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Leftover .aria2 File? Resume or Delete a Stuck Download

Your aria2 download stopped and left a .aria2 file sitting next to a half-finished file. That is the resume record: keep it to finish the download, or delete both to start clean. Here is exactly what to do.

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What an .aria2 file is

An .aria2 file is a small control file created by the aria2 download utility (used on its own and by front-ends like Motrix and some managers). It records which pieces of a download have already arrived so aria2 can resume instead of starting over. It sits beside the partial file with the same name, e.g. ubuntu.iso plus ubuntu.iso.aria2.

How to finish the download

Point aria2 (or your download manager) at the same folder and re-run the download. It reads the .aria2 file, sees what is missing, and continues. When the download completes successfully, aria2 deletes the .aria2 file automatically.

Is it safe to delete?

If you delete the .aria2 file you lose the ability to resume — you would have to download from scratch. If you have given up on the download, delete both the .aria2 and its partial file together to reclaim space. Deleting it never harms a completed file.

How to finish an .aria2 file by OS

All systems (aria2): a .aria2 file is the control file that the aria2 downloader writes next to a partial download, tracking which pieces are done. To resume, run aria2 again in the same folder with the same URL/torrent — aria2c --continue — and it uses the .aria2 to pick up where it stopped.

Common problems

If you delete the .aria2 control file, aria2 can't resume and will restart the download from zero. Keep it until the download finishes.

FAQ

Can I open an .aria2 file?

There is no reason to — it is internal resume data, not a document. Let aria2 use it to continue the download.

How do I resume with an .aria2 file?

Restart the same download in aria2 from the same folder; it reads the .aria2 file and continues where it stopped.

Is it safe to delete?

Yes, but you lose the ability to resume. Delete it with the partial file if you have abandoned the download.

Other file types explained