Persepolis Download Manager is a graphical frontend for aria2, the powerful command-line download utility. It gives you a clean interface for managing concurrent downloads, scheduling transfers, and integrating with your web browser – all while leveraging aria2’s multi-connection download engine under the hood. This guide covers installing Persepolis on Ubuntu 24.04, configuring browser integration, and getting the most out of its features.
What Is Persepolis Download Manager
Persepolis is an open-source download manager written in Python and Qt. It wraps around aria2, which means downloads are split into multiple segments and fetched in parallel – significantly improving speeds on connections that throttle single streams. Key features include download scheduling, queue management, browser integration for catching download links, and a built-in video grabber for supported streaming sites.
Install Persepolis via Flatpak
Flatpak is the most reliable installation method on Ubuntu 24.04 since it provides the latest version regardless of distribution packaging delays.
First, ensure Flatpak is installed and the Flathub repository is configured:
sudo apt install -y flatpak
flatpak remote-add --if-not-exists flathub https://dl.flathub.org/repo/flathub.flatpakrepoInstall Persepolis from Flathub:
flatpak install flathub com.github.persepolisdm.persepolisVerify the installation by launching the application:
flatpak run com.github.persepolisdm.persepolisThe Persepolis window should open. You can also find it in your application menu after logging out and back in.
Install Persepolis via PPA (Native Package)
If you prefer a native deb package, you can use the Persepolis PPA. Add the repository, update the package list, and install:
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:persepolis/ppa
sudo apt update
sudo apt install -y persepolisVerify the installed version:
persepolis --versionNote that PPA availability depends on the maintainer packaging for Ubuntu 24.04 (Noble). If the PPA does not yet support your release, use the Flatpak method instead.
Install aria2 Backend
Persepolis depends on aria2 for the actual downloading. The Flatpak bundles aria2 automatically, but if you used the PPA method, confirm aria2 is present:
aria2c --versionIf it is not installed:
sudo apt install -y aria2Configure Browser Integration
Persepolis can intercept download links from Firefox and Chromium-based browsers using a companion extension. This lets you click any download link in your browser and have Persepolis handle it automatically.
Firefox: Install the “Persepolis Download Manager Integration” add-on from the Firefox Add-ons site. Search for “Persepolis” in the add-ons manager or visit the extension page directly.
Chrome/Chromium/Brave: Install the “Persepolis Download Manager Integration” extension from the Chrome Web Store.
After installing the extension, open Persepolis and navigate to File – Preferences – Browser Integration. Ensure the integration port matches (default is 8085). Click “Test” to verify the connection between the browser extension and Persepolis.
When configured correctly, clicking a download link in your browser will open a Persepolis dialog instead of the browser’s default download prompt.
Configure Concurrent Downloads
By default, aria2 splits each download into multiple connections. You can tune this in Persepolis under File – Preferences – Download Settings:
- Connections per download: Set between 1 and 16. Higher values improve speed on throttled servers but may trigger rate limiting. A value of 8 is a good starting point.
- Simultaneous downloads: Controls how many files download at the same time. Set this based on your bandwidth – 3 concurrent downloads is reasonable for most connections.
- Download directory: Set your preferred save location. The default is ~/Downloads.
Scheduling Downloads
Persepolis supports download scheduling, which is useful when you want to run large transfers during off-peak hours. To configure a schedule:
Open File – Preferences – Queue Settings. Create a new queue or modify the default one. Set the start time and optionally an end time. You can also configure the queue to shut down the system after all downloads complete.
Add links to the queue by right-clicking a download entry and selecting “Move to Queue” or by adding new links directly to a specific queue.
Queue Management
Persepolis organizes downloads into categories and queues. The main interface shows tabs for different download states:
- Download Queue: Active and pending downloads.
- Completed: Finished transfers.
- Scheduled: Downloads waiting for their scheduled time.
You can create custom categories (Videos, Documents, Software) under Queue – Create New Queue. Each category can have its own download directory, connection limit, and schedule. This keeps your downloads organized without manual file sorting after completion.
To add a download manually, click the “+” button or press Ctrl+N, paste the URL, select the queue, and start the transfer.
Additional Features
Persepolis includes a video grabber that can extract download links from supported streaming sites. Access it from the toolbar and paste a video page URL. Persepolis will detect available formats and resolutions for you to choose from.
The application also supports batch downloads from text files. Create a text file with one URL per line, then use File – Import Links from Text File to queue them all at once.
Wrapping Up
Persepolis brings a solid GUI experience to aria2’s download engine on Ubuntu 24.04. The Flatpak installation method is the easiest path, browser integration catches links automatically, and the scheduling and queue features give you full control over when and how your files are transferred. For anyone tired of the browser’s built-in download manager dropping connections or crawling on throttled servers, Persepolis is a practical upgrade.
