How to Open CRDOWNLOAD File in Chrome, Edge, Windows & Mac

What is a CRDOWNLOAD file?

A CRDOWNLOAD file is a partially downloaded file from Google Chrome. .crdownload ("Chrome download", sometimes typed as "cr download") is the temporary suffix Google Chrome (and other Chromium-based browsers such as Microsoft Edge, Brave and Opera, which use the very same suffix) appends to a file while it's still being downloaded. It isn't a file format in its own right — the .crdownload file's content is the target file, written out byte-for-byte as the transfer progresses, just truncated wherever the download currently stands. The moment the transfer completes successfully, Chrome silently renames it to the real filename and the .crdownload version disappears.

That's exactly why generic identification matters here more than for most temp files: whatever's "underneath" a .crdownload file is by definition a real, recognizable format (an image, a document, an installer, an archive), and the only genuinely useful question is whether enough of it downloaded to actually be usable. That's what the tool on this page checks directly, by looking for that format's own real end-of-file marker instead of just estimating from the byte count.

How to open a CRDOWNLOAD file, step by step

Short answer: you can't open a CRDOWNLOAD file with another program, because it's an unfinished copy. Finish the download instead and Chrome turns it into the real file automatically:

1. Open Chrome's download list: press Ctrl+J on Windows, Linux or Chromebook, or ⌘+Shift+J on a Mac (or type chrome://downloads). In Edge, use edge://downloads.
2. Click Resume next to the paused or failed download. If only Retry appears, the download starts again from zero.
3. Not in the list any more? Drop the .crdownload into the checker above. If it says the file is complete, remove .crdownload from the name and open it normally.
4. Incomplete and can't be resumed? Delete the .crdownload and download the file again from the original page.

Where are CRDOWNLOAD files saved?

Chrome writes the .crdownload in the same folder the finished file will go to. Unless you changed it, that's your Downloads folder:

• Windows: C:\Users\<your name>\Downloads
• Mac: /Users/<your name>/Downloads
• Linux: /home/<your name>/Downloads
• Android: the Download folder of internal storage (Files by Google > Downloads)

To check or change the folder, open Chrome's ⋮ menu > Settings > Downloads. Turning on Ask where to save each file before downloading lets you pick a drive with more free space for big files.

How to fix a stuck CRDOWNLOAD download

1. Open chrome://downloads (type it directly into Chrome's address bar).
2. Find the stuck download and click Resume if that option appears — Chrome will continue from where it left off.
3. If "Resume" isn't available, click Retry to start the download again from scratch.
4. If the download no longer appears in the list at all (for example, after Chrome was closed mid-download), the .crdownload file left behind won't resume on its own — check its completeness with the tool on this page, and re-download from the source if it's not complete.

Is it safe to rename a CRDOWNLOAD file?

Only if the download genuinely finished. Simply removing the .crdownload suffix doesn't add back any missing bytes — a document, installer or archive that's missing its final portion will typically fail to open, show as corrupted, or (worse, for something like an installer) fail partway through in a confusing way. Images are a partial exception: a truncated JPEG or PNG will often still display the top portion of the picture before cutting off, which can be misleading if you don't check for the format's actual end marker.

The tool on this page checks that real end marker directly — a PNG's IEND chunk, a JPEG's End-Of-Image marker (FF D9), a GIF's trailer byte, a PDF's trailing %%EOF, or a ZIP-based file's (including DOCX/XLSX/PPTX) End Of Central Directory record — so you know before renaming, rather than after something fails to open.

Common CRDOWNLOAD problems and how to fix them

"Failed - Network error" in chrome://downloads

Usually a dropped connection or an interrupted Wi-Fi/network link. Click Retry, and if it keeps failing, try a different network or check whether the source server is still available.

The .crdownload file is still there, but nothing is downloading anymore

This happens if Chrome was closed, crashed, or the tab was closed mid-download. Chrome won't automatically resume it on relaunch. Check the file's real completeness with the tool on this page, and either rename it (if complete) or re-download it (if not).

Antivirus software flagged or deleted the .crdownload file

Some antivirus tools scan downloads mid-transfer and can quarantine a .crdownload file before it finishes, which will break the download. Temporarily whitelisting your Downloads folder (only for sources you trust) usually resolves this.

Chrome download error messages explained

When a download stops, chrome://downloads shows a short "Failed - …" reason under the filename. The reason tells you whether resuming can work or whether you need a fresh download link.

Resume only works when the server supports partial ("range") requests. If clicking Resume restarts the download from zero, or the button never appears, the server doesn't support it — the only option is a full re-download.

Can I delete a CRDOWNLOAD file?

Yes — as long as no download is still writing to it. A .crdownload file is only a partial copy of something you were downloading; nothing else on your computer depends on it, and deleting it just means you'll have to download that file again if you still want it. Leftover .crdownload files from old, failed downloads can safely be cleared out of your Downloads folder, and they can be large (a half-finished game or video easily runs to gigabytes).

The cleanest way to remove one is from inside Chrome: on chrome://downloads, click Cancel on the unfinished entry (or the ✕ next to it). Chrome stops the transfer and deletes its partial file for you.

"The action can't be completed because the file is open in Google Chrome"

Windows refuses to delete a .crdownload file that Chrome still has open — meaning the download is still active or paused. To release it:

1. Open chrome://downloads and cancel the download that matches the file (paused downloads count as open).
2. If it isn't listed, quit Chrome completely. Chrome can keep running in the background after you close its windows; turn that off under Settings > System > Continue running background apps when Google Chrome is closed, or end every Google Chrome entry in Task Manager (Ctrl+Shift+Esc).
3. Delete the file again. If Windows still says it's in use, restart the PC and delete it before opening Chrome.

What is "Unconfirmed 123456.crdownload"?

Chrome names a download Unconfirmed <number>.crdownload while it's still waiting for the file to be accepted — typically while a "This file may be dangerous" / "keep or discard" decision, a Safe Browsing check, or the save-location prompt is still pending. If you choose Keep (or finish choosing a location), Chrome renames it to the real filename; if you discard it or close Chrome first, the "Unconfirmed" file is left behind and is safe to delete. Because the real name is lost, use the tool on this page to work out what the file actually was.

Watching a partially downloaded video (.mp4.crdownload)

A common reason people want to open CRDOWNLOAD files is to start watching a long video before it finishes. This can work, with limits:

1. Make a copy first instead of renaming the original while Chrome is still downloading it — renaming an active download breaks it. Copy the file, then rename the copy from .mp4.crdownload to .mp4.
2. Open the copy in VLC (Media > Open File, or drag it onto the VLC window). VLC is far more tolerant of truncated files than the Windows Media Player or Photos apps.
3. Expect playback to stop where the downloaded data ends, and seeking near the end to fail.

Whether a partial MP4 plays at all depends on where its index (the moov box) sits. Files prepared for web streaming keep it at the start and usually play from a partial copy; many files written by cameras and editors put it at the end, so a partial copy won't play anywhere until the download completes. Formats such as MKV, MPEG-TS and MP3 are generally easier to play partially. A partial ZIP, installer, ISO or PDF, by contrast, is almost never usable — their index or trailer lives at the end of the file.

Open CRDOWNLOAD files on Android

Chrome for Android uses the same suffix, so you may see a file like invoice-march.pdf.crdownload or app-release.apk.crdownload in your phone's Download folder in Files by Google or Samsung My Files. On recent Android versions you may also notice hidden files named .pending-<numbers>-filename, which are Android's own placeholders for media that is still being written.

1. Open Chrome, tap the ⋮ menu > Downloads, and resume or retry the download there; you can also tap the download notification in the notification shade.
2. Keep the screen on and Chrome in the foreground for big files — battery-saver modes can pause background downloads.
3. Don't try to install an .apk.crdownload by renaming it: Android's package installer rejects an incomplete APK as invalid. Let the download finish (see how to open an APK file for installing it afterwards).
4. To clean up, long-press the leftover .crdownload file in your file manager and choose Delete. It's safe once Chrome no longer lists the download as active.

Open CRDOWNLOAD files on Mac

Chrome on macOS also writes to filename.crdownload in your Downloads folder until the transfer finishes. The fixes are the same as on Windows (resume from chrome://downloads), with one Mac-specific catch: closing Chrome's windows doesn't quit Chrome. If Finder says the operation can't be completed because the item is in use, quit Chrome properly with Command-Q (or Chrome > Quit Google Chrome), then move the file to the Trash.

If you'd rather not use Chrome for a large download at all, Safari stores its unfinished downloads differently (as a .download package you can look inside) — see our Safari .download guide.

How to stop downloads getting stuck as .crdownload

• Keep Chrome open until the download shows as finished in Ctrl+J. Closing the last window, shutting down or letting the laptop sleep interrupts it.
• Check free space first. Chrome needs room for the whole file; a full drive ends in "Failed - Disk full".
• Use a wired or stable connection for very large files, and avoid switching networks (for example Wi-Fi to mobile data) mid-download.
• Start big downloads from the original page, not an old link: many sites use download links that expire, which causes "Failed - Forbidden" when you resume later.
• Don't open or rename the .crdownload while it's downloading. Copy it instead if you need to preview it.

Edge, Brave and Opera vs. Firefox and Safari

Every Chromium-based browser shares Chrome's download code, so the .crdownload suffix applies to them too, and you open CRDOWNLOAD files from Edge, Brave or Opera exactly the same way. Firefox and Safari use their own markers:

For Firefox's .part files and Safari's .download packages, see the .download / .part guide.

Related file extensions

Sources and technical references

.crdownload is a Chrome-specific convention, not a public standard, so the authoritative source is Chromium's own open-source project.

• Chromium Browser Downloads — design documentation — The open-source Chromium project's documentation on how in-progress downloads (including the .crdownload suffix) are handled.
• Chrome keyboard shortcuts — Google Chrome Help — Ctrl+J and ⌘+Shift+J open the Downloads page.
• Download a file — Google Chrome Help — default download folders and the "Ask where to save" setting.

Frequently asked questions