What is the name for watching or listening to a file on the Internet without saving or copying it first?

The practice of watching or listening to a file on the Internet without saving or copying it first is accurately referred to as streaming. This process allows users to access multimedia content in real-time, meaning the data is transmitted continuously over the Internet. Streaming is particularly common for services that provide video and audio content, allowing for immediate playback rather than waiting for the entire file to download.

In contrast, downloading involves saving a file to your device, which is not what is happening in this scenario. Uploading refers to sending data from your device to the Internet, and browsing typically indicates navigating through websites without specifically interacting with audio or video content in the manner described. Therefore, streaming is the term that precisely captures the essence of consuming media directly from the Internet without prior downloading.