How to resume Failed download in Chrome?

While downloading any file on Google Chrome, it often fails because of a network error or some other reason. In such cases, you might have to download the file from scratch as it might not resume after the internet connection is back. This can be really frustrating, especially if the file was too big in size and was almost downloaded completely. 

Such a scenario can also prove heavy to your pocket if your internet connection is limited, and you might require to pay for more bandwidth.

Fortunately, on Google Chrome, you can resume the download if it has been disturbed or failed. However, sometimes it might not work, and you might have to redownload your partially downloaded file.

In this post, we will learn how to resume failed downloads in Chrome.

What are the causes of Failed Download in Chrome?

A failed download can be really frustrating, especially when you require the downloaded file urgently for your work. There could be various reasons for a failed download in Chrome; some of the major ones are:

  • The internet connection suddenly broke or dropped, disturbing the download, and after the connection is restored, the file fragment cannot be found. So the download is unable to resume.
  • The web server on which the file is stored might not allow resuming the download after the unavoidable disturbance caused it to stop, forcing the user to download the file from scratch.
  • Server timeout can also result in a failed download because the server might get overloaded with requests.
  • If the file you are trying to download is malicious, Chrome will block and won’t allow downloading it.

How to resume the failed Chrome Download?

If your download is disrupted because of network loss or similar reasons, all is not lost. There is still hope of resuming it and completing the download. Here are some ways to resume failed download in Chrome.

Resume download from the Chrome Download Manger

Chrome allows you to resume the incompleted download after the network connection is restored. To do so, you have to launch the Chrome Download Manager. Here are the steps:

  1. Open Chrome browser and press Ctrl+J to navigate to the download manager.
  2. You will find the list of all your downloads here. Locate the file which failed to download and click on the Resume button.resume-download
  3. If all is well, the download should begin.download-resumed

Resume Failed Download in Chrome using Wget

If the download fails to resume through Chrome Download Manager, you can try using the Wget. 

Wget is an open-source command-line tool that is available for Windows, Linux, and macOS. It is a part of the GNU project that retrieves the file over the internet. The application lets you resume the failed downloads right from the servers where it is located.

Before using the Wget, know the following things:

  • It uses the command line to execute. So, you might require a basic knowledge of using Command Prompt. Don’t worry; I’ll provide you with all the steps in detail.
  • You need to download the Wget from its official download page.
  • The partially downloaded file is also required.

To resume the failed Chrome download using Wget, follow these steps:

  1. Open your browser and navigate to the Wget download page

  2. Download the Windows version under Windows binaries.
    download-Wget-Windows

  3. Some antivirus programs consider it a potentially dangerous file. Ignore such warnings and download the ZIP or EXE file of Wget.

  4. After downloading the Wget package, install or extract it, preferably in the Chrome download’s folder.

  5. Now open the Downloads folder and locate the unfinished download file.

  6. If it is named like this, you need to rename it exactly the same as the original file which you were downloading.

    unfinished-download

  7. To find the original file name, again go to Chrome Download manager.

  8. Right-click on the failed download file and Copy Link Address.
    copy-link-address

  9. Paste the link in a notepad or any text area, and then just copy the original file name from the link.
    original-file-name

  10. Now rename the failed download file with its original name. 

  11. Ignore the warning and click Yes.
    click-yes-on-warning

  12. Now launch the Command Prompt and navigate to the Download folder where both Wget.exe and unfinished files are present.
    download-laocation-in-command-prompt

  13. Type the following command in the command line window: wget -c <Download link of Unfinished download file>. Replace the <Download link of Unfinished download file> with the download link of your failed download file. Like this one:
    wget-command

  14. Hit the enter key and your download shall continue.

Use Download Manager

Though the methods listed in this post will help you to resume your broken or unfinished download, if you have to download a large file, for example, more than a GB, evidently you might not want to take the risk of downloading it using Google Chrome browser. In such cases, it is better to take the help of a robust download manager like IDM, Orbit, or Ninja Download Manager.

Where do Failed Chrome downloads go?

Failed Chrome downloads are generally left behind in the download folder with the name like unfinished.12345.crdownload. The CRDOWNLOAD stands for Chrome download.

Why are my Chrome downloads failing?

There could be a number of reasons for failed downloads in Chrome. Your internet connection might be unstable, or there might be a server error. If the file is malicious, Chrome will block it and won’t allow downloading.

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