Wget Mac Installation Guide

Wget for Mac enables command-line file downloads from web servers. This GNU Project utility supports HTTP, HTTPS, and FTP protocols without requiring a graphical interface.

MacOS does not include wget by default. Install it through Homebrew to access its powerful features for downloading files, mirroring websites, and automating retrieval tasks.

Installing Wget on Mac Using Homebrew

Follow these steps to install wget through the Homebrew package manager.

Opening the Terminal

Press Command + Spacebar to open Spotlight search.

Type terminal and press Enter to launch the Terminal application.

Installing Homebrew

Homebrew simplifies software installation on macOS. Install it if not already present on your system.

Visit the Homebrew homepage and run the installation command provided. This package manager enables simple wget updates and additional software installations.

Installing Wget Through Homebrew

Run this command in Terminal to install wget:

$ brew install wget

The installation completes in seconds. Homebrew downloads wget and configures it for immediate use.

Using Wget on Mac

Wget follows a straightforward command structure for downloading files.

Basic Wget Syntax

The standard wget command accepts options and a URL:

wget [OPTIONS] URL

Downloading Files with Wget

Download a file by specifying its URL:

$ wget https://example.com/file.zip

Wget saves files to your current directory by default.

Specifying Download Location

Use the -P option to save files to a specific directory:

$ wget -P ~/Downloads https://example.com/file.zip

This command saves the file directly to your Downloads folder.

Renaming Downloaded Files

Save files with custom names using the -O option:

$ wget -O custom-name.zip https://example.com/file.zip

Wget Mac Download Options

Control how wget retrieves and processes files using these options.

Resuming Interrupted Downloads

Continue partial downloads with the -c flag:

$ wget -c https://example.com/largefile.iso

This prevents restarting large file downloads from the beginning after connection failures.

Downloading Multiple Files

Create a text file containing URLs:

https://example.com/file1.zip
https://example.com/file2.zip
https://example.com/file3.zip

Download all files from the list:

$ wget -i urls.txt

Limiting Download Speed

Set maximum download rates with --limit-rate:

$ wget --limit-rate=500k https://example.com/file.zip

This prevents wget from consuming all available bandwidth.

Recursive Website Downloads

Mirror entire websites using recursive retrieval:

$ wget --recursive --page-requisites --convert-links https://example.com

Checking Wget Installation on Mac

Verify wget is installed correctly by checking its version:

$ wget --version

This command displays the installed wget version and compilation details.

View all available wget options:

$ wget --help

Common Wget Mac Issues

Resolve typical problems when using wget on macOS.

Command Not Found Error

If Terminal reports wget is not found, reinstall using Homebrew:

$ brew reinstall wget

Ensure Homebrew is installed and functioning correctly before reinstalling wget.

Connection Failures

Add retry attempts for unreliable connections:

$ wget --tries=5 https://example.com/file.zip

Wget attempts the download five times before reporting failure.

SSL Certificate Errors

Skip certificate verification when encountering SSL errors:

$ wget --no-check-certificate https://example.com/file.zip

Wget vs cURL on Mac

Both wget and cURL download files from command line. MacOS includes cURL by default.

Wget excels at recursive downloads and mirroring websites. cURL offers broader protocol support and library integration capabilities.

Choose wget for website archiving and batch downloads. Use cURL for API requests and complex protocol handling.