Use curl -o FILE URL to download a response body to a chosen filename, or curl -O URL to save it under the filename in the URL path. Add -L when the address redirects; use -C - with -o to resume a supported interrupted download. The examples below cover safe naming, authentication, multiple files, and common problems.
Choose where the download goes
By default, curl URL writes the response body to standard output (the terminal). That is useful for text, but binary content such as an archive or image should normally be saved to a file instead. There are two main output options: choose a local name yourself with -o, or let curl derive one from the URL path with -O.
Save to a specific filename with -o
Use this when you want a predictable destination, or when the URL is a route or query string rather than a useful filename:
curl -o report.zip 'https://example.com/download?id=42'The value after -o is the local path to write. It can include a directory, provided that directory already exists and is writable. Quote URLs that contain shell-special characters such as &, so the shell passes the whole URL to curl as one argument.
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Use the filename from the URL with -O
curl -O https://example.com/releases/app-1.2.3.tar.gzUppercase -O uses the final file component of the URL path and saves in the current working directory. It does not choose a destination directory for you. Check the working directory and any existing file before running it: a download may overwrite a file with the same name.
For a download URL such as https://example.com/download?id=42, -O is often a poor choice because the path does not identify a useful local filename. Prefer -o report.zip in that case.
Follow redirects when a download URL points elsewhere
Some addresses respond by redirecting the client to another URL. Add -L (also written --location) to tell curl to follow HTTP redirects:
curl -L -o latest.zip https://example.com/latestTo inspect response headers while diagnosing a redirect, add -i (also written --include):
curl -i -L -o latest.zip https://example.com/latestHeaders are useful for seeing status and response details, but -i includes them in the output stream. For routine file downloads, omit it so the saved file contains only the response body. If the result is unexpected, inspect the headers and confirm that the final response is the file you intended to receive.
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Resume an interrupted download
To continue a partially downloaded file, use -C - with an explicit destination. The dash tells curl to determine the resume offset from the existing local file and the remote resource:
curl -C - -o large.iso https://example.com/large.isoResume is conditional: the server and protocol must support the operation. If curl reports that it cannot resume, do not assume the existing partial file is complete or valid. Check the error, then restart the download without -C - if that is appropriate:
curl -o large.iso https://example.com/large.isoUse the same local filename when resuming. A different destination will not refer to the partial file you meant to continue.
Download files that require authentication
HTTP username and password
Use -u USER[:PASSWORD] to supply credentials. Providing only the username prompts curl to ask for the password, rather than placing the password directly in the command:
curl -u alice -o private.zip https://example.com/private.zipA password written directly in a command can be retained in shell history or exposed to other users or tools that can inspect process arguments. Prefer the prompt when practical. Use HTTPS and verify the host before entering credentials.
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SFTP with an SSH key
For an SFTP URL, curl can use an SSH private key. This example supplies the username, specifies a key file, and writes the remote file to a chosen local name:
curl -u username: --key ~/.ssh/id_rsa -o file.txt sftp://example.com/path/file.txtThe empty value after username: leaves the password empty; key authentication is provided separately. A private key may itself require a passphrase. Keep the key and any passphrase private, and confirm that the installed curl build supports the protocol and options you need.
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Download more than one file
Pass multiple URL and output pairs in one curl invocation. With -O, each URL uses its URL-path filename:
curl -O https://example.com/a.txt -O https://example.com/b.txtFor explicit local names, associate an output option with each URL:
curl https://example.com/a.txt -o a-local.txt
https://example.com/b.txt -o b-local.txtWithout a parallel option, transfers run sequentially. Use --parallel when concurrent transfers suit the server and network; concurrency can increase load on both ends, so it is not automatically faster or more appropriate. Assign an output destination for each response unless using the remote-name behavior.
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Read URLs from a file on curl 8.13.0 or newer
Newer curl versions document URL-list input with one full URL per line:
curl --url @urls.txtThis form, including its implicit remote-name behavior, is documented beginning with curl 8.13.0. Check the installed version before relying on it:
curl --versionOn older versions, use multiple URL arguments directly or a shell loop that safely reads one URL at a time. Treat the list as input, not executable shell content; do not paste untrusted command substitutions into a command.
Check the local curl version and supported protocols
curl is a command-line tool for transferring data to or from a server using URLs, but the capabilities available depend on the installed version and build. A command documented for a newer release may not work on an older installation, and protocol support can vary. Start with:
curl --versionFor option details installed with your copy of curl, consult curl --manual or the local man page. This matters particularly for newer conveniences such as URL-list input, and when using FTP, FTPS, SFTP, or SCP rather than HTTP or HTTPS.
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Common download problems and fixes
- The terminal fills with unreadable characters: curl wrote the response body to standard output. Use
-o filenameor-Ofor binary files. - The file is an error page or the endpoint did not complete the download: the address may redirect. Try
-L; use-i -Lto inspect status and headers while troubleshooting. Check that the final response is the expected file. - The saved filename is wrong or unhelpful:
-Oderives the name from the URL path. Choose a name with-o filename, especially for URLs with query parameters. - Resume fails: not every server or protocol supports resuming. Review curl’s error rather than assuming the partial file can be continued; retry without
-C -when a fresh download is appropriate. - Authentication fails: verify the host, username, credential type, and protocol. For HTTP password entry, try
-u usernameso curl prompts; for SFTP key authentication, check the key path and whether the key needs a passphrase. - An option or protocol is unavailable: check
curl --versionand the installed manual. Version and build differences can affect newer options and protocol support. - The URL behaves strangely in the shell: quote URLs containing characters such as
&. Never run untrusted shell substitutions as part of a download command.
Reliability, performance, and safe handling
For a reliable download command, decide the local filename first, follow redirects when the endpoint uses them, and use resume only when the remote side supports it. Multiple URLs run sequentially by default; --parallel can run transfers concurrently, but consider the server and network before increasing simultaneous work. For a one-off transfer, keep the command simple rather than adding options you do not need.
Prefer HTTPS, especially when credentials are involved, and verify the expected hostname before sending them. Treat downloaded archives and executables as untrusted until you verify them with a checksum or signature published by the file’s publisher. No particular file checksum is implied by these examples.
Or skip the browser setup
For a website screenshot rather than a general-purpose file download, ScreenshotNeo is a GET API that returns a screenshot as PNG, JPEG, or WebP, or a PDF. It is a different job from downloading an arbitrary file with curl. The following command saves a screenshot response to a local file; replace the example target URL with the page you want to capture. See the ScreenshotNeo documentation for request options.
curl -G "https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot" -d access_key=YOUR_API_KEY --data-urlencode url=https://stripe.com -o shot.webp- Cookie and consent banners are accepted before capture, and 60+ known consent platforms, newsletter popups, and chat widgets are removed; each step can be turned off.
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Can I use curl to save a response that is not a file download?
Yes. curl transfers response data from a URL; if you save it with an output option, the response body is written to that destination. The examples here are aimed at file downloads, so confirm that the endpoint actually returns the content you want.
Does resuming guarantee the final file is intact?
No. A successful transfer or resume does not by itself verify a file’s integrity. Compare it with a checksum or signature provided by the publisher when one is available.
Quick Recap
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