How to Change the wget Progress Bar Type

The wget command-line utility uses a progress indicator to show downloading status, but its default look might not suit every environment or preference. You can easily switch between the traditional bar style and a simpler, dot-based display depending on whether you are monitoring the download visually or logging the output to a file. This can be achieved dynamically using a command line flag or permanently by editing your configuration file.

Using the Command Line Flag

The quickest way to change the progress indicator for a single download is by using the --progress option. This flag accepts two primary arguments: bar and dot.

• The Default Bar: If you want to explicitly ensure the standard visual progress bar is used, append --progress=bar.
• The Dot Style: If you are running wget in the background or redirecting the output to a log file, the standard progress bar can clutter your logs. Switching to --progress=dot prints a clean stream of periods to track completion without rewriting lines.

Here is an example of forcing the dot style during a download:

wget --progress=dot https://example.com/largefile.zip

Adjusting the Bar and Dot Variations

Both styles offer minor customizations to better fit your terminal width or logging style.

• --progress=bar:force – By default, wget switches to the dot style automatically if it detects that the output is being redirected to a file rather than a real terminal screen. Adding :force keeps the visual bar structure even in log files.
• --progress=bar:noscroll – On very small terminal screens, the progress bar might scroll or wrap awkwardly. The noscroll tweak prevents the bar from moving erratically.
• --progress=dot:giga – For exceptionally large files, the standard dot style fills the screen too quickly. The giga variation ensures each dot represents more downloaded data, keeping your logs concise.

Making the Change Permanent

If you prefer one specific progress indicator style for all your future downloads, you can save your preference in the wget configuration file.

1. Open your personal configuration file (usually located at ~/.wgetrc) in a text editor.
2. Add the following line to define your preference:

progress = dot

3. Save and close the file. From then on, wget will default to your chosen style without requiring the flag every time.