How to Fix “Download Failed Network Error” on Google Chrome

Downloading a file from the Internet does not always go as per your expectations. Downloads can fail anytime; either at the start or in-between the downloading process.

Chrome shows the error as Download Failed Network Error if something goes wrong while downloading. There are several reasons why you encounter this error. It can start from something as simple as issues with your Internet connection to the outdated browser.

In this article, we will discuss some simple yet effective workarounds to help you sort out the Download Failed Network Error.

Restart Chrome

Restarting is the preliminary fix you can apply to solve most of the problems on your PC. When you face the download error, at first, try restarting Chrome. It helps sort out glitches and bugs that are causing the error. Make sure you save your unsaved works before restarting it.

To restart your Chrome, type chrome://restart in the address bar and press Enter. It will restart your browser. You can more effectively restart Chrome from the task manager. It will kill all the running Chrome processes and restart it. Follow these steps:

1. Press Ctrl + Alt + Del and select the Task Manager.
2. Right-click on Google Chrome and select End task from the context menu.
   
3. Re-launch the Google Chrome.

Check Issue With the Website

Sometimes, the website from where you are trying to download the file may itself be the culprit. The server may be down, or Chrome may find it suspicious and prevent downloading. Try downloading the file from other websites to check if it’s the case. If you can download files without any error from other websites, there is no need to panic. Proceed with other websites for your download.

Check Your Internet Connection

An unstable Internet connection is another reason why you face a download error. A download error is shown if the Internet keeps reconnecting or is slow. You can restart your router and re-try the download. Contact your ISP if the issue persists.

Change Download Location

By default, Chrome uses the Downloads folder in your C:\ drive to save the downloaded files. It saves incomplete downloads in the .Crdownload extension. And after a download is complete, it is saved in its original extension. There might be a case where your download fails at the last moment while flushing the file.

An issue with your Downloads folder is probably causing the error. Try changing the download location, and you must be good to go. Follow these steps:

1. Click the Chrome’s menu button (⋮) in the top right corner and select Settings.
2. In the left pane, click the Downloads option under the Advanced menu.
3. Click the Change button in the right section and browse the folder where you want to save the downloaded files.
   
4. You can also set your preferred download location each time you begin a download. Toggle on the option Ask where to save each file before downloading to enable this feature.

Clear Cookies and Other Site Data

Cookies store your browsing behavior and preferences to improve your web surfing experience. They get cluttered on your PC over time and can cause download errors. Try deleting the old cached cookies and see if it solves the error.

Follow these steps to clear cookies in your Chrome:

1. Press Ctrl + H key to open the History page of Chrome.
2. From the left section, click on the Clear browsing data button.
3. Select the Advanced tab and then select Cookies and other site data and Cached image and files option.
4. Click the Clear data button.
   

Remove Chrome Extensions

Browser extension provides additional functionality in your browser for a more customized and convenient browsing experience. Extensions can be any; blocking the ads, checking your grammar, or downloader extensions. However, some extensions can prevent your download. 

If you recently added some extensions to your browser and are facing the issue, try removing them and see if it solves the problem. Follow these steps to remove the extensions:

1. Type chrome://extensions/ in the Chrome’s address bar.
2. Click the Remove button under the extension name.
   

Use Incognito Mode

Incognito mode does not use settings and extensions installed in the regular mode. If your customized settings or third-party extensions prevented the download, using incognito mode to download will help. Simply press Ctrl + Shift + N to open the incognito mode, and you can restart the download.

Reset Your Browser or Try Another Browser

Resetting your browser will clear every change you made in your browser and fix if there are any bugs and glitches. It also disables installed extensions and deletes all the site data and cookies. But don’t worry, your saved passwords and bookmarks are not affected by reset. Follow these steps to reset your Chrome:

1. Click the menu button (⋮) at the top right and select Settings.
2. Under the Advanced tab, click the Reset and Cleanup tab in the left section.
3. Click the option Restore settings to their original defaults and then the Reset Settings button.
   
4. Chrome can also find and remove any harmful programs and system settings from your PC that may be interfering with the downloads. For this, click the Clean up computer option in the above step and click the Find button.
   

Update Network Drivers

A network driver enables your network device to coordinate Internet connection on your PC. Sometimes, if the network driver is corrupted or has some bugs, you may face a download error. You may consider updating or reinstalling the network driver and see if it fixes the issue. Follow these steps to update your network driver:

1. Type Device Manager in the Windows search box and open it.
2. Double click the Network Adapters option to expand it.
3. Right-click on your network driver and click the Update driver option from the context menu.
   
4. Select Search Automatically for Updated Driver Software option in the next window. It will download and install any updates if available.
   
5. You can also reinstall the driver. To reinstall it, click the Uninstall device option from the context menu that you got in step 3 and confirm the uninstallation.
   
6. Restart your computer. Uninstalling the device and restarting the PC will reinstall the driver and fix issues if there are any.         

Check Antivirus Settings

If Internet security is enabled in your Antivirus settings, they use the HTTPS Scanning feature to filter any suspicious downloads. The feature is not bad itself, but it may sometimes block your downloads unnecessarily.

Try disabling the HTTPS Scanning feature from your antivirus and see if you can download the files normally. The steps to disable this feature may vary according to your manufacturer. Consult the user manual for reference. You can re-enable the feature once you download your file successfully.

Configure Windows Attachment Manager

Attachment Manager is a service incorporated in Windows that identifies suspicious files from the Internet and prevents their download. You might be facing the download error if it is misconfigured. You need to change this service’s configuration and check if it solves the issue. Follow these steps:

1. Press Windows + R key simultaneously to open the Run dialog box.
2. Type inetcpl.cpl in the search box and press Enter key to open the Internet Properties window.
3. Navigate to the Security tab and click the Custom level button. 
   
4. In the next window, scroll down to the Downloads option and click the Enable button.
   
5. Again scroll down and find Launching applications and unsafe files option under Miscellaneous.
   
6. Check the Prompt (recommended) option under it.
7. Save the changes and restart your PC.

Edit Hosts File From File Explorer

Hosts file in Windows simply maps domain name with IP address. You can see 127.0.0.1 clients2.google.com in your hosts file, which can be modified by malware or other programs to block your access to specific websites. It will certainly cause a download error. Therefore it would help if you remove the IP from the hosts file. Follow these steps:

1. Navigate to C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc
2. You will see the hosts file in the folder. Right-click on it and open it with a notepad.
3. Remove 127.0.0.1 clients2.google.com wherever you see it in the text file. If there’s no such entry, there is no need to panic. You are good to go.

Since malwares are responsible for altering the hosts file, consider running the malware scan as well.

Install Updates or Reinstall Your Browser

Browsers release new updates over time to fix any bugs in their older version. Therefore if you are using the older version, it may interfere with the download services of the browser.

Follow these steps to install updates in your Chrome:

1. Click the Chrome’s menu button (⋮) and select Settings option.
2. Click on the About Chrome option from the left section.
   
3. It will show if any updates are available. Download and Install it.

Corrupted installation files may be another reason to cause the download error. If updating did not solve the problem, try reinstalling Chrome. Follow these steps to reinstall Chrome:

1. Right-click the Start button and select Run command.
2. In the search box, type control and press Enter to open the Control Panel.
3. Navigate to Programs > Programs and Features
4. Find Google Chrome, right-click on it and click the Uninstall button.
   
5. Follow the on-screen instructions and complete the uninstallation.
6. Once uninstall is completed, go to the official website of Google Chrome, and download and install it.