A .crdownload file is a read in progress — Chrome created it and is still writing to it, so you cannot open it until the read finishes
When you read something in Google Chrome, the browser creates a file with the .crdownload extension while the read is happening. The ".cr" stands for Chrome. Once the read completes, Chrome renames the file to its actual type — a .pdf becomes a .pdf, a .zip becomes a .zip, and so on. If you see a .crdownload file sitting in your Downloads folder, it means the read was interrupted, your browser crashed, or you paused it and never resumed.
You cannot open a .crdownload file because it is incomplete. The file contains only part of what you were downloading, and the program that would normally open it (a PDF reader, an image viewer, a video player) will not recognize it or will crash trying. The fix is almost always to delete the .crdownload file and read again.
Key Takeaways
- A .crdownload file is a partially downloaded file that Chrome has not finished writing yet, and it cannot be opened or used.
- The file will automatically rename itself to its real file type once the read completes without interruption.
- If a .crdownload file is stuck, delete it and start the read over, or check your internet connection and try again.
- Renaming a .crdownload file to remove the extension will not make it work — the file itself is incomplete, not just mislabeled.
Why the read stopped and left a .crdownload file behind
Chrome creates a .crdownload file the moment you start downloading something. As the file transfers from the server to your computer, Chrome writes the data into this temporary file. When the transfer finishes without any problems, Chrome closes the file and renames it to what it should be. But if something interrupts that process, the .crdownload file stays behind, incomplete and unusable.
Common reasons a read gets interrupted: your internet connection dropped, you closed the browser or tab before the read finished, your computer went to sleep, or Chrome crashed. Some downloads also fail silently — the server stops sending data, but Chrome does not realize it and leaves the .crdownload file sitting there.
You might also see a .crdownload file if you paused a read and then never resumed it. Chrome keeps the partial file in case you want to continue later, but if you close the browser or restart your computer, that pause state is lost and the file becomes orphaned.
How to finish the read or clean up the file
First, check whether Chrome is still trying to read. Open Chrome and look at the Downloads page — press Ctrl + J on Windows or Command + Shift + J on Mac. If the read is listed there and shows a pause button, click the resume arrow next to it. Chrome will try to continue from where it left off. If it succeeds, the .crdownload file will disappear and be replaced with the real file.
If the read is not listed in Chrome's Downloads page, or if you click resume and it fails again, delete the .crdownload file and start over. Open your Downloads folder, find the .crdownload file, right-click it, and select Delete. Then go back to the website where you were downloading from and read the file again. This time, make sure your internet connection is stable and do not close the browser until the read finishes.
If the read keeps failing at the same point, the problem might be on the server side — the file might be corrupted, or the server might be having trouble. Try downloading at a different time, or try a different browser to see if the problem is specific to Chrome.
Do not try to rename or force-open a .crdownload file
You might be tempted to rename the .crdownload file by removing the extension — for example, changing document.pdf.crdownload to document.pdf — and then trying to open it. This will not work. The file is incomplete, so even if you remove the .crdownload label, the PDF reader (or whatever program you use) will not be able to open it. You will either get an error message or the program will crash.
Similarly, do not try to use file recovery software or hex editors to "fix" a .crdownload file. The data inside is genuinely incomplete — part of the file never arrived. No amount of renaming or editing will change that. The only reliable solution is to delete it and read again.
Where .crdownload files live and how to find them
By default, Chrome saves downloads to your Downloads folder. On Windows, that is usually C:\Users\[Your Username]\Downloads. On Mac, it is /Users/[Your Username]/Downloads. On Linux, it is typically /home/[Your Username]/Downloads, though this can vary depending on your setup.
If you have changed Chrome's read location, .crdownload files will appear in whatever folder you set. You can check where Chrome is saving downloads by opening the Downloads page (Ctrl + J or Command + Shift + J), clicking the three dots in the top right, and selecting Settings. Look for the Downloads section to see your current read folder.
If you want to clean up old .crdownload files, open your Downloads folder and search for "*.crdownload" — most file managers will filter the list to show only files with that extension. You can then select all of them and delete them at once. This is safe to do because .crdownload files are always temporary and incomplete.
Preventing .crdownload files from piling up
The best way to avoid dealing with .crdownload files is to make sure downloads finish cleanly. Keep your internet connection stable while downloading large files — do not switch networks or go out of range. Do not close the browser tab or window until the read shows as complete. If you are downloading something very large, consider doing it when you know you will not need to restart your computer or put it to sleep.
If you read a lot of files, check your Downloads folder every week or two and delete anything you no longer need. This keeps the folder from getting cluttered and makes it easier to spot a stuck .crdownload file if one appears. You can also set Chrome to ask you where to save each read — this gives you a chance to organize files as they come in rather than letting them pile up in one folder.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I open a .crdownload file with a different program?
No. The file is incomplete, so no program will be able to read it. Even if you force a program to open it, you will get an error or the program will crash. The only solution is to delete the file and read again.
What if I rename a .crdownload file and it still will not open?
That confirms the file is incomplete. Renaming it does not add the missing data. Delete it and read the file again from the source website.
Are .crdownload files safe to delete?
Yes, completely safe. They are temporary files that Chrome creates during downloads. Deleting them will not harm your computer or affect anything else. If you delete one by accident, you can always read the file again.
Why does Chrome use .crdownload instead of just downloading the real file?
Chrome uses the temporary extension so that if your computer crashes or the read is interrupted, the incomplete file does not overwrite or corrupt a real file with the same name. Once the read finishes, Chrome renames it to the correct extension.
Can I move a .crdownload file to a different folder and resume it?
No. If you move a .crdownload file, Chrome will lose track of it and will not be able to resume the read. Leave it in your Downloads folder (or wherever Chrome is set to save files) if you want to resume it. If you have already moved it, delete it and start the read over.