What is a CRDOWNLOAD File? A Download in Progress

If you work with your computer a lot, you’ve probably noticed files with the “.crdownload” extension in your downloads folder. These files are usually visible when you have a download in progress in your Google Chrome. Sometimes they are visible when your download is interrupted.

If you are trying to figure out what .crdownload files are, you’ve come to the right place. In this article, we’ll discuss everything you need to know about a .crdownload file, how to open it and how to delete it. Keep reading to find out more.

What Does it Mean When You Come Across a CRDOWNLOAD file

A .crdownload file is a temporary folder that stores the items that haven’t finished downloading yet. Usually, these files are generated by browsers like Google Chrome, Chromium, or Microsoft Edge.

Whenever you see the “.crdownload” extension, it means the file is still downloading, or the download failed because your internet connection was interrupted.

While .crdownload files are a little different than other formats that you’re used to, such as .MP4 and .MP3, they shouldn’t be a cause for worry. After the download is complete, Chrome usually renames the files with the correct extension. You won’t even notice them unless you’re actively looking at the “Downloads” folder while the download is still in progress.

However, when the download fails, the file will remain in your “Downloads” folder unless you explicitly delete them.

Is it Safe to Delete a CRDOWNLOAD File?

Having many .crdownload files can be pretty annoying, especially if your downloads have failed and the files have piled up. For that reason, you might want to delete them so you can free up space from your computer.

To delete a .crdownload file, follow these steps:

1. On your computer, go to Google Chrome and click the three dots in the top right corner of the screen.
   
2. From the menu, select “Downloads.”
   
3. Identify the file that’s still downloading and click the “x” icon. Alternatively, you can press the “Cancel” icon.
   
4. The .crdownload file should be deleted when you navigate back to the download section.

Note that when you try to delete the .crdownload file directly through your File Explorer, you’ll get a warning that the file can’t be deleted because it’s still open in the Chrome Browser. Therefore, the only way to delete the file is through the browser, as illustrated above.

Also, letting the download complete should automatically delete the .crdownload extension and replace it with the file’s correct extension. For that reason, be sure not to delete the .crdownload file when the download is still in progress.

How to Convert a CRDOWNLOAD File Into Other File Formats

To convert a .crdownload file into other file formats, follow these steps:

1. Go to your downloads folder.
   
2. Right-click the .crdownload file you wish to convert into another format.
   
3. From the options, select “Rename” and remove the “.crdownload” extension.
   

If you face any issues while trying to convert the file, wait for the download to finish, and then convert the final file into the format you want.

Can a CRDOWNLOAD File Be Opened?

A .crdownload file isn’t meant to be opened in its current state because it is an incomplete file. However, as we’ve illustrated above, you might be able to open the file if you first convert it into another format.

To open a .crdownload file, follow these steps:

1. Go to your “Downloads” folder and right-click the file you want to open.
   
2. From the options, select “Rename.”
   
3. Now remove the “.crdownload” extension to rename it with the file’s original extension.
   
4. Now open the file with the right program.
   

Please note that you can only open a .crdownload file if the download is still in progress. If the download has failed, you’ll get an error when opening the file unless you’re using specialized software.

Also, you can only open video and audio files.

Additional FAQs

What should I do if the CRDOWNLOAD file can’t be deleted?

If you’re getting an error while trying to delete a .crdownload file, it’s more than likely because the file is still open in the Chrome browser. To fix the issue, go to Chrome and cancel or delete the download. That should automatically erase the .crdownload file from the downloads folder.

Don’t Let a CRDOWNLOAD File Bother You

As you can see, a .crdownload is simply a temporary file used by the browser to store the contents of a file as it’s downloading. It’s best to leave these files untouched unless your internet was interrupted and you have failed downloads. But if you have too many failed downloads, you may proceed to delete the files to clear up the space on your hard drive.

Regardless, we hope that you now know what a .crdownload file is and how easily you can open, delete, and convert them to other file formats as you please.

Have you tried opening or deleting the .crdownload file in your downloads folder yet? How about converting them into other formats? Please let us know in the comments section below.