What Is a CRDOWNLOAD File? (And How to Open One) GA S REGULAR Menu Lifewire Tech for Humans Newsletter! Search Close GO Internet, Networking, & Security > Browsers 359 359 people found this article helpful
What Is a CRDOWNLOAD File?
The Chrome browser makes CRDOWNLOAD files when a download isn't fully finished
By Tim Fisher Tim Fisher Senior Vice President & Group General Manager, Tech & Sustainability Emporia State University Tim Fisher has more than 30 years' of professional technology experience. He's been writing about tech for more than two decades and serves as the VP and General Manager of Lifewire. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on January 14, 2022 Reviewed by Ryan Perian Reviewed by Ryan Perian Western Governors University Ryan Perian is a certified IT specialist who holds numerous IT certifications and has 12+ years' experience working in the IT industry support and management positions. lifewire's editorial guidelines Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email Browsers Chrome Safari Firefox Microsoft What to Know
A CRDOWNLOAD file is a partial download file in Google Chrome.You can't usually open or convert one without first renaming the file extension. This article explains what CRDOWNLOAD files are and how they're different from normal files, how to know which program will likely open it, and what to do if you need to convert one. What Is a CRDOWNLOAD File
CRDOWNLOAD is a temporary file extension used by the Chrome web browser. Files with this extension are called Chrome Partial Download files, so seeing one means that the file isn't completely downloaded. How Are CRDOWNLOAD Files Used
Partial downloads are due to the fact that either the file is still being downloaded by Chrome or that the download process was interrupted and so it's only a partial, incomplete file. If the CRDOWNLOAD file extension is being used because Chrome is actively downloading something, it will usually automatically remove the ".crdownload" portion once the download finishes. A CRDOWNLOAD file is created in this format: ..crdownload, or sometimes <#>.crdownload. For example, if you're downloading an MP3, it may read something like soundfile.mp3.crdownload or Unconfirmed 1433.crdownload. CRDOWNLOAD Files. How to Open a CRDOWNLOAD File
CRDOWNLOAD files are not opened in a program because they're really just a byproduct of Google's Chrome web browser—something that is produced by but not actually used by the browser. However, if a file download in Chrome has been interrupted and the download has stopped, it might be possible to still use a part of the file by renaming the download. This can be done by removing "CRDOWNLOAD" from the file name. Renaming a CRDOWNLOAD File. For example, if a file has stopped downloading, say one called soundfile.mp3.crdownload, part of the audio file could still be playable if you just rename it to soundfile.mp3. Depending on how long the file will take to download (like if you're currently downloading a large video file), you can actually open the CRDOWNLOAD file in the program that will eventually be used to open the file, even though the whole thing isn't yet saved to your computer. As an example, say you're downloading an AVI file. You can use the VLC media player to open the CRDOWNLOAD file regardless of whether it has just started downloading, is halfway finished, or is nearly complete. VLC, in this example, will play whatever part of the file that is currently downloaded, meaning you can begin watching a video only moments after you've started downloading it, and the video will continue to play so long as Chrome continues to download the file. This setup is essentially feeding the video stream directly into VLC. However, since VLC doesn't recognize CRDOWNLOAD files as a common video or audio file, you have to drag and drop the CRDOWNLOAD into the open VLC program in order for this to work. Opening a CRDOWNLOAD file this way is only beneficial for files that you can use in a "start to end" manner, like videos or music, which have a beginning, middle, and end of the file. Image files, documents, archives, etc., probably won't work. How to Convert a CRDOWNLOAD File
CRDOWNLOAD files are not yet in their final form, so they can't be converted to another format. It doesn't matter if you're downloading document, music file, video, etc. — if the whole file isn't there, and therefore the CRDOWNLOAD extension is appended to the end, there's no use in trying to convert the incomplete file. This means there's no way to convert a CRDOWNLOAD file to PDF, MP3, AVI, MP4, etc. However, keep in mind what you learned above about changing the file extension to that of the file you're downloading. Once you have the file saved with the proper file extension, you might be able to use a free file converter to convert it to a different format. 5 Free File Converter Software and Online Services For instance, if that MP3 file that only partially downloaded, is usable in some form, then you might be able to plug it into an audio file converter to save it to a new format. However, if this is to work, you need to rename the *.MP3.CRDOWNLOAD file to *.MP3 (if it's an MP3 file you're dealing with). 6 Best Free Audio Converter Software Programs More Information on CRDOWNLOAD Files
When a normal download takes place in Chrome, the browser attaches this .CRDOWNLOAD file extension to the filename and then usually automatically removes it when the download finishes. This means you shouldn't ever have to manually remove the extension unless, of course, you're trying to save part of the file like what's described above. You won't see Chrome append .CRDOWNLOAD to the end of a file during the download unless you're viewing the file in the folder where it's being saved. In other words, Chrome itself does not show .CRDOWNLOAD at the bottom of the screen during a download; it shows the true file name and extension (e.g., ubuntu.iso, not ubunto.iso.crdownload). The size of a CRDOWNLOAD file grows as more of the file is downloaded. For example, if you're downloading a large, 10 GB video, you'll notice that at the very start, it's just a megabyte or two, and then as more time passes and more of the file is saved by Chrome, the size of the file will increase up to 10 GB when it's finished downloading. Trying to delete a CRDOWNLOAD file may prompt you with a File In Use message that says something like "The action can't be completed because this file is open in Google Chrome." This means the file is locked because it's still being downloaded by Chrome. Fixing this is as simple as canceling the download in Chrome (so long as you don't want to finish the download). Stopping a Chrome download will not let you keep part of it so that you can try to open it like described above. If you cancel an active download in Chrome, the software will assume you want the file gone and will remove all of it. If every file you download has the .CRDOWNLOAD file extension and none of them seem to be downloaded completely, it could mean that there's an issue or bug with your specific version of Chrome. It's best to make sure the browser is completely updated by downloading the newest version from Google's website. You might consider completely erasing Chrome with an uninstaller program first before installing the newest edition. This will make sure that every remnant of the program is totally and completely gone, and hopefully also any lingering bugs. CRDOWNLOAD files are similar to incomplete or partial files used by other programs, like XXXXXX, BC!, DOWNLOAD, and XLX files. However, even though all five file extensions are used for the same purpose, they can not be interchanged and used as if they were the same file type. FAQ Is a CRDOWNLOAD file a virus? Generally, CRDOWNLOAD files aren't viruses and they aren't dangerous, unless the original file you were trying to download was a virus. Run a virus scan on the file if you want to be extra sure it's safe. Can you fix a CRDOWNLOAD file Sometimes. If you find a CRDOWNLOAD file in your Chrome Downloads folder, you can try hitting the Resume button to finish the download. It doesn't always work, though. In that case, try downloading the entire file again. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire M4R File (What It Is & How to Open One) OGG File (What It Is and How to Open One) What Is a DAT File? (And How to Open One) XAR File (What It Is and How to Open One) DMA File (What It Is & How to Open One) AV File (What Is It & How to Open One) AC3 File (What It Is & How to Open One) FAT File (What It Is and How to Open One) What Is a File Extension & Why Are They Important? 3GP File (What It Is & How to Open One) M4V File (What It Is and How to Open One) CV File (What It Is & How to Open One) FBR File (What It Is and How to Open One) ASPX File (What It Is and How to Open One) What Is a PDF File? (And How to Open One) FLAC File (What It Is & How to Open One) Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies