For Chrome 60 on Mac the file you need is ~/Library/Application Support/Google/Chrome/Default/Preferences. I expect the location on Windows might have changed similarly since this answer was written.

[chronometric]

Clearing the entire user data directory and re-installing the program is probably the most extreme solution; there are several others on this page that are easier and/or non-destructive, that should be attempted first.

[Mariano Argañaraz]

This has nothing to do with magnet links

[David Corral]

Also note that you have to close all Chromes' processes that you have open. If not, this fix would not work.

[MuriloKunze]

That worked for me, thank you.

[Anthony C]

Fixed the magnet link for me too