Sometimes, you might face issues while downloading specific files on Chrome, like the download not working or being stuck at 50%, etc. Many Android users have recently messaged us regarding the download being paused on the Chrome browser. If you’ve been recently facing the same problem, here’s what you should do.
1. Check Your Internet
Before trying any other method, first make sure that your internet connection is working. If it is not, there’s no point in complaining about download issues on Android.
If you are experiencing interrupted downloads, restart your WiFi device. Before trying anything else, ensure your internet connection is working.
2. Restart Your Device
Sometimes, system-level bugs can prevent Chrome from downloading files. You can eliminate such bugs by restarting your device.
Restarting the device can fix most of the problems, including the download stuck error messages. So, make sure to restart your Android device. Once done, check whether the problem persists or not.
3. Check the Storage Space
If your phone lacks storage capacity, your download will be paused automatically. Not only on Chrome, but if your phone lacks storage, you will get download issues on other apps like the Google Play Store. Head to Settings > Storage and check whether your phone has enough storage.
If your phone lacks enough storage, uninstall the unused app or clean up the duplicate files from your device.
4. Allow Chrome to save files on your phone
During the installation, the Chrome browser asks you to grant a few permissions, including Storage permission. If you have denied Chrome access to Storage, the browser won’t be able to save any files to your phone. Here’s how to grant the Chrome browser Storage permission. Long-press the Google Chrome app icon and select App Info.
2. Tap on Permissions.
3. Select Files and Media. On the Files and Media permission for this app, select Allow access to media only.
5. Turn off Data Saver
Android’s data saver is fully compatible with the Chrome browser. But if you have accidentally blacklisted the Chrome browser in the Data Saver settings, you will get download errors. Here’s how to turn off the feature.
1. Open Settings and tap on the Mobile Network.
2. Tap on Data Usage.
3. Select Data Saving.
4. Turn off the Data Saving mode.
This will turn off the data-saving mode on your Android smartphone.
6. Allow Chrome to use Data in the Background
When Chrome is not allowed to use data in the background, your downloads will be stopped or paused once you minimize the browser.
To allow background data usage for Chrome, open Settings > Apps > Chrome browser and enable the Allow background data usage option.
7. Disable VPN
Lots of users have reported that they have fixed the Chrome download paused problems by disabling the VPN. So, if you are using one, you should disable it.
8. Change the DNS servers
Unstable DNS servers often trigger errors related to DNS as well, and they also interrupt the ongoing downloads.
It’s best to use a Custom DNS server on Android for better download speed. There are many public DNS servers available on the web that you can use for free.
9. Clear Chrome Browser Cache
When the browser cache data becomes corrupt, it can disrupt certain browser processes and can lead to Chrome not downloading files issue. Hence, you can try clearing the Chrome browser cache and see if it helps.
1. Long-press the Google Chrome app icon and select App Info.
2. Select Storage usage.
3. Tap on the Clear Cache.
10. Reinstall Chrome Browser
If the above methods fail to fix the download issue, you must reinstall the Chrome browser. This will clear all cache, cookies, and history saved on the browser. To reinstall the Chrome browser, uninstall the app and restart the smartphone.
After the restart, head to the Google Play Store and install the Google Chrome browser.
Frequently Asked Questions:
If you get the ‘Failed – Network error’ message while downloading files, likely, your internet connection isn’t stable. You can try restarting the WiFi or mobile data.
The ability to resume downloads depends on the download source. Google Chrome attempts to resume failed downloads, but if the host doesn’t support resume, it won’t be able to.
The downloaded files are stored in the Downloads folder of your Android’s internal storage. You can locate the download folder from any File Manager app.
Download Managers for Android exist, and you can get them from the Google Play Store. If you don’t want to do the manual work, you can check out our list: 10 Best Download Manager Apps For Your Android Device
So, these are the best methods to fix downloads that pause on Chrome for Android. If you need more help on this topic, let us know in the comments.
