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Download a file from a URL on Mac with curl

Grab any file from the web straight into the current folder — no browser needed.

macOSTerminalLow risk
Run the command below with your URL — the file downloads into the current folder under its original name, with a progress bar.

01Command

Command
$ curl -L -O https://example.com/big-file.zip

02What it does

curl ships with every Mac. -O writes the response to a file named after the remote file, -L follows redirects (needed for most CDN and release links), and -o name lets you pick a different name. Resume an interrupted download with curl -L -C - -O URL. For parallel or heavy downloads, aria2 or wget (via Homebrew) add features curl lacks, but for one-off files curl is already there.

03Risk

RiskLow risk
RequirementsReplace the URL with the real download link.
CompatibilitymacOS 10.11 El Capitan – 15 Sequoia
!Warning: Only download from sources you trust, and verify checksums for installers — curl runs no malware screening.

04Undo

✓No undo needed — this command does not change persistent state.

05Sources

  • macOS curl command reference
    SS64 · technical · 2026-09-16
    Evidence: curl -O saves the output under the remote file's own name; -L follows redirects.

Last verified: 2026-09-16 · Category: Network

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