• Cleanup
  • Browsers

.download, .crdownload and .part files: the downloads that never finished

Interrupted downloads leave partial files behind in Downloads, sometimes gigabytes of them. How to find each browser's leftovers and tell which can be resumed.

4 min read

A download that stops partway does not disappear. Each browser leaves its own kind of partial file in Downloads, sized at however much arrived before it stopped. A large installer or video that failed three times can leave three large partial files.

What each browser leaves

FileBrowserCan it resume?
Name.downloadSafariOften, from the Downloads list or by opening the file
Name.crdownloadChrome, Edge, Brave and other Chromium browsersFrom the browser's downloads page, while it remembers it
Name.partFirefoxFrom the downloads list, if the server allows it

Safari's .download file is actually a folder, so its size can be large without looking like a file.

Find them

cd ~/Downloads
find . -maxdepth 2 \( -name '*.download' -o -name '*.crdownload' -o -name '*.part' \) -exec du -sh {} + 2>/dev/null | sort -h

Clearing them

  • If you want the file, try resuming it from the browser first. Otherwise download it again.
  • If you do not, move the partial files to the Trash. A partial file is not usable on its own.
  • If downloads keep failing near the same size, check free space: a full disk is a common cause. A disk image that downloaded incompletely fails with no mountable file systems.

For the rest of the folder, see Downloads taking up space.

Common questions

What is a .crdownload file on a Mac?

It is an unfinished download from Chrome or another Chromium browser. It can sometimes be resumed from the browser's downloads page; otherwise it can be deleted.

What is a .download file in Safari?

It is a Safari download that has not finished. It is a folder package, which is why it can be large. Open it or use Safari's Downloads list to resume.

Is it safe to delete partial download files?

Yes. A partial file is not usable by itself. Delete it, or resume the download from the browser if you still need the file.

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