How to Add Downloadable Music to a Website

File download links work the same way as any other link. Unfortunately, there is no way for a website to force a user's browser to download a file; the behavior of the browser is entirely out of the web designer's control. If your web server is configured normally, it will notify the browser of the type of file being linked, and the browser will behave appropriately. This guide shows you how to create a link to a music file on a website you maintain.

Things You'll Need

• Web page
• Music file
• FTP client configured to connect to your web host
• Text editor

Instructions

1. Upload the music file you wish to make available to your web host. It is easier to upload the file to the same directory as the rest of your site.

2. Edit the web page on which you will place the file download link. A simple text editor will suffice.

3. Create a link to the file you uploaded. Use the following format for the link:
   <a href="file name">visible text of link</a>
   Example: <a href="song.mp3">Download my song!</a>

4. Save the edited version of the web page, and upload it to your web host.

References

• RFC 2183 - Web standards for identifying linked file types