Chrome Download Stuck at 99%? Fix the Full .crdownload File

You waited for a large download to finish, Chrome shows 99%, and then nothing moves for ten minutes. In your Downloads folder there is a file that ends with .crdownload, and its size looks almost as large as the full file should be.

This problem is common with big installers, videos, and ZIP files. The download is not always lost. In many cases the data is already on your disk and Chrome is only stuck on the final step.

Quick Answer

Do not delete the .crdownload file yet. First pause and resume the download in Chrome, then check that you have free disk space and that antivirus is not blocking the final scan. If Chrome has truly finished downloading but failed to rename the file, close Chrome, make a copy of the .crdownload file, remove the .crdownload extension from the copy, and try to open or verify that copy.

What Is a .crdownload File?

While Chrome downloads, it writes to a temporary file with .crdownload added — for example, setup.exe.crdownload. When the last byte arrives, Chrome checks and scans the file, then renames it by removing the .crdownload part. If the download is stuck at 99% with a full-size .crdownload file, the transfer is likely done but that final rename has not happened. Size is your best clue: tiny means unfinished, matching the expected size means you have a good chance of saving it.

Why Chrome Gets Stuck at 99%

Several different problems look the same in the Chrome window:

• Final antivirus scan: Chrome and Windows Security scan large or executable files at the end. A big file can take a minute or two, and a struggling drive makes it slower.
• No free space: Chrome needs space for the temporary file and the final file at the same time. A nearly full disk stops the rename.
• Server or network stall: The last small chunk never arrives because the connection froze or the server stopped responding.
• Extension or profile problem: A download manager extension or a damaged Chrome profile can block completion.
• Disk error: Chrome cannot finish writing to a failing or disconnected external drive.

Because the causes are different, work through the fixes from safest to strongest. Do not start by clearing everything.

Before You Touch Anything: Protect the Downloaded Data

The .crdownload file may contain hours of downloading. Protect it first.

1. Leave the Chrome download page open for now. Note the original file name, the expected size if shown, and the folder where it is saving.
2. Open your Downloads folder and check the size of the .crdownload file. Compare it with the expected full size.
3. Check free space on the drive. You want at least a few gigabytes free beyond the file itself, especially for installers and archives that need to unpack.
4. If the file is saving to an external or failing drive, stop and think. Never recover onto the same drive you are copying from if that drive is failing, and do not keep forcing writes to a drive that disconnects or clicks. Copy the .crdownload file to a healthy internal drive first, and work on that copy.
5. Do not run disk cleanup or press Cancel in Chrome yet. Cancel deletes the partial file in most cases.

Step-by-Step Fixes, From Safest to Strongest

Step 1: Wait, Then Pause and Resume

1. Wait a full two minutes. A final scan of a multi-gigabyte file is not instant, especially on a hard disk drive.
2. Press Ctrl + J to open Chrome Downloads.
3. Click Pause on the stuck download, wait ten seconds, then click Resume.
4. Watch for ten to twenty seconds. A healthy resume often jumps straight to complete, because Chrome only requests the missing tail of the file.

If resume fails again, move to the next step.

Step 2: Free Disk Space and Check the Save Location

Check the save drive. If less than 5% is free, move or delete other large files and empty the Recycle Bin, confirm an external drive is still connected, then try Pause and Resume once more. Do not move the .crdownload file while Chrome is using it — moving it breaks the resume.

Step 3: Check Antivirus and Chrome’s Own Block

Read the exact wording on the Downloads page. A file blocked for safety is different from one stuck at 99%. Only keep a blocked file from a source you trust, and never disable antivirus for an unknown site. See the official Google Chrome Help page on fixing file download errors for blocked download guidance.

Step 4: Recover the File by Renaming a Copy

Use this method only when the .crdownload size matches the expected full size and Resume does not work. You will work on a copy, so the original stays safe if the copy does not open.

1. In Chrome Downloads, click Cancel only if you have already copied the file, or close Chrome completely first. Closing Chrome stops it from deleting or locking the temporary file in many cases. Check Task Manager to confirm Chrome is fully closed.
2. Go to the Downloads folder and find the .crdownload file.
3. Copy the file and paste the copy in the same folder or on another healthy drive. Work on this copy from now on. Working on a copy is an important safety rule: never repair or rename your only copy of important data.
4. Right-click the copy, choose Rename, and delete only the final .crdownload part. For example, change video.mp4.crdownload to video.mp4, or data.zip.crdownload to data.zip. Keep the real extension that was before .crdownload.
5. Try to open the renamed copy in the correct way. Play a video, open a document, or test an archive without fully extracting it first.
6. If the file opens correctly, keep the renamed copy and delete the temporary files later. If it fails, the download was not truly complete, and you need a fresh download.

This works when the data is complete and only the rename was missing. It will not finish a file missing its last piece — a ZIP missing its end record may still refuse to open.

Step 5: Verify the Recovered File

Verify important downloads properly:

• For videos and audio, play the end of the file as well as the start. A missing tail often shows up near the end.
• For ZIP and RAR files, use the archive tool’s Test function before extracting.
• For installers and disk images, compare a checksum if the website publishes one. Our detailed guide on how to verify file copies with SHA-256 checksums on Windows shows the exact PowerShell command to use.

If verification fails, delete the bad copy, not your notes about the source, and download again using the tips in the next section.

Step 6: Download Again the Smart Way

If recovery fails, change one condition on the second attempt:

• Use a wired connection or move closer to the router for large files.
• Download to your internal drive first, then move the finished file to an external drive.
• Temporarily disable download-related extensions, or try the download in a fresh Chrome profile to rule out profile damage.
• Check the Chrome settings page to confirm the download location points to a drive with plenty of space.

When Renaming Will Not Work

Renaming cannot fix a file that is short or missing its final bytes. Encrypted archives, partial disk images, and installers are strict: even a small missing piece can make them refuse to run. Some download links also expire, so Resume may fail even though your local data is fine. The reliable rule is simple: if the renamed copy verifies and opens end to end, keep it; if not, download again from a fresh link.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Deleting the .crdownload file immediately: That file is your downloaded data. Once deleted, the hours of transfer are gone.
• Renaming the original instead of a copy: Always work on a copy of a damaged or incomplete file before repairing or renaming it.
• Removing the wrong extension: Only remove .crdownload. Removing the real extension, such as .zip or .mp4, makes Windows unable to open the file.
• Disabling antivirus for unknown files: A stuck scan is annoying, but an unsafe installer is worse. Only proceed with files from sources you trust.
• Saving huge downloads to a nearly full drive: Keep generous free space so Chrome can finish, rename, and scan the file.

Conclusion

A download stuck at 99% with a full-size .crdownload file is often recoverable. Pause and resume first, check space and security blocks, then close Chrome and rename a copy by removing the .crdownload extension. Test the copy, including its end. If it fails verification, a fresh download to a healthy drive is the safe answer.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it safe to rename a .crdownload file?

Yes, when you rename a copy and keep the original extension. Renaming does not change the data inside. The risk is trusting an incomplete file, so always test the renamed copy before using it.

Why does Chrome say 99% but the file size looks full?

Chrome’s percentage includes verifying, scanning, and renaming, not just transferring bytes. A full-size temporary file often means the transfer finished but a final step is blocked by space, scanning, or a drive problem.

Will I lose the download if I close Chrome?

Closing Chrome normally keeps the .crdownload file on disk, while pressing Cancel in the Downloads list usually deletes it. Close the browser window first and check the folder before you cancel anything, so you do not remove the data you want to save.

What if the renamed file will not open?

That usually means the last part of the file never arrived or the file needs end data that is missing. Try to resume the original download in Chrome if it is still listed. If resume fails, download the file again from a fresh link to a drive with more free space.

How can I stop downloads getting stuck at 99% in future?

Keep at least 10 to 20GB free on your download drive, save large files to an internal drive first, avoid too many large downloads at once, and keep Chrome updated. A stable connection and a healthy drive remove most causes of this problem.