Desktop guide
How to spot fake download buttons
Download pages are full of ads dressed up as download buttons. Learn the signs, and what to check before you run any installer.
By the Fetchly team ·
Fake download buttons are ads designed to look like the real thing. Clicking one usually leads to a "download manager" or an installer bundled with unwanted software. A few habits avoid almost all of them.
Warning signs
- Several big Download buttons on the same page — only one is real.
- The button opens a different website than the one you were on.
- The file is tiny (1–3 MB) while the real app is much larger — a sign of a downloader stub.
- The installer offers "recommended" extra software or wants to change your browser settings.
Safer habits
- Download from the project's official site or its GitHub releases — that's where every button here goes.
- Hover over a button and check the address shown at the bottom of your browser before clicking.
- During installation choose Custom/Advanced and untick anything you didn't ask for.
- Scan the file with your system's security tool before opening it.