A guide to XDCC — how it works, how to use it, and how to find files with xdcc.info
XDCC (Xabi Direct Client-to-Client, originally eXtended DCC) is a file-sharing method built on top of IRC (Internet Relay Chat). It has been around since the 1990s and remains one of the fastest and most reliable ways to download files directly from another host.
Unlike torrents or file-hosting services, XDCC uses bots — automated IRC clients that sit in channels and serve files on request. There is no central server involved in the transfer itself; the file travels directly from the bot to you over a DCC connection at your full line speed.
Files are organised into numbered packs. A single bot might serve hundreds or thousands of packs. xdcc.info continuously indexes packs across multiple IRC networks so you can search everything in one place instead of browsing each channel manually.
Use xdcc.info to find the file you want. The result shows the bot name, channel, network, and pack number.
Open your IRC client and connect to the network shown (e.g. irc.rizon.net). Join the bot's channel.
Send a message to the bot with the pack number:
/msg BotName xdcc send #PackNumberThe bot opens a DCC SEND to you. Accept it in your IRC client and the file downloads directly at full speed.
You need an IRC client that supports DCC file transfers. These are the most commonly used:
The most popular choice. Full DCC support, queue management, and easy to configure for XDCC use.
The classic Windows IRC client. Highly scriptable and has been the go-to XDCC client for decades.
A well-designed native macOS IRC client with full DCC transfer support.
Powerful terminal-based IRC client. Popular with advanced users running bots or always-on sessions.
Search broadly first. On xdcc.info, spaces between words act as wildcards — searching
breaking bad will match Breaking.Bad.S01E01.1080p, so you don't need to know
the exact filename format.
Filter by quality. Use the quality filter to narrow results to 1080p, 4K, or 720p. Many bots serve multiple encodes of the same content.
Check the network. If you're already connected to a specific IRC network, filter results to that network so you only see bots you can reach without switching servers.
Pack counts reflect availability. Results only show packs seen within the last active window — if a bot goes offline, its packs disappear from results automatically.
DCC (Direct Client-to-Client) is the underlying IRC protocol for peer-to-peer connections. XDCC is a convention built on top of DCC — it defines a standard way for bots to advertise and serve files using DCC SEND transfers. All XDCC transfers use DCC, but not all DCC connections are XDCC.
The most active networks for XDCC are Rizon, IRCHighWay, AbjectMASS, and p2p-network. xdcc.info indexes bots across all of them — visit the Networks page to see what's available on each.
Most bots respond to /msg BotName xdcc list with their complete pack list sent via DCC.
Be aware that some bots have thousands of packs — the list transfer can take a moment.
xdcc.info already indexes the pack lists of all bots we monitor, so searching here is usually faster.
XDCC bots have a configurable limit on simultaneous transfers. If all slots are full, your request is added to the bot's queue and the transfer starts automatically when a slot opens. You'll receive a notice with your queue position. Just leave your IRC client connected and it will start on its own.
Yes. Use the Submit a Channel page to request indexing. We review submissions and add qualifying channels to the collector.
The index is updated continuously. Our collector monitors IRC channels in real time and updates pack listings as bots announce changes. Packs that haven't been seen recently are automatically removed, so results reflect what's actively available right now.
xdcc.info is a search index. We do not host, store, or distribute any files. All file transfers occur directly between IRC users and bots on third-party IRC networks. See our DMCA policy for takedown requests.