How To Obtain All of Wikipedia onto a USB Flash Drive in 2022
If you wish to obtain Wikipedia onto a USB flash drive for offline entry, you’ve come to the precise place.
After hours of making an attempt and failing, then in the end succeeding, I’m going to share the straightforward course of I used to perform this.
After studying this text, you’ll be capable to save all ~6 million pages of Wikipedia so you possibly can entry the sum of human information no matter web connection!
Are you allowed to obtain Wikipedia?
To start out, is it even authorized to obtain all of Wikipedia for private use?
The reply is: Sure, you might be allowed to obtain Wikipedia (per Wikipedia themselves), and in some circumstances may even use the textual content content material for commercial purposes, though that’s not our intention.
There are a number of methods to obtain the Wikipedia information dump. A number of file codecs exist, and there are a number of open supply readers out there that can assist you view the information.
If you happen to’d prefer to look into all of the nitty-gritty particulars your self, you are able to do so here.
However after making an attempt a number of of the choices myself, and seeing which technique was the simplest, under is my advice for the easiest way to obtain all of Wikipedia.
How one can obtain Wikipedia onto a Flash Drive:
Notice: A few of the technical discuss under would possibly sound slightly sophisticated at first, however I promise it’s not. Anybody can full this course of with lower than 10 minutes of effort!
#1 – Get a USB Flash Drive
The present Wikipedia file dump in English is round 95 GB in measurement. This implies you’ll want one thing like a 128 GB flash drive to accommodate the massive file measurement.
You don’t essentially want to do that on a flash drive in case your pc has sufficient storage.
However for most individuals, 95 GB would take up a good portion of their pc exhausting drive, so storing it on an exterior drive is the extra sensible alternative.
#2 – Format your flash drive to the exFat file system (simpler than it sounds!)
Most flash drives come commonplace with one thing known as the FAT32 file system.
Whereas these programs are acceptable for commonest makes use of, the draw back is that they place a per-file measurement restrict of simply 4 GB per file, which is simply too low to accommodate the 95 GB Wikipedia file dump.
The way in which you get round this situation is to make use of a flash drive that makes use of the exFAT file system, which doesn’t have this 4 GB per file restrict.
Relying on whether or not or not you have already got a flash drive, you possibly can both:
a. Purchase a flash drive that’s already exFAT format
That is the simplest possibility. If you happen to’re shopping for a brand new flash drive only for this function, get one which’s already exFat format and save your self time.
Simply go to Amazon and seach for “exfat flash drive”.
b. Reformat an current FAT32 drive to exFat
If you have already got a flash drive, you possibly can test the file system by plugging it into your pc, right-clicking (or CTRL+Click on) on the drive, and choosing “Get Information”. It will present the details about your drive, together with the kind of file system.
In case your drive isn’t already exFat, you’ll have to reformat it earlier than downloading Wikipedia.
You’ll find easy directions here for PC, Mac, and Linux computer systems.
*Notice that reformating will erase something that’s at present in your flash drive, so ensure you’re utilizing a brand new usb stick or have backed up your information elsewhere.
(one other observe: for those who occur to have a drive that’s NTFS file system, this additionally doesn’t have the 4gb cap, so you have to be good to make use of that. However know that NTFS primarily works for Home windows computer systems. ExFAT works for each home windows and mac, which is why I like to recommend that technique.)
#3 – Obtain Kiwix open supply file reader and Wikipedia Information Dump
Now that you’ve got an exFAT formatted USB drive, you’re prepared to begin downloading the information and the reader software program wanted to view these information offline.
Kiwix.org is a volunteer-supported open supply software program venture that lets folks obtain and examine web sites offline. The software program is free to make use of by anybody and is considered one of Wikipedia’s advisable readers.
To obtain the Kiwix reader software program, go to this page, choose your pc working system, and comply with the directions to obtain.
As soon as the reader is downloaded, you’ll then have to obtain the latest Wikipedia file dump by navigating to this page, clicking the blue obtain button, then choosing “Direct” obtain possibility.
When it asks the place you need to save the file, ensure you choose your flash drive.
Notice: If the file robotically begins downloading and doesn’t provide the possibility of the place to put it aside, chances are you’ll want to regulate your browser settings to “ask the place to save lots of every file earlier than downloading”. For an instance of how to do that in Chrome, look here.
#4 – Look forward to the obtain to finish
Even with quick web, it may well take up to some hours for this step to finish.
You’re not solely restricted by the pace of your connection, but additionally by the write pace of your flash drive, which may differ relying in your drive and the USB controller in your pc.
My recommendation is to let it run, go watch a film, then test again a number of hours later.
#5 – You’re finished!
After the Wikipedia file has completed downloading, you’re nearly finished. Simply comply with these steps:
- Double-click the set up file for the Kiwix reader and comply with the prompts to put in it.
- As soon as the reader is put in, open it, and it will provide you with the choice to “open a file” to view.
- Choose the Wikipedia file out of your flash drive and in a number of seconds, it’s going to load.
Congratulations! You’re now capable of view Wikipedia offline wherever you might be!
You need to use the Kiwix reader similar to the web model of Wikipedia. It features a search perform to search out the web page you’re on the lookout for, and the hyperlinks between totally different pages will let you navigate between articles.
Wrapping up
Now that you just’ve downloaded all of Wikipedia onto a flash drive, you possibly can relaxation straightforward realizing you possibly can search for something, wherever, at any time.
It is a significantly useful drive to have for those who journey rather a lot, stay in an space with spotty web, or similar to to be ready for web outages.
No matter motive you’ve chosen to create your Wiki drive, I want you the very best of luck in your future learnings. Have enjoyable exploring!