How to Install & Use TorrentLock for macOS

What is TorrentLock?

TorrentLock is a secure, lightweight BitTorrent client for macOS that requires an active PremierVPN connection to operate. All torrent traffic is bound to your VPN tunnel — there is no path for leaks. If PremierVPN disconnects, the built-in kill switch pauses all transfers instantly.

Step 1 — Download TorrentLock

1. Go to your Downloads page in the client area
2. Scroll to the Companion Apps section
3. Click Download to get the TorrentLock DMG file

Step 2 — Install the App

1. Open the downloaded TorrentLock-1.0.0.dmg file
2. Drag TorrentLock into your Applications folder
3. On first launch, macOS may ask you to confirm — click Open to proceed
4. TorrentLock is notarised with Apple, so Gatekeeper will allow it

Step 3 — Connect PremierVPN First

1. Open the PremierVPN app and connect to any server
2. Wait for the VPN status to show Connected
3. Now open TorrentLock — it will detect the VPN automatically

Step 4 — Add Your First Torrent

1. Click the + button in the toolbar, or click Add File / Magnet Link
2. To add a magnet link: paste it and click Add
3. To add a .torrent file: browse to the file or drag-and-drop it into TorrentLock
4. Choose your download location and click Start

Understanding the Interface

Sidebar

The sidebar shows your torrent categories: All Torrents, Downloading, Seeding, Completed, and Paused. Below that you'll find RSS Feeds, Privacy Check, Console, and Labels.

Toolbar

The top toolbar has buttons to add torrents, add magnet links, play/pause/remove, and a search filter. On the far right, you'll see your VPN status — a green dot with "PremierVPN" means you're protected.

Status Bar

The bottom bar shows your global download/upload speed, active torrent count, VPN interface name (e.g. utun11), and DHT node count.

Key Features

VPN Kill Switch

If PremierVPN disconnects for any reason, TorrentLock immediately pauses all active transfers and saves resume data. No traffic can leak. When PremierVPN reconnects, transfers resume automatically.

Interface Binding

All libtorrent traffic is bound to the VPN tunnel interface. Even if the kill switch has a brief delay, packets physically cannot route through your default gateway.

Privacy Check

Click Privacy Check in the sidebar to run 8 automated tests: External IP, VPN Connection, Interface Binding, IP Leak, Protocol Encryption, Kill Switch, DHT Exposure, and Active Peers. Run this before downloading to verify everything is secure.

RSS Auto-Download

Click RSS Feeds in the sidebar to set up automatic downloads from RSS feeds. You can create keyword and regex rules, set per-feed save paths, and configure refresh intervals from 15 minutes to 6 hours.

Web Portal

TorrentLock includes a built-in web dashboard at http://localhost:9092. You can manage torrents from any browser on your local network. Enable it in Settings → Web Portal.

Command Line

Use the CLI for terminal-based management. Available commands: torrentlock status, torrentlock list, torrentlock add <magnet>, torrentlock pause, torrentlock resume, and torrentlock watch for a live dashboard.

Settings

General

Configure your default download path, whether to move completed downloads, auto-start on app launch, sequential downloading, queue limits, and seed ratio/time targets.

Speed

Set global download and upload speed limits in KB/s. Toggle uTP (micro transport protocol) on or off.

Connection

Set your listen port (randomised by default), max connections globally and per-torrent, and toggle DHT, PEX, LPD, and encryption mode (enabled or required).

VPN

Toggle the kill switch (on by default), interface binding, and optionally disable the VPN requirement — though a prominent warning explains the privacy risks.

Troubleshooting

TorrentLock says "No VPN detected"

Make sure PremierVPN is running and connected. TorrentLock checks for PremierVPN by process name, bundle ID, and VPN tunnel interface every 3 seconds. Try disconnecting and reconnecting PremierVPN, then reopen TorrentLock.

Slow download speeds

Check that your VPN server is not overloaded — try switching to a different server in PremierVPN. Also check Settings → Speed to ensure you haven't set a download limit. Well-seeded torrents should approach your VPN connection speed.

DHT shows 0 nodes

DHT bootstrapping can take 1–2 minutes after first launch. If it stays at 0, check that DHT is enabled in Settings → Connection and that your firewall isn't blocking UDP traffic on the VPN interface.

Web portal not loading

Make sure the web portal is enabled in Settings → Web Portal. It binds to localhost only — access it at http://localhost:9092 from the same machine. It is not accessible from external networks for security.