Top 4 Fixes for Download Failed Network Error in Chrome

According to the error message, a problem with the network is probably responsible for the download failure. Therefore, your first port of call should be to verify that your internet connection is active. Restart the Internet router, modem, or whatever your PC’s connection source. You can also try downloading the file on another web browser. If the download is successful, it means that the problem is specific to Chrome only. The likelihood that this error is caused by your computer’s anti-virus or firewall configurations is also possible. Let’s look at some ways to get rid of this error so that you can get back to downloading files on Chrome successfully.

1. Change antivirus settings

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

Some antivirus software also offers traffic monitoring features (HTTP scan and encrypted connection scan) which indirectly induce this network-related download failure on Chrome. Naturally, these features are designed to protect your PC from malware hidden behind seemingly secure and encrypted websites. However, sometimes these antivirus programs go too far with protecting the network by blocking all downloads – harmful or not.

In this case, you can temporarily disable your PC’s antivirus or change its network security settings. After that try to download the file (s) again. If you are not using an antivirus, or if downloads still fail after changing the antivirus network settings, check out the other troubleshooting solutions below.

2. Try incognito mode

Chrome extensions offer different features that generally help improve your internet browsing experience. However, sometimes these extensions are the root of the anomalies you encounter while using Chrome. An extension may be corrupted, outdated, or suddenly become incompatible with the version of Chrome you are running on your PC.

A good way to determine if one or more extensions are responsible for the failed download error is to try downloading the file in a new incognito window. This disables all non-Google third-party extensions installed on 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 hit Enter / Return on your keyboard. If the download is successful, your browser probably has an unauthorized extension. To find out which extension is causing the problem, launch the Chrome extensions management page (Menu> More tools> Extensions) and disable all extensions.

Then turn on the extensions you need one by one and note which one is causing downloads to fail due to network error. Once you discover the errant extension, we recommend that you remove it permanently.

3. Clear Chrome Browser Data

Often times, deleting temporary data that Chrome accumulates over hours can help resolve persistent issues affecting browser performance and certain activities (file downloads). Follow the steps below to do so. Before continuing, read what happens when you clear browsing data in Chrome.

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

2nd step: Scroll down to the “Privacy and Security” section and click “Clear Browsing Data”.

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

Try the download again and check if it is successful.

4. Reset Chrome

You still get the message ‘Failed Network Error’ when you download files? You may need to reset the browser, restore Chrome to its default settings. When you reset Google Chrome, third-party extensions are disabled (but not removed), temporary files (cache and cookies) are deleted, sync service will be paused, among other things.

Resetting Chrome will not affect vital data like browsing history, download history, saved passwords and favorites. Here’s how to reset Google Chrome.

Step 1: Type or paste chrome: // parameters in the address bar and press Enter / Return on the keyboard.

This will redirect you to Chrome’s settings menu.

2nd step: Scroll to the bottom of the settings menu and click the Advanced drop-down button.

Step 3: Then click on the “Restore Default Settings” option.

Step 4: Tap Reset Settings in the prompt to continue.

Download successful

Chrome is prone to bugs that affect app functionality like page scrolling, file downloads, etc. Keeping Chrome up to date will fix these bugs and therefore eliminate the failed download error. Refer to our full guide on how to update Google Chrome on Windows and Mac PC. If your browser is up to date and the problem persists, restart your computer. And if that doesn’t work either, reinstall Chrome or reset your PC’s network settings.