Network error when downloading files

Have you tried to download a file using Google Chrome but instead you get a failed network error message?

Maybe it is an important reference for your school project, a work report, or an important document for an upcoming family event. Either way, it is very frustrating to deal with such an issue that delays our important activities.

You are possibly using the most popular browser in the world but it doesn’t mean it is perfect. With more than 50% of internet users that use it, a number of them are also experiencing this issue. Some users have inquired on how to fix the issue in the Google Support Community.

But sadly, this issue can be caused by a lot of factors. Yes, not just Google Chrome.

Don’t worry, we will teach you how to fix failed network errors when downloading using Google Chrome. Each of the factors will be discussed from simple to advanced, and of course, how to resolve it.

Let’s dive in!

1. Restart the Application.

You may be running your application for a long period of time. Sometimes, this is causing the application to not work correctly, especially if you have limited memory space.

To fix this issue, you must close your Google Chrome app and relaunch it again.

By doing this, it will remove all of the temporary browser sessions and data that usually overload your memory. Additionally, it also helps to restart any browser extensions that may be interfering with how your search browser works.

However, if you are still having the same failed network error when downloading using Google Chrome, let’s move forward and check the next method.

2. Restart the Internet Connection.

Website caching in servers is one of the most important technologies that are available today. The purpose of these servers is to deliver content to users much faster rather than getting it from the main data server.

But sometimes, when you are connected long enough, you keep getting the same session, which may cause errors. To fix this, you must refresh your internet connection by restarting your internet modem.

Here’s the proper sequence of restarting your connection:

1. First, shut down your computer, turn off your Wi-Fi router (if applicable), and internet modem.
2. After all, equipment is off, turn back on your internet modem. Wait until the LED light for the internet (INT) in the modem is solid green. This will mean that you have now had internet access.
3. Next is turn back on your Wi-Fi router and wait for the Wireless LED light to blink green. This will mean that your Wi-Fi is now broadcasting. If you are not using any Wi-Fi router, proceed to the next step.
4. Then, turn back on your computer and connect to the Wi-Fi network. If you are using an ethernet cable, wait for the network icon to stabilize to indicate that you are connected to the internet.
5. Finally, open the Google Chrome app and download the file again from the website.

By refreshing your connection, you can now download the file you needed from the internet.

3. Clear Browser Cache.

Your browser also has its own cache to enhance the speed of browsing experience. The cached data in your browser sometimes gets outdated, which then causes the error.

In order to fix it, you must clear these cached data and session identifiers.

Here’s how you can do it:

1. First, type chrome://settings/clearBrowserData in the address bar of your Google Chrome to open the clear your browser cache settings.
2. Next, choose the correct Time Range. If you start experiencing this issue for that past week, choose the Last 7 days option to avoid clearing other relevant cache files. To delete everything from the beginning, choose All-time.
3. Then, click the Browsing history, Cookies & other site data and Cached images and files checkboxes to include in the clearing process.
4. After that, click on the Clear data button and wait for it to finish clearing the data.

1. Next, close the Google Chrome application and relaunch it.
2. Finally, re-visit the website where the file is located and download it again.

After you have cleared your cached data and previous sessions, your browser will download the updated data to connect successfully to the website server. You will be able to download the file successfully.

4. Update to the Latest Version.

There is a possibility that the current version of Google Chrome you are using is outdated. This means that application bugs are not yet fixed and might be causing the error.

In order to fix this, you must update Google Chrome to the latest version.

Type chrome://settings/help in the address bar and you will be able to see the current version of the app.

If you are using an outdated version, a clickable Update option will be available. Click on it and follow the rest of the instructions to update to the latest version.

With the latest version of Google Chrome running on your device, previous bugs are now eliminated. You will be able to download the file successfully now.

5. Use Incognito Mode.

You will be able to load the website with no history or traces of previous data from the web server if you enable ‘Incognito’ mode. It allows you to visit a website privately without using any preloaded settings.

To do this, just go to the top right-hand corner, click the More button (three dots) and then choose to open in the New Incognito Window.

A new window will open in ‘Incognito’ mode and you can visit the website from there. If you are, however, unable to download the file, then it’s possible that a setting, app, or browser extension may be what’s causing the error.

Let’s figure out what we can do about this in the next method.

6. Use Chrome Cleanup Tool.

Unwanted ads, pop-ups, and malware usually mess up your Google Chrome application. This is usually the problem when you visit unsafe websites and you don’t even know that you are already infected.

Good thing that there is a feature in your Google Chrome that you can utilize to remove these.

According to Google Support, here’s how to use it:

1. Go ahead and click More button (three dots) and then Settings at the top right area of Google Chrome.
2. Then at the bottom area, find and click Advanced option.

1. Now, under Reset and clean up option, click Clean up computer and click Find.

1. If a message prompts you to remove unwanted software, click Remove.
2. Finally, reboot your computer if applicable after the removal process.

After you have cleaned up your Google Chrome application, you will be able to use the app with no issues.

But if you are still having the same failed network error when downloading using Google Chrome, check Method 7.

7. Uninstall Recent Application.

Your software and applications can be unsafe, especially if you are using an unlicensed version or have acquired them from other unauthorized sources.

Since these applications are executable, some are being used by hackers to embed their malicious code in it. You never know that your computer is already infected. There could be a recent application that you have installed that caused this error.

To remove the application, here’s how you can do it:

If you are using Windows OS

1. Go ahead and click on the Windows icon and type in Control in the search bar.
2. Now on the list of results, find and click on Control Panel.
3. Then under Programs category, click on Uninstall a program option.

1. Next, find the recent application that you have installed recently and click on it.
2. After that, right-click and click on the Uninstall option. Follow the rest of the instructions for the uninstall process.
3. You can repeat the process from Step 4 to uninstall other programs that you don’t recognize.
4. Finally, if applicable, restart your computer.

If you are using Mac

1. Go ahead and open Finder.
2. Then on the left side, find and click Applications.
3. Next, find the recent application that you have installed recently.
4. Right-click the name of the application and click Move to Trash.
5. You can repeat the process from Step 3 to remove other programs that you don’t recognize.
6. Then when you’re done, right-click Trash at the bottom.
7. Finally, click Empty Trash and if applicable, reboot your computer.

Having cleaned up your computer with unwanted applications that are causing this issue, you can fix failed network error when downloading using Google Chrome.

8. Change Download Location.

There must be something wrong with the destination folder where you are saving your downloads. Sometimes, it could be that the folder no longer exists or it just could be that the drive is already full.

There are other possibilities why you cannot save your file to your existing location but you can always change it. You can point it to the folder where you are sure that it has enough space and no other restrictions.

To change the download location of your Google Chrome, type in chrome://settings/downloads in the address bar.

You will then be seeing a page where your default download location is. Click on Change and choose the folder where you want to save the file.

Finally, click on the select folder button to confirm the changes.

After you have changed the location of your download, you have eliminated folder restrictions and capacity issues.

9. Disable Download Port Checking in Antivirus.

Security software installed in your computer can sometimes block the file you are trying to download.

By default, this program’s purpose is to protect your computer from malicious attacks and programs. It understands that these malicious attacks often come from downloaded files. Hence, it usually blocks downloads, especially from unrecognized websites.

But you can disable this feature if you know that the website is safe. This will depend, however, on the security software you are using.

Here’s how you can disable the feature in the most common antivirus softwares:

If you are using Kaspersky Internet Security

1. Open the app, and click Settings.
2. Then click on Additional, and then Network option.

1. Finally, under Encrypted connections scanning, click on the Do not scan encrypted connections.

If you are using AVG Security

1. Open the app, and click Settings.
2. Then click on Components, and then Online Shield option.
3. Finally, uncheck Enable HTTPS Scanning option to disable it.

If you are using Avast Security

1. Open the app, and click Settings.
2. Then click on Components, and then Web Shield option.
3. Finally, uncheck Enable HTTPS Scanning option to disable it.

If you are using ESET Security

1. Open the app, and click Tools.
2. Then click on the Advanced Setup, and then Web and Email option.
3. Finally, disable Enable SSL/TLS protocol filtering option.

After disabling the port scanning feature of your antivirus app, the file will not be blocked upon download.

If you are not sure how to do it with your firewall or other antivirus software, make sure you disable it when you download the file.

10. Connect to Another Network.

There must be some restrictions in the network of your internet provider if you still cannot download the file. To check, try to connect to other networks that use a different provider.

If you are able to download the file, you must contact your internet provider and ask them why you are being restricted.

However, if you are still having the same issue regarding failed network error when downloading using Google Chrome, you must proceed to the next method for your network settings.

11. Check Registry File.

Sometimes when you have removed the malicious app on your computer, the damage it has done in your computer remains unfixed. One of the most common files that are infected is the registry file.

You can manually fix it yourself by opening a command prompt in your Windows OS computer.

Type in C: in the Command Prompt application and hit Enter to change the directory.

Finally, type regsvr32 urlmon.dll and hit your Enter key. This will fix the executable file that is responsible for your computer’s hard drive.

Now you will be able to download and save the file from the internet. Try testing to see if the issue persists and let us know down below on how this method works out for you. 🙂

12. Install Latest Network Driver.

Another possible reason why you are having this error is having an outdated network driver. Since hardware drivers are also made of codes, sometimes it has bugs.

This happens because your operating system provider is not usually tied up with the hardware provider of your computer. They follow a standard protocol for compatibility but sometimes conflicts can arise when customized features are introduced.

To make sure that you have the latest bug fixes, update your network drivers to their latest version. Here’s how you can do it:

1. Go ahead and click on the Search button on your Windows OS and type in Device Manager.
2. On the search result, click on the Device Manager icon to run the application.
3. Then, the application will provide a list of devices, choose Network Adapters to uncollapse the list, and look for the WLAN or LAN driver that you are using.

1. After that, visit the manufacturer’s website and download the latest driver of your network adapter. You can use another computer to do it if you cannot download the file using your computer.
2. Once downloaded, copy the latest driver to your computer using a flash disk drive.
3. Now go back to your computer’s Device Manager and click on the network device that you are using under Network Adapters and right-click to view options.
4. Then click the Uninstall device to remove the driver and click OK to confirm the process.
5. Next, run the installer of the latest driver of your network adapter and follow the instructions to install.
6. Restart your computer after the successful installation. Connect back to your Wi-Fi network if you are using a wireless connection.
7. Finally, launch Google Chrome and download the file from the website again.

After you update your network driver to the latest version, you will be able to download the file with no network error.

13. Try to Use Other Browsers.

To confirm that you have failed network error when downloading using Google Chrome, try to use other browsers.

You can try to visit the website and download the file again using a search browser like Mozilla Firefox, Safari, or Internet Explorer.

However, if you are still not able to download the file, there must be an untraceable system file that has been damaged by a malicious app.

The usual fix for that is to visit the store where you purchased your laptop and let their certified technician check for it. They might restore your computer to the default factory state or reformat the Operating System.

On the other hand, if you are able to download the file using other browsers, then it’s most likely that there must be something wrong with your Google Chrome.

14. Reset Google Chrome Settings.

There must be an untraceable setting or extensionin your Google Chrome that might be messing up with your download. Sometimes, you tweak and install additional features in Google Chrome to enhance your user experience.

These tweaks sometimes mess up the settings and cause the application to malfunction.

In order to fix this, you must try to reset Google Chrome settings. Here’s how you can do it:

1. Go ahead and click More button (three dots) and then Settings at the top right area of the Google Chrome.
2. Then at the bottom area, find and click on the Advanced option.
3. Now, under Reset and clean up option, click Restore settings to their original defaults option.
4. After that, a message will prompt to confirm the process, click on the Reset settings button to confirm.

1. Finally, launch the Google Chrome app and re-visit the website where the file is located and download it again.

After restoring Google Chrome to its default setting, you will be able to download the file with no issues.

15. Uninstall and Reinstall Google Chrome.

Another worse and possible scenario is when your Google Chrome app has been corrupted. It may have been damaged by a malicious app or due to tweaks.

Don’t worry, you can always remove the application and install a fresh copy of the app. This way, you can enjoy the latest version of Google Chrome which will have patches for any issues that were present before.

Here’s how you can do it:

1. Go ahead and download the latest version of Google Chrome in Google download page. You can use another computer to do this if you cannot download the file.
2. Then you will be prompted to Run or Save. Choose the Save option and save it to your chosen folder. You can later transfer the file using a flash disk drive.
3. Now back to your computer, go to your Windows OS Control Panel, click on Programs and Features, and find Google Chrome application on the list.

1. From there, choose Google Chrome and right-click to find the uninstall option. Click on Uninstall.
2. After successfully uninstalling the app, go to the folder where you saved the Google Chrome installer, and run it.
3. Then, follow the instructions until you finish the installation process.
4. Finally, launch the Google Chrome app and re-visit the website where the file is located and download it again.

Now that you have installed a fresh copy of Google Chrome, you will be able to download your file successfully. The conflict or errors in the application has been completely removed.

But if you still have the problem, you can proceed to the last method below.

16. Contact Google Support.

There might be a chance that your computer is having a compatibility issue with Google Chrome. Worst case is, you need to compile a report and send it to the Google Chrome developers.

According to Google Support, you can report an issue or send feedback by clicking the More option at the top right corner of the app, then click on Help, and then click Report an issue.

Include all the important details of your problem and submit it by clicking Send.

You can also create a new post on the Google Chrome Help Forum. You must include the following in your report:

• Your current Google Chrome Version.
• Your Operating System.
• Relevant screenshots of the error message.
• Link to the website page and file where the error occurs.

With this information, Google’s Chrome Team can investigate further and help other users who are experiencing similar issues.

Before we bring our guide to a close, we hope that this article has helped you fix your failed network error when downloading using the Google Chrome issue. If you have questions related to this topic, please feel free to leave a comment below.

If this guide helped you, please share it. 🙂