Top 4 Fixes for Download Failed Network Error in Chrome

Download errors in Google Chrome come in many forms. Sometimes the downloads keep pausing intermittently for some unknown reason. Other times, no matter how many times you try, downloading the files will fail completely. In this guide, we will show you some effective fixes to redirect download errors caused by network errors in Google Chrome.

A network-related glitch is most likely responsible for the error message, the download error. Therefore, your first call point should be to check whether your internet connection is active. Restart the internet router, modem or whatever the connection source of your PC is. You can also try to download the file in another web browser. If the download continues, that means the problem is specific to Chrome only. There is also a possibility that this error is caused by your computer’s antivirus or firewall configurations. Let’s look at some ways to get rid of this error so that you can return to successfully downloading files in Chrome.

1. Change Antivirus Settings

Your computer’s antivirus configurations may block chrome downloads. If you have an antivirus installed on your computer, go to the security settings menu and check if Chrome is whitelisted or allowed to download new files from the internet to your computer.

Some antivirus software also offer traffic monitoring features (HTTP scan and Encrypted connection scan) which indirectly cause this network related download error in Chrome. Naturally, these features are designed to protect your computer against malware lurking behind seemingly secure and encrypted websites. However, these antivirus programs sometimes overdo it when it comes to network protection, by blocking all downloads (malicious or otherwise).

In this case, you can temporarily disable your PC’s antivirus or change the network security settings. After doing that, try downloading the files again. If you are not using an antivirus or if downloads still fail after changing the antivirus network settings, see other troubleshooting solutions below.

2. Try Incognito Mode

Chrome extensions usually offer different features that help elevate your internet browsing experience. But these extensions are sometimes the basis for anomalies you encounter when using Chrome. An extension can become corrupt, outdated, or suddenly incompatible with the version of Chrome you’re running on your computer.

A good way to determine if an extension/extension is responsible for the download failed error is to try to download the file in a new incognito window. This disables all third-party, non-Google extensions installed in the browser. To use incognito mode, tap the three-dot menu icon and select ‘New Incognito Window’.

Now, enter the file download URL in the address bar and press Enter/Return on your keyboard. If the download continues, your browser probably has a fake extension. To find the extension causing the problem, open the Chrome extension management page (Menu > More Tools > Extensions) and disable all extensions.

Next, enable the extensions you need one by one and take note of what is causing the downloads to fail due to network error. Once you discover the faulty extension, we recommend that you remove it permanently.

3. Clear Chrome Browser Data

Often times, deleting temporary data that Chrome has accumulated overtime can help fix persistent issues affecting the browser’s performance and certain activities (file downloads). To do this, follow the steps below. Before continuing, read what happens when you clear browsing data in Chrome.

Stage 1: Tap the three-dot menu and select Settings.

Step 2: Go to the ‘Privacy and security’ section and click on ‘Clear browsing data’.

Stage 3: Go to the Basic tab and click the Clear data button.

Try the download again and check if it goes through.

4. Reset Chrome

Still ‘Failed. Network error downloading files? You may need to reset the browser, return Chrome to its default settings. When you reset Google Chrome, third-party extensions are disabled (but not deleted), temporary files (cache and cookies) are deleted, the sync service is paused, among other things.

Resetting Chrome does not affect vital data such as browsing history, download history, saved passwords and bookmarks. Here’s how to reset Google Chrome.

Stage 1: Type or paste chrome://settings Press Enter/Return in the address bar and on the keyboard.

This will take you to the Chrome settings menu.

Step 2: Scroll to the bottom of the Settings menu and click the Advanced drop-down button.

Stage 3: Next, click on ‘Restore settings to their original defaults’.

Step 4: Tap Reset settings at the prompt to continue.

Download Successful

Chrome, page scrolling, file download, etc. prone to bugs affecting in-app functions such as Keeping Chrome updated will eliminate these errors and hence the download failure error. See our comprehensive guide on updating Google Chrome on Windows and Mac PC. If your browser is up to date and the problem persists, restart your computer. If that doesn’t work either, reinstall Chrome or reset your computer’s network settings.

Next: Having trouble syncing your Chrome passwords across devices? Then you should read the article below. We’ve compiled some helpful fixes to easily sync your Chrome Passwords across devices.